We’re kind of ashamed to say that, although we’ve lived in Colorado our whole lives, the In Good Taste Denver team has never spent any real time in Loveland! We’ve driven though a few times and thought, “We really need to check this place out!” We finally did, spending an action-packed weekend there just as the holiday season kicked off. Turns out, there’s plenty to see and do in Loveland, year-round. But let’s start with one of the “loveliest” reasons to visit.
A place called “Loveland” has to devote itself to Valentine’s Day. Maybe it’s a law, I don’t know. And this Colorado city certainly embraces that responsibility. But any visit to Loveland, no matter what time of year, should start, and end, at the Loveland Visitors Center. Make it your first stop as you arrive for visitor information. But then return toward the end of your visit because you will have fallen in love with Loveland and will want to buy locally-made items such as clothing, housewares, souvenirs (but not tacky) and other artisan goods that all represent what’s local. And you’ll want to buy and etch one of the famous Loveland locks and leave a little bit of your heart on the “LOVE” sculpture outside.
Loveland’s Valentine Season 2023
Loveland’s big claim to fame – it’s Colorado’s Sweetheart City and it’s launching its 77th Valentine season in 2023. People can send their valentine’s cards to the city of Loveland to have a collector’s stamp (also known as a “cachet”) and postmark stamped on them and then mailed off to their intended recipient. Each year, a new envelope artwork and verse are created.
Loveland receives approximately 100,000 Valentines each year from all 50 states and 110 countries around the world for their Valentine Re-mailing Program, making it the largest of its kind. Each envelope is stamped by hand by sponsors and volunteers each year.
To get this special 2023 collector’s envelope artwork and postmark on Valentine’s Day cards you select and want to send out, package pre-addressed, pre-stamped Valentines in a larger First Class envelope. Send the envelope to Postmaster – Attention Valentines, 446 E. 29th St., Loveland, CO 80538-9998. Once received, Valentines will be removed from the larger envelope and hand-stamped before being re-mailed to intended recipients.
You can also purchase a specially-designed 2023 Valentine card that features a row of black and white mailboxes with one open to reveal a red heart. The verse says: “From the City of Loveland, Right to your door, A card full of love, And a little bit more. To you and your loved ones, Good wishes and smiles, From the Sweetheart City, Across the miles.”
The Valentine cards can be purchased online at Loveland.org for $10 (which includes the card, printing, processing and postage) from Jan. 18 through Feb. 9, and for $5 at the Loveland Chamber of Commerce, Loveland Visitors Center and through many retail outlets in Loveland, including Safeway, Walmart, Rowes, Columbine Drug, and B Sweet Cupcakes, beginning Jan. 5. A complete list of retail outlets is available on the chamber’s website. All cards purchased through Loveland.org will automatically go through the re-mailing program.
Other ways to share the love in Loveland
The Valentine Re-mailing Program isn’t the only way to participate in an authentically-Loveland Valentine season. Here are the highlights of other activities:
Loveland Lights at Chapungu, Feb. 1-14.
The dramatic but peaceful Chapungu Sculpture Park in Centerra will be adorned in red and pink lights and sweetheart-themed décor. We can’t wait to see this because Loveland’s Winter Wonderlights there was so pretty – it’s a great blending of art, nature, and romantic strolling. This free event is open 5-9pm, every night.
The Loveland Sweetheart Festival, Feb. 10-11.
The free celebration in Downtown Loveland includes live music, art installations, local brews, and interactive activities at four venues. Stop at the Valentine Flea Art Market for live performances, food trucks and kids’ activities. Experience the Arts Alive block with interactive raku firing and ice carving demos or paint a tile for the Loveland community mural. At the Rialto Theater, 14-time Grammy Award winning musician Dan Tyminski, featuring Gavin Largent, will perform on the 11th.
2023 Sweetheart Classic Race – Feb. 11
The four-mile course takes participants over diverse terrain and views, from downtown to River’s Edge Natural Area. Come as a couple or look for your future running partner.
Colorado Eagles Hockey Sweetheart Game and Group Wedding – Feb. 14
The game, held at the Budweiser Events Center includes opportunities to win tickets and a gift bag to the game; witnessing a pre-game, group wedding; a Kiss Cam and other surprises. That group wedding happens on the ice for a limited number of couples looking to get married or renew their vows. The package they purchase gets them a customized ceremony, photos, gift bags, cupcakes, a lock to “lock their love” on one of Loveland’s famous LOVE or HEART sculptures, and more.
2023 Loveland Valentine Wine – Starting Feb. 1 while supplies last
Sweet Heart Winery, a charming place in a beautiful setting, has produced a limited edition 2019 Merlot from Lodi, California that includes specially-designed label art. Purchase the wine online or at the winery after Feb. 1.
2023 Loveland Valentine Coffee
In partnership between the Loveland Chamber of Commerce and Top of the Lake Coffee, this year’s Sweetheart Blend is Butter Toffee coffee. It will be sold at the Loveland Visitors Center.
