Meet Valentina: bringing love and joy to the Sweetheart City
Loveland, once a small town rooted in agriculture, has grown into a bustling city bursting with activity. A vibrant art scene, impressive dining options and outdoor adventures with breathtaking views have put Loveland on the map, drawing visitors from throughout the state and the world. With a personality distinct from that of neighboring Fort Collins, Longmont and Greeley, Loveland maintains the friendly, small town feel while offering so much to see and do.
Since its creation in 2009, Visit Loveland has been the go-to hub of information for locals and visitors alike, priding itself on out of the box thinking that makes an impression drawing visitors throughout the year. One of their ideas? Embodying the love of Loveland in a giant red heart! Thus Valentina debuted during, fittingly, Valentine’s season 2018. She kicked off her introductions to the community and beyond as the official mascot of Visit Loveland, attending events, making media appearances and greeting those who stopped by the Visitor’s Center. While Visit Loveland works to tell the story of Loveland, Colorado, Valentina works closely with the team to promote the wonderful community, caring residents and everything else Loveland has to offer.
As the community continues to grow and change, tourism remains an important part of Loveland’s culture and economy. In order to best represent the city, Valentina and her team are constantly exploring and enjoying Loveland; the chance to discover new places to eat, shop, stay and play is one of the perks of the job. One of Valentina’s favorite lunch spots, The Bent Fork, can be found right here at Centerra.
“Centerra has something for everyone,” says Valentina. “There are great shopping options, dining options are plentiful and Chapungu Sculpture Park and the nature trails are a beautiful way for a quiet escape.”
It’s easy to understand why Centerra comes to Valentina’s mind when discussing her role in Loveland. Located right off of I-25, Centerra is often the first to greet visitors. With its community-minded approach, here visitors can discover a gateway to Loveland. Sunny afternoons year-round are some of the best to enjoy shopping, dining and the outdoors. Chapungu Sculpture Park is often host to visitors exploring over 80 monumental stone sculptures from Zimbabwean artisans and the nature trails offer an escape from the noise of the city. Oftentimes, you can find Valentina and her team picking up trash or taking care of the nature trails and open spaces in hopes of educating the larger community about sustainability. Sustainability and preservation of the area is near and dear to Valentina and the Visit Loveland culture. A clean community is a happy community!
Valentina calls the Loveland Visitor’s Center home. Located within the Marketplace at Centerra, the Visitor’s Center is a local hotspot for purchasing locally made clothing, jewelry, gifts and food from over 25 Loveland artisans. It’s also home to Loveland’s new Love Lock sculpture. This sculpture stands 10 feet tall and 35 feet wide, weighing 24,000 pounds! The Love Lock sculpture is on display year-round so people can lock their love for one another.
Wondering where else you can find Valentina? When she isn’t greeting fans and groups at the Visitor Center, she’s a staple at community favorite events including the Sweetheart Festival (of course), Corn Roast Festival and Winter Wonderlights. She’s also available by special request for other events. You can also follow her adventures on Facebook and Instagram.
Visit Loveland’s mission is to promote tourism in Loveland and Valentina loves to help work toward this goal. The team works hard to promote the Loveland community because they love this community and all that it does. Valentina embodies this love and spreads it across the community. Be sure to say hello next time you see her! ❤️
