Missed the Parade of Hearts? Here’s where to still see some of the sculptures

Kansas City was filled with hearts this spring and summer as part of the “Parade of Hearts.” The 156 heart sculptures displayed brightened up all corners of the city, from Lee’s Summit to Bonner Springs and everywhere in between.

Each 5-foot tall heart sculpture was designed by a local artist and highlights the fabric of Kansas City from our beautiful city skyline, our sports teams, the different communities that call KC home, our cultural institutions and so much more.

The “Parade of Hearts” sculptures were auctioned off in June and raised more than $2.56 million to benefit local neighborhoods, artists, small businesses and others in Kansas City who are facing hardship due to the pandemic.

The sculptures are arriving at their new homes, which means that you’ll still be able to appreciate these pieces of art for years to come.

Brookside property owner Joe Zwillenberg purchased “The Heart of Kansas City” and he’ll display it in the Brookside Shops. You can see the sculpture on the patio north of Starbucks, where it will be visible from 63rd Street, Brookside Plaza and for pedestrians on the Trolley Track Trail.

Zwillenberg said that he was a big fan of the hearts when they came out and he knew he wanted to get his hands on one of the hearts when it was time for the auction. He ended up with two.

He grew up in Brookside and now that he owns property there, he thought it’d be a great fit for the heart to have a place here.

“This one just kept going up and up and up (in price) and I just didn’t care because I wanted this specific one for Brookside,” he said. “I just think it’s bright, it’s beautiful and it shows the heart of Kansas City, which is perseverance and good things will happen if you work hard.”

Marla Storey, the local artist who painted the heart bought by Zwillenberg, said her painting was inspired by Kansas City’s skyline after the Chiefs won the Super Bowl in 2020.

“It was just neat how everybody seemed to come together then, so I’m hoping people can get back to that,” Storey said.

WHERE DID THE OTHER HEARTS GO?

Zwillenberg said the second heart he purchased will be displayed outside Westport Flea Market. It’s a blank heart that’ll be painted with items representing Kansas City and the restaurant.

We’d love to update this story with more hearts. If you purchased one of the hearts, you know someone who has a heart or you know where one of the hearts are being displayed around the city, let us know at kcq@kcstar.com