TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama’s Alabama Museum of Natural History and the UA Arboretum will host the annual St. Valentine’s Day gourmet dinner featuring big band and swing jazz music from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 14, in Smith Hall on Sixth Avenue on the UA campus.

The George Winter Band will set the tone during the social hour and provide musical entertainment for listening and dancing during and after the dinner. A gourmet meal by Cheilla’s Catering promises to blend a fusion of southern tastes with opulent cuisine.

Dinner will be served in historic Smith Hall’s Grand Gallery of ornate Corinthian columns. The Grand Gallery, one of the most beautifully proportioned interiors on the UA campus, houses exhibits of fossils, rocks and minerals from the Coal Age, Dinosaur Age and Ice Age.

The cost is $75 a person. All proceeds benefit the Alabama Museum of Natural History and the Arboretum. Registration is open through Friday, Feb. 8. For details, call 205/348-2542 or e-mail vduncan@bama.ua.edu. Seating is limited. Tables for two are available upon request.

The University of Alabama, a student-centered research university, is in the midst of planned, steady enrollment growth with a goal of reaching 28,000 students by 2010. This growth, which is positively impacting the campus and the state's economy, is in keeping with UA’s vision to be the university of choice for the best and brightest students. UA, the state's flagship university, is an academic community united in its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all Alabamians.