Looking ahead – more reasons to love Loveland:
August 4-8, 2023, Larimer County Fair and (PRCA) Rodeo celebrates its 140th anniversary. Enjoy fair fun including games, rides, vendor’s, a farmer’s market, pig wrestling, 4-H shows, live concerts by School of Rock, Uptown Funk, Shred the Cowboy, Delta Sonics and more plus, of course the rodeo.
August 11-13, 2023, Sculpture in the Park is the largest outdoor, juried sculpture show in the country. Drawing international talent, the show transforms Benson Sculpture Garden into a major art-lover’s draw with more than 2,000 pieces of sculpture by 160 sculptors from around the world. This will be the 39th year for this popular event.
Also that weekend is Art in the Park, Colorado’s longest running artisan festival. See 175 juried artisans showing off collections in a variety of mediums.
August 19-20, The Shaw Classic, is a two-day competition of ultimate strength as athletes lift cars, pull trucks, deadlift tires and more.
August 25-26, Loveland Corn Roast Festival is in its 127th year with roasted corn, a parade, live music, a beer garden, and kid-zone. Country artist, Craig Campbell opens the event.
September 10, Honey Festival includes seeing a beehive in action, a Kids Busy Bee Play Zone, bee keeping demonstrations, and vendors selling beer-themed products. The event is adjacent to the Loveland Farmers Market which features more than 40 vendors each week.
September 15-16, Loveland Oktoberfest is slated to happen with live music by Thirsty 5, a best-dressed competition, stein-hoisting competition, and lots of authentic German beer and food.
September 16-17, Wild Wonderful Weekend brings outdoor games, live music, scavenger hunts, and more to Colorado’s first Certified Community Wildlife Habitat. The event includes artisans, live music, an 85-foot obstacle course, and farm-to-table brunch.
November 2023 – Jan. 2024, Winter Wonderlights lets visitors stroll the already beautiful sculpture garden and makes it festive with 175,000 lights, live activations including ice sculpting, music and dance plus appearances by Santa and light shows.
Loveland any time of year:
Where to stay: The Embassy Suites by Hilton Loveland Hotel Conference Center & Spa was a great place to call home while we were there. The really clever design of the suites, each of which surrounds a huge atrium overlooking the dining area, means that bedrooms are away from the hallway. That reduces the chance of noise during the night while providing expansive views. Take advantage of the complimentary hot breakfast which includes a made-to-order area for eggs in any form and pancakes. Take our advice and have their green chile ladled over an omelet for a very Colorado breakfast. The hotel is right by the Budweiser Events Center and a short drive to shopping, restaurants, walking/biking trails, and sculpture parks.
What to see in Loveland:
Stroll historic downtown for lots of independent, small businesses, charming architecture and public art.
See so many sculptures – While there are multiple places to see Loveland’s varied sculptures, we loved the Benson Sculpture Garden, a sprawling and pretty park with a wide variety of styles of sculpture. Allow plenty of time to roam here so you can stop and really enjoy as a piece strikes your interest. Chapungu Sculpture Park is another, with more than 80 African stone sculptures carved by artists from Zimbabwe. There are also self-guided tours of heart sculptures and murals that, simultaneously, provide a way to get to know the lay of the land.
The Loveland Museum is a must-see, telling the very unique history of Loveland (it includes sugar beets and alabaster!) with creative and immersive displays that let you literally step into history. There are also revolving and thought-provoking displays so check out the website to see what’s new.
Where to eat and drink:
The Black Steer is an institution in Loveland, having opened in 1966. Taking a hint from the name, you won’t be surprised to know it’s a steak place. But there’s also seafood, salads, and pasta. Famous for putting Chex cereal on their salads as croutons (brilliant!), we suggest doing it up right with steak, baked potato with allll the fixin’s and even a lobster tail, to really gild the lily. The meal will be a chunk of change but it was very good and an authentic, local experience.
Vatos Tacos + Tequila is a casual but hip and friendly place where you order at the counter, then grab a table to await your order. Be sure to order the chips and roasted salsa, the elote corn and, after a burrito or some street tacos, the churros with chocolate and soft serve ice cream.
There’s a big variety of restaurants in Loveland, most of which are independently owned so check them out here. We wish we’d had more time to try more of them but that just gives us other reasons to return.
Sweet Heart Winery is just a short drive out of town into a pretty, rural area with rolling hills. Their tasting room offers wines by the bottle, glass, and flight plus a small menu of food to enjoy while you sip. Take advantage of the back porch seating and also the firepit area, even in chilly but sunny weather because it’s just such a lovely place to sit and relax.
Cheer the home team:
The Colorado Eagles, an American Hockey League team, calls Loveland and The Budweiser Events Center home. Take in a game while you visit or maybe catch one of the many other events that go on there, including concerts. Grab dinner first at Blue Bar & Grill. The close proximity to the Embassy Suites means you can stay parked at the hotel and walk over.
We packed a lot into our weekend visit to Loveland and left knowing we’d only scratched the surface of all there was to do and experience. Good thing for those of us in Colorado, a Loveland Staycation is totally doable and should be done!
-By Courtney Drake-McDonough, publisher and managing editor, In Good Taste Denver
Please note: Portions of our visit to Loveland were hosted to help facilitate this article. However, as is always the case, our opinions are our own.
Comments are closed.