How to Spend Your Valentine’s Day in Loveland, Colorado

Loveland Lights at Chapungu Sculpture Park. | Courtesy of HeidiTown

There’s a reason Loveland is called The Sweetheart City. Few places in the world celebrate Valentine’s Day like this Northern Colorado town. From the 77-year-old Valentine’s Remailing Program to a Group Wedding to a brand new date night event among Loveland Lights, the town goes all out on the holiday of love.

Since 1947, Loveland has been the headquarters of the largest Valentine Re-mailing Program in the United States. Yearly, more than 100,000 stamped Valentines are sent to the Loveland Post Office to be hand-stamped by volunteers, embossed with a special verse, and then sent on to the intended recipient. To learn more go to Valentine Remailing Program.

Sweetheart Festival. | Photo Richard Haro

An event that has become a tradition is the Sweetheart Festival, scheduled for February 10 in downtown Loveland, Colorado. The event is the best way to experience everything the Sweetheart City has to offer during this festival of love.

The free celebration brings in ice carving, fire sculpture demonstrations, musician and dance performances, and an appearance by the band Spinphony at the Historic Rialto Theater. This all-female, electrified string quartet brings the sounds of Mozart as well as ACDC to the stage. Spinphony plays eclectic, electric tunes. 

Spinphony at the Sweetheart Festival in downtown Loveland on February 9, 2019. | Richard Haro

The Sweetheart Festival features a Kids Zone, outdoor games, Tunnel of Love, a community mural, food trucks, The Palace of Sweets, and the Sweetheart Classic 4-mile race in the morning. The entire festival is the kind of event made couples, friends, families, and Instagram pictures. 

New this year, is a 25-foot-tall, fiery owl hovering over the Sweetheart Festival’s main location at Foundry Plaza in downtown Loveland. In addition, fire spinners, and a host of fiery entertainment will be in attendance. Think Burning Man, but in the cold. A downtown Marriott is set to welcome out-of-town guests for the weekend or guests can sleep at one of Loveland’s myriad of hotels.

Loveland Lights at Chapungu Sculpture Park. | Courtesy of HeidiTown

Many artisans have made items special for Valentine’s Day in the Sweetheart City. As Loveland’s oldest craft brewery, Grimm Brothers Brewhouse has been the beer maker for Valentine’s Day in Loveland since they arrived on the scene in 2010. This year, they made a chocolate cherry porter.

Sweet Heart Winery & Event Center has made a malbec for the occasion, and Top of the Lake Coffee Roasters has a special Valentine’s Day coffee. Colorado Candy Company crafted a chocolate cherry hard candy for the affair and it will be on sale in the Palace of Sweets at the Sweetheart Festival.

Sweetheart Festival. | Courtesy of Heiditown

A brand new “date night” event will take place at Chapungu Sculpture Garden among Loveland Lights, a magical nighttime show with more than 200,000 twinkling lights. They are on now through February 18, and the new event will take place on February 17. At this LIVE Night at Loveland Lights, alongside wine and beer tasting and dueling pianos, guests can indulge in a cheese platter from Get Plattered, or food truck fare and popcorn.  

There are also various restaurants at the adjacent The Promenade Shops at Centerra (walking distance), and an easily accessible Embassy Suites  up the street should this become a vacation or staycation.. The LIVE Night at Loveland Lights is free, and drink tickets will be available to purchase.

Valentine’s Day Wedding Ceremony. | Courtesy of Big Deal Company

If all of this weren’t enough, a Valentine Group Wedding is planned at Blue Arena during the Colorado Eagles Game on February 14. This is the eighth group wedding in Loveland by BIG DEAL Company, and the second to be held at the Sweetheart hockey game. Should someone wish to be wed or renew their wedding vows in Loveland on Valentine’s Day, get all the details at Loveland’s Valentine’s Day Group Wedding. Couples will get a massive amount of stuff for just $160 at this unique event.

Last but not least, the Colorado Eagles hockey game on February 14 will be extra special. The Valentine-themed game includes a lot of lovely dovey fun. At just $60 for two tickets which comes with $20 in concession bucks, this will be a delightful and memorable way to spend Valentine’s Day. 

Valentine’s Day Wedding Ceremony. | Courtesy of Big Deal Company

There’s little doubt that Loveland, Colorado, is the place to visit in February. Located just 45 minutes north of Denver on Interstate 25, it makes an easy escape to celebrate all things love. For help planning a romantic getaway go to VisitLoveland.com.