Pasadena’s 32nd Annual Chalk Festival Returns With Over 500 Artists

The 32nd Annual Pasadena Chalk Festival will transform The Paseo and Pasadena Civic Center plaza into an outdoor art gallery in just over a week’s time, featuring over 500 artists creating 200 chalk murals for the free public event.

The festival, running June 14 and 15 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days, expects to draw over 20,000 attendees, organizers said.

“Every summer, we put together this event so that hundreds of skilled artists can create large colorful chalk murals in a wide variety of styles and subject matter,” said officials at the Light Bringer Project, which organizes the festival. “They range in both style and subject matter, including funny or whimsical illustrations, portraits of people, recreations of masterpieces, incredible original designs, adorable characters, moving tributes, powerful statements, and just plain jaw-dropping art.”

The festival will take place at The Paseo at 300 E. Colorado Blvd. Pasadena and the plaza in front of the Pasadena Civic Center. Artists participating this year will travel here from Nevada, Colorado, Oregon, Texas, Florida, and Mexico, each volunteering 20 hours of their time.

Patricia Hurley, Managing Director for Light Bringer Project, describes the experience as “…a museum without walls. There is no theme given to the artists, so the subject matter is entirely personal and eclectic. This is a free, family-friendly public event, with food concessions and a DJ. It’s an accessible way for the community to experience art in a very immediate way, far beyond the traditional museum or gallery setting.”

The festival will include an Art Gallery & Silent Auction, live DJ, concessions, and beer garden. Siete Foods will distribute free bags of their chips to attendees, while Chick-fil-A will offer lunch deals.

The 23rd annual Pasadena Police Department Car Show will coincide with the festival on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Proceeds benefit the Light Bringer Project, a Pasadena-based nonprofit founded in 1990 that has produced this event since its inception. The Silent Auction closes at 6 p.m. Sunday, with proceeds supporting arts programs in public schools. Blick Art Materials donated 1′ x 1′ canvases for participating artists, who create painted versions of their proposed murals for the auction.

The festival began in 1993 after a Light Bringer Project intern attended a street painting festival in Paris. The first “Chalk on the Walk” at Pasadena City Hall featured over 150 artists in the first Los Angeles-area event of its kind. In 2010, the festival earned Guinness World Records recognition as the largest street painting festival, featuring more than 600 artists and drawing over 100,000 visitors.

Parking is available at The Paseo underground with 90 minutes free with validation, then $1.50 each 30 minutes thereafter. The festival recommends the Marengo or Los Robles parking structures, both offering a daily flat rate of $15.