Aguirre, Leo - Best at Silent Auction - Photo by Jeff Hall
Perez, Liz - Most Inspirational - Photo by Brian Biery
Petroczy, Monika - Most Humorous - Photo by Brian Biery
Leake, Jamie - Best in Animation - Photo by Brian Biery
Bevan, Robin - Best Rendition of A Masterpiece - Photo by Brian Biery
Alonso, Gustavo - Best Use of Color - Photo by Brian Biery
Jimenez, Julio - Best 3-D Effect - Photo by Artist
Nishimura, Shuji - Best Technique - Photo by Artist
Suwinski, M'Lynn - Best New Artist - Photo by Brian Biery
Somo, Arlou - On the Way to Moca - Photo by Brian Biery
Silva, Mathew & Jesse - Best in Festival #3 and The Paseo People's Choise Award - Photo by Brian Biery
Navarro, Karla - Best in Festival #3 - Photo by Artist
Nalapraya, Stacy - Best in Festival #1 - Photo by Brian Biery
Despite a weekend bustling with community activities (include a huge demonstration and 80,000 soccer fans in town for a Paris v. Madrid match), the 32nd Annual Pasadena Chalk Festival created its own peaceful sanctuary where over 500 artists transformed city pavement into a vibrant outdoor gallery, achieving record turnout while raising significant funds for local arts education.
The festival, held June 14-15 at The Paseo, Pasadena Civic Auditorium, and along Garfield Avenue, brought together artists from across the country to create spectacular murals spanning more than two football fields of pavement.
Artists from Nevada, Colorado, Oregon, Texas, Florida, and Mexico participated in this free, two-day community celebration.
“I think everybody knows that the Chalk Festival is a very peaceful event, a very soulful event,” said Patricia Hurley, Managing Director of Light Bringer Project. “The timeliness of all these things happening altogether simultaneously only enriched all of it.”
Several standout artists highlighted the event’s artistic excellence. Matthew and Jesse Silva won the People’s Choice Award for their piece “Knowledge is Power,” while other notable winners included Stacy Nalapraya for Best in Festival, Karla Navarro, and a host of artists recognized for exceptional technique, color use, and creativity.
Beyond its artistic merit, the festival served a critical community purpose. Proceeds from the silent auction will directly fund arts education programs, expanding free summer art initiatives, including a new program at Jackie Robinson Community Center. The Light Bringer Project continues to support over 1,700 underserved students through its arts education programs.
“All of this money from the arts, from the artists, from the proceeds of this art festival, go right back into the art community that’s coming up in the future in Pasadena,” Hurley explained.
The festival’s unique atmosphere stood out, with Hurley noting that participating artists consistently praise its community spirit. “People feel really supported by the volunteers who bring them water and food, and they feel like part of a bigger community. It’s just a real lovefest out there.”
As the murals remain visible through the following Wednesday, the Pasadena Chalk Festival continues to demonstrate how temporary art can create lasting community connections, serving as both an economic engine for arts education and a peaceful gathering space that celebrates creativity and unity.
For more about the Pasadena Chalk Festival, please call (626) 590-1134 or visit pasadenachalkfestival.org.
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