Not every tradition needs a trending audio clip to prove it has staying power. In Loveland, some of our most beloved Valentine season traditions have spread the old-fashioned way: through stories, photos, word of mouth and a whole lot of heart.
From mailing Valentines around the world to locking love in steel and surprising sweethearts with wooden hearts on streetlights, these Loveland traditions may not be TikTok-famous, but are definitely Sweetheart City-famous and continue to show up in meaningful ways year after year.
Here’s a look at three of those traditions and why now is the perfect time to experience them.
Send love the old-fashioned way: the Loveland Valentine Re-mailing Program
If you still have Valentine cards to mail out, you’re not too late. Loveland’s legendary Valentine Re-mailing Program is accepting cards, and it’s one of the most charming traditions in the country.
In 2026, Loveland will celebrate 80 years of sending love around the world. What started as a novelty postal stamp has grown into the largest Valentine Re-mailing Program in the nation, thanks to the long-standing partnership between the Loveland Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Postal Service.
Each year, thousands of cards make their way to Loveland to be hand-stamped with a special Valentine postmark before continuing to their final destination. There’s something undeniably share-worthy about receiving a Valentine stamped “Loveland, Colorado.” It’s a tradition that continues to travel far beyond city limits.
How to participate:
- Pre-address and pre-stamp your valentines.
- Enclose them in a first-class envelope.
- Address the envelope to:
- Postmaster Valentine’s Re-mailing Program, 446 E. 29th St. Loveland, CO 80538
- Volunteers will take them out of the envelope and lovingly hand-stamp them with the 2026 Loveland Cachet and Cancellation.
- Your valentines are mailed to your loved ones!
- The deadlines to mail in your valentines are:
- International: February 2
- Continental U.S.: February 4
- Colorado: February 9
- Local drop off: February 12
Lock your love in Loveland
Few experiences say “Loveland” quite like locking your love in one of the city’s iconic love lock sculptures.
What began in 2019 with a massive steel sculpture has grown into a citywide tradition, inspired by centuries-old love lock customs from places like Serbia, Italy and France. Loveland reimagined the idea through art, engineering and community connection.
In July 2025, the tradition expanded again with the unveiling of a new downtown love lock sculpture outside the Loveland Museum, designed by local artist Doug Rutledge. The piece features 40 red steel hearts forming one large heart, with a custom grid on the back made specifically to hold locks.
Why this tradition keeps gaining traction:
- Photo-worthy public art with real meaning
- Free engraving tools available at both Visitors Centers
- A shared experience that visitors love to post about and revisit
- The love locks make an ideal spot for a proposal!
Whether you bring your own lock or purchase one on-site, the ritual is simple: engrave it, lock it, responsibly dispose of the key and take a photo to remember the moment.
Rotary Hearts: sold out, still stealing hearts
Every January, Loveland’s streets suddenly become one of the city’s most photographed Valentine scenes. Hundreds of red wooden hearts appear on streetlights, each carrying a message of love, appreciation or humor.
Led by Thompson Valley Rotary, the Valentine Hearts of Loveland program has been a local favorite for decades. In 2025, an Instagram post featuring the hearts went viral, reminding audiences just how special the tradition is, and a reshare this January is going viral as well. Nearly 400 hearts line the streets each season, and every one has a story behind it.
The 2026 Valentine Hearts are officially sold out, but the tradition still plays a major role in the Valentine experience. Spotting the hearts, reading the messages and realizing someone went out of their way to surprise another person is part of what makes this program resonate both locally and online.
If you missed out this year, Thompson Valley Rotary encourages people to join their mailing list to be notified when next year’s hearts become available.
Why these traditions keep spreading
Loveland’s Valentine traditions don’t rely on trends. They rely on people. These traditions show up year after year because they’re personal, participatory and rooted in community.
Whether you’re sending out a Valentine, locking your love downtown or walking beneath rows of Rotary Hearts, you’re taking part in stories that have traveled far beyond Loveland without ever losing their heart. We hope you’ll get to experience what makes Valentine’s season so special in Loveland for yourself.