Going to be alone on Valentine’s Day? Good. We found you a reason to get out of the house around 7 p.m. Don’t worry; though the streets of Iowa City may be infested with those insufferable, college-age couples who are attached at the hips, you can take in a free hour (“or so”) of comedy — with a donation box — at High Ground Café, 301 E. Market St.

The Little Village Comedy Hour is a biweekly event hosted by Arashdeep Singh and Robert Flanagan. Via the show’s Facebook event page and Flanagan, both comics will perform alongside a lineup of local acts: Daniel Frana, Ava Cheyenne, Ben Kasl, Lyn-z Harney, and Megan Gogerty.

The show is the brainchild of Little Village Co-Editor Singh, who approached High Ground owner and operator Wesley Ward with the idea.

‘‘[Arash] is a regular at the café,” Ward said. “[He] had noticed that we do all sorts of events from poetry slams, live music, readings, and other larger-group meetings/gatherings. He asked if we might consider doing a comedy show every other week on Saturday, and I was all in.”

Even for those unfamiliar with the comics, take solace in that Little Village’s show has attracted some amazing local acts. Juan Manbando, a luchador one-man-band and “third-funniest man in Iowa” (and my favorite local comic) Daniel Yoo killed it at the last show on Jan. 31.

For regulars of the café that may be there to study/write/anything besides comedy, take note of the arrangement of seating. Much of High Ground’s front half will be taken up with seating and standing room for potentially 70 to 100 people. 

Being a man who thinks of the mundane troubles of everyday life, this reporter pressed Ward about how this event would affect other patrons.

“I think there is always plenty of room for everyone to enjoy the café during the shows.” he said. “Many regular customers find that during the show they are more focused with their earbuds in, but I do not think that the comedy disrupts from our normal Saturday night café-goers.”

Folks who enjoy a good standup comedy show but can’t make it to the Catacombs of Comedy at the Yacht Club, 13 S. Linn St., on Monday nights should make plans to see these shows every other Saturday. They’re free, but there is a donation box with a suggested amount of $2. Keep in mind that comedians need to eat, too.

On second thought, even if you’re not alone on Valentine’s Day you could still probably take your special somebody to the show with you. 

Keep up to date with our continuing coverage Iowa City’s growing standup comedy scene.

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