Loveland, Colorado Celebrates 75th Valentine Anniversary With Socially-Distanced Activities and Themed Local Beverages

Head to the nation's Sweetheart City the first two weeks of February for safe, distanced ways to show your love

Loveland, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - January 14, 2021) - News Direct-- For 75 years, Loveland the nation's Sweetheart City has been spreading love and joy across the world by re-mailing valentines with a special stamp and poem. Today, Visit Loveland and partners celebrate the program's diamond anniversary by unveiling details on reimagined sweetheart season activities in the city.

"The Valentine Re-Mailing Program put Loveland on the map as the nation's Sweetheart City 75 years ago and today, we take our role in sharing love very seriously with activities and more ways for visitors to celebrate," said Cindy Mackin, visitors services manager for the City of Loveland. "From love lock sculptures and festive art and light displays to our socially-distanced group wedding, scavenger hunts, and more, we welcome everyone to Loveland to spread the love this valentine's season."

The LOVE love locks sculpture at the Visitors Center in Loveland, Colorado is one of the largest in the nation. Pose for pictures, or lock your love lock on the back. This is one of two love lock sculptures in the nation's Sweetheart City.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7234/72067_E0nIucdK.jpg

Re-Imagined Sweetheart City Activities

Experience any of the following socially-distanced activities across the city in February. Specific dates apply for each. Check out the most up-to-date details on all here.

Valentine Group Wedding - Feb. 14 - $95 per couple: What could be more romantic than saying "I do" on Valentine's Day in the Sweetheart City? Now more than ever, celebrating love and connection is needed. Loveland, Colorado is known for being the best place in the country to celebrate Valentine's Day. To honor love, My Big Day hosts an annual wedding on Feb. 14 where couples get married or renew their vows with a special custom ceremony and romantic touches. Careful accommodations and adjustments are being made for the 2021 wedding which will be held at Chapungu Sculpture Park at Centerra. Tickets and details are available at ValentinesDayInLoveland.com.

Love Locks - Available year-round - Free; can purchase love lock for $20 at Visitors Center: Loveland is home to two of the largest love lock sculptures in the U.S. Love locks are a symbol of love and commitment that has been inspired by an ancient custom where lovers lock a padlock on a chain or gate and then throw away the key, symbolically locking their love forever. The love lock sculptures allow love locks to stay locked forever in the nation's Sweetheart City on a beautiful piece of art.

The Quest for Dan Cupid - A socially-distanced scavenger hunt - Feb. 1 - 15 - Free: What is Valentine's Day without Dan Cupid? Join our quest during the first two weeks of February to find him and bring him back in time for Valentine's Day so he can shoot his arrow of love to those across the world from the nation's Sweetheart City. Participants will be entered to win the ultimate Loveland experience trip worth over $500 with hotel stay, food, shopping, and more. Free and open to the public.

Lights and Art Installations - Various dates - Free

• Downtown: Valentine-themed lights can be found across Loveland to celebrate valentine's season. Head downtown for the "Something RED" art installations and community mural from the Creative District, the Tunnel of LOVE, and valentine displays in the Foundry Plaza."Something RED" features local artist interpretations of the color RED - the color of action, violence, heat, luck, happiness, and passion. Installations include glowing symbols of love and luck, sailors' valentine, and even a robot cheering up his broken-hearted friend. Windows will feature a speakeasy collage, video work, and even a pair of Firebirds from Feb. 12 - March 12. Participants can also help create the "Stamp" Your Love community mural that is on display at the corner of 4th Street and Lincoln Ave. Artist Scott Freeman is working with the Loveland Museum to set up a socially-distanced, safe experience for community members to create pieces for the mural. Time slots to paint are during specific times Jan. 27 - Feb. 10. Registration opens on Jan. 20 at lovelandmuseumgallery.org.
• Loveland Lights at Chapungu: Chapungu Sculpture Park in Centerra will be lit up with thousands of red and pink lights and sweetheart-themed decor backed by romantic music from Feb. 1 - 14. The lighting display is free and open to the public from 5-9 p.m. every evening.

Loveland, Colorado is the nation's Sweetheart City. Throughout the month of February visitors experience valentine decorations, art installations, and light displays.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7234/72067_0NLKYquP.png

Sweetheart Classic Race - Feb. 13 - $30 for singles - $55 for couples: The 2021 Sweetheart Classic takes runners on a course with diverse terrain and views, from downtown out to River's Edge Natural Area. Socially-distance start times for waves, no in-person award ceremony, and other safety measures are in place to ensure safe, healthy fun. Runners can bring a sweetheart and participate together or single runners can be on the lookout for that future running partner.

Be My Valentine - An Evening at the Rialto - Feb. 13 - free concert with a suggested donation of $40: Enjoy Valentine's Day date night in the comfort of your own home with live concerts streamed from the Historic Rialto Theater in downtown Loveland. This is a fundraiser for Backstage Rialto.

Lovely Valentine Libations

Head to Loveland to taste delicious locally-produced beverages only found in the Sweetheart City during the first two weeks of February or until they sell out.

2021 Loveland Valentine Wine: Sweet Heart Winery in Loveland has produced the Loveland valentine wine - a Valentine's Day 2021 special edition 2018 Malbec with a special label from Loveland artist Billie Colson. This medium-bodied Malbec is a delight with bright red berry aromas on the nose. This fruit-forward wine continues to entice with notes of sugarplum, red cherry, and black raspberry. With a hint of baking spice and sweet tobacco on the finish, this wine is a pleasure to drink - perfect for sharing with your valentine. There will be 400 bottles of this wine available on Feb. 2 at Sweet Heart Winery.

2021 Loveland Valentine Beer: The Bleeding Heart, the 2021 official Loveland valentine beer produced by Grimm Brothers Brewhouse, is a barrel-aged Baltic Porter brewed with vanilla and bourbon.

2021 Loveland Valentine Coffee: The Sweetheart Blend official coffee for 2021 is a Gingersnap flavor by Top of the Lakes that will be sold at the Loveland Visitors Center.

About Visit Loveland

The mission of Visit Loveland is to enthusiastically promote, market and sell Loveland, Colorado as a destination for meetings, conventions and individual travelers, fostering economic development and benefiting and supporting members and the overall business community. It is Visit Loveland's goal to promote tourism, conventions and related activities within the city by marketing the city and sponsoring destination and community events. Learn more at VisitLovelandCO.com.

Contact Details

Nicole Yost
+1 970-776-9980
[email protected]

Cindy Mackin
970-290-8810
[email protected]

Company Website
https://www.visitlovelandco.org/

*Note to Media: Download additional photos and video here.

View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/loveland-colorado-celebrates-75th-valentine-anniversary-with-socially-distanced-activities-and-themed-local-beverages-226843784