Parade of Hearts will have a new look in 2026. See the shape set to pop up all over KC
Kansas City residents are familiar with seeing heart-shaped sculptures around the metro, and some have even seen their works displayed. Organizers say they’re looking ahead to 2026’s heart display, when thousands of visitors will be flooding all parts of the city for the FIFA World Cup.
Parade of Hearts, now a biannual tradition within Kansas City, retired its old heart shape and revealed the new form for 2026 on Tuesday, March 4.
The executive director of Parade of Hearts, Jenn Nussbeck, said the World Cup coming to town made it the right time to change the design, but fans can still expect to see heart-centric pieces take over the region.
“It is our global ‘welcome to the region,’” Nussbeck said. “We are complimentary to all the events and things happening next year.”
She said an adjudication committee, comprised of eight architectural designers, reviewed 35 submissions for the newest design and took several months to select what artists will use as their canvas.
The new design is a circular shape with a heart-shaped hole in the middle of the sculpture. The sculpture will stand on an oval base as it’s displayed throughout Kansas City.
What started out as a way to help artists recover from the COVID-19 shutdowns in 2022 has now blossomed into another way to showcase and attract residents to parts of the Kansas City metro they may have never visited.
Nussbeck said the hearts will be found in seven counties across Kansas City — Cass, Clay, Jackson and Platte counties in Missouri, and Douglas, Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas.
Nussbeck said she didn’t plan for Parade of Hearts to continue beyond the first year. But the community support led them to keep it going with no end in sight.
“It is wild and beyond our imagination to have thought not only how badly we needed it at the time, but all the things that happened and evolved from that first year,” she said. “The ripple effects of economic impacts, community connections and ultimately, the community spoke and said ‘we want you to do it again.’ And here we are.”
Proceeds raised from 2026’s collection will be invested into the Kansas City region instead of dividing the funds and sharing with charities. Nussbeck said plans on what this will look like will be shared in the future, but an example could be offering discounts to restaurants through the Parade of Hearts mobile app.
“We’re building resources for the region and inside that region are attractions, businesses, neighborhoods and they will have the opportunity to showcase and promote what they’re doing,” Nussbeck said. “Our goal is that it becomes a regional legacy resource beyond 2026.”
How can I submit an application for Parade of Hearts?
If you or someone you know wants to submit a design to be featured on a Parade of Hearts sculpture in 2026, you can sign up to participate beginning June 9. You will have until mid-August to submit your application, and an independent jury will spend the month of September selecting 150 of the designs.
The theme for 2026 is “Hearts of Unity.” The fiberglass sculptures will be on display from April to August 2026, Nussbeck said. She said they will share where the hearts are placed in March 2026 on the app so communities can plan events and activities around the release date and while they’re on display.
“We want art on display that represents our geographic, our age and our cultures that truly represents our region,” Nussbeck said.
“Each sculpture design will serve as both a public art landmark and an economic driver, strategically positioned to increase foot traffic and stimulate local businesses,” the press release says.
She anticipates seeing more than 700 submitted applications for 2026’s Parade of Hearts and wishes they could place a heart sculpture in every neighborhood in the region.
This story was originally published March 4, 2025 at 10:00 AM.
