Love locks have gained attention around the world from being placed on bridges and public places in Paris, on New York’s Brooklyn Bridge, Cologne’s Hohenzollern Bridge and more. Loveland’s love lock sculptures are a chance to give the love lock tradition new life through art and sculpture and eliminating the risk to public places. These sculptures are intended for love locks, where the locks are part of the artistic story in the nation’s Sweetheart City, Loveland, Colorado.
Lock Your Love in the Nation’s Sweetheart City
Visitors can experience two love lock sculptures in Loveland, Colorado.
Launched January 2020: Loveland’s Second Love Lock Sculpture
Loveland has unveiled its second love lock sculpture, which is one of the largest love lock sculpture in Colorado and in the U.S. The sculpture will sit in the Foundry Plaza downtown for six weeks, through the Sweetheart Festival Feb. 14-15, before moving to its permanent location along the south shore of Lake Loveland near the American flag and Statue of Liberty sculpture. The 12-foot-3-inch-tall, 14-foot-3-inch-wide steel sculpture is a simple, heart design created and constructed right in Loveland by Doug Rutledge, Beatty Construction Services and Loveland Ready Mix Concrete.
Loveland’s First Lovelock Sculpture - the largest in Colorado
This 24,000 lbs, 10-foot-tall, 30-foot-wide steel sculpture is made up of four sculpted letters L, O, V, E and includes heart cutouts and places for love locks on the back. It was unveiled in 2019. It is anchored at the Loveland Visitors Center and visible from US 34 welcoming visitors to Loveland, encouraging them to come and see it and learn more about what to do in Loveland. Since its unveiling, the sculpture has hundreds of locks on it - from visitors, locals, those who have lost love, those celebrating love and more. It was designed by local sculptor Doug Rutledge, constructed locally by Beatty Construction Services and Loveland Ready Mix Concrete poured the concrete for the bases. Doug and Jeff also worked together on the Equinox sculpture with the horses at I-25 and US34.
How to get a love lock or participate
Love locks sell for $20 at the Loveland Visitors Center, or visitors can bring their own. Locks will also be for purchase during the Sweetheart Festival in the 4th Street Gallery. The love locks can be customized with a paint pen or hand carving to include names and dates of those locking their love.
About the love lock tradition
Love locks are a symbol of love and commitment that has been inspired by an ancient custom, which is believed to have originated in China – where lovers lock a padlock on a chain or gate and then throw away the key, symbolically locking their love forever.
Link for more information: https://www.visitlovelandco.org/lovelock/