EXCELSIOR SPRINGS – Excelsior Springs resident Cynthia Loflin pauses from her late afternoon walk to stand beside the heart positioned on a green island situated in front of The Elms Hotel and Spa.

“It’s such beautiful weather,” she says after stepping onto the island for a close-up view of the heart.

The city is included in the metrowide Parade of Hearts: A Heartland Celebration. The program supports public art by placing large hearts in various area cities. The heart is expected to draw tourism to Excelsior Springs and 29 other participating communities.

“This is the second one I’ve seen today,” Loflin says. “The other one was at City Market (in downtown Kansas City). This one is a lot less colorful – it’s a lot more conservative. But this is pretty. I’m glad one’s here. It’s nice to be included in the heart of the heart. A lot of times, smaller towns get forgotten.”

Excelsior Springs’ art heart will continue through May to stand outside The Elms. While the sculpture is on the site, community members and visitors will have an opportunity to observe the piece and possibly compare what they see to various hearts elsewhere in the metro area.

The primary beneficiaries of funds raised from the effort will be artists who received a $2,000 stipend for their work. Among several other recipients are community businesses, those suffering from the long-term impact of COVID and child care facilities.