Happy Creation

I had to travel a way to find this heart. "Happy Creation" was created by Happy Dorita as a reminder that the best things in life start from the heart. It is in front of the Eudora Community Museum.
 

Read It Forward

Abby Gust Hutter created this Free Little Library as part of the 2026 Parade of Hearts, cleverly placed in front of Rainy Day Books.
 

Let the Hunt Begin

The 2026 Parade of Hearts is underway. This is one of the first to be placed and we discovered it on our early morning walk in the Shops of Prairie Village. This year they are hollowed center hearts. Artist Paige Crosswhite was inspired by vintage toile patterns. I do love the hunt.

 

Spash!

Found a heart in Antioch Park. It's called Splash! and is a tribute to the Blazers competitive swim team. Artist Gwyenevere Buie loves swimming as a sport and for rehabilitation.

 

Find a Reason to Dance Through It All

Found one of the auctioned off hearts, in front of the old Beller Dance Studio. The Beauty of Grace, according to artist Anita Easterwood, is designed to represent our resilience when times get hard and the beauty of extending ourselves grace when we don’t get it right the first time.

 

Ma'Homes Town

I stumbled upon this heart from the 2022 parade of hearts. It was designed by the Charlie Hustle team to evoke cheering for the hometown. It now resides at a private residence in Fairway.
 

Y'all Means All of Us

This colorful heart by KU Med Center south is by Monica Robies to showcase the LCBBTQIA+ community's integration and support in Kansas City.
 

Dragon Heart

Although they found the sun a bit bright, Adam and Lowell liked the dragon heart outside the Nelson-Atkins. The Parade of Hearts hunt continues...
 

A Tribute to Arthur Kraft

Who is Arthur Kraft, you might ask. I wondered the same. It seems he was a painter, sculptor and muralist from Kansas City. Celina Curry focused her heart on Kraft to educate about, as she described it, "an historical figure in the landscape of contemporary Kansas City art." This one lives on the Plaza.
 

Heart #1

This is the first of the Parade of Hearts 2024 we found. This is Take Heart by Laura Noll Crossley. She says "So, while the entrepreneurial journey may be filled with ups and downs, it’s the mosaic of experiences that makes it truly beautiful."
 

New Season of Hearts

The first heart of the 2024 Parade of Hearts is at Union Station. Titled Pathway to Healing, it was commissioned to allow Kansas City to express its thoughts for healing. By Matt Dehaemers the above side is his original painting showing that everyone wanders, not knowing where the beginning and where the end are. The opposite side (below) is being created by the public with heart stickers that they have written messages on. When it's done, it will be clear-coated and on display somewhere. Adam is adding his thoughts.

 

Nelson's Double Play

Another entry in the Parade of Hearts. This one is by Alicia Hoerman, combining the Nelson-Atkins (shuttlecocks) with the Royals.

 

Beautiful Bessie

Colin and I went in search of a Parade of Hearts entry since they are removing them July 2. We found this cow, which he is pointing out for me. It was created by Renee Howard.
 

The Heart of the City

That's the name of this Kansas city Heart Parade entry at Jay Wolfe Honda. Created by Taylar Sanders, the heart is intended to show the hustle and bustle of the city with the streetcar side and to honor local Native American tribes through the Scout.

 

Arenas of Histrionics and Humor

The Kansas City Parade of Hearts has returned and this is the first one I've seen. It's just west of the Plaza and recognizes the importance of the arts to Kansas City. Creator Fran Kapono-Kuzila included Starlight Theater, Kauffman Center, the Folly and the Mainstreet as representative of performance art in Kansas City. The back lists local production companies, venues and organization here. She sees the heart as a visible way of thanking everyone involved in theatrical arts in Kansas City.

 

One Last Heart

The Parade of Hearts ended yesterday with online and live auctions to raise money for those hurt by the pandemic. I have enjoyed seeing all the creativity. This one is at University of Kansas Health System Eye Center on State Line.

 

Hope Blooms

Ada Koch designed this heart in the Parade of Hearts with the poppies that have been a sign of hope since World War I. She says her heart signifies the hope that Kansas City can overcome tough times and come out stronger and more loving.
 

Community Bookshelf Heart

This entry in the Parade of Hearts is outside the central branch of the Kansas City Public Library. It was created by Whiskey Design with the idea from Dimensional Innovations, which designed the original Community Bookshelf (below) 20 years ago.

 

Parade of Hearts 1

The first I've seen of the 123 entries in the Parade of Hearts.  This one is called "Sunnier Together" by Jenny Meyer-McCall at Price Chopper in Leawood. All are 2-sided. They began appearing this week throughout the city. More to come.