Pasadena’s 32nd Annual Chalk Festival wraps up today, transforming the downtown civic center into a vibrant outdoor gallery just months after devastating regional wildfires.
The free public event features a new logo designed by Bianca Ornelas symbolizing community rebirth as more than 500 artists from across the United States and Mexico will create over 200 chalk murals across two football fields of pavement.
“This year we have a beautiful new logo…we talked about kind of rising from the ashes because this is quite the year…the new growth symbolizing…a rebirth of our place,” said Patricia Hurley, Managing Director of the Light Bringer Project, who produces the festival alongside Board Chair Tom Coston.
The festival runs from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at The Paseo (300 E. Colorado Blvd.), the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, and Garfield Avenue toward City Hall.
The multigenerational tradition draws families returning year after year, with artists working solo or in teams with family members.
Founded in 1993, the festival holds the Guinness World Record as the world’s largest street painting festival. Past highlights include Buddhist monks creating sand paintings and renowned artist Kurt Wenner designing “3D” murals that gained national attention.
“A museum without walls because it’s free and there’s nothing hindering people from seeing it…So for Chalk Festival, you don’t have to be able to walk. You can be in a wheelchair; you could see the festival while walking your dog…There’s no fees. There’s no dress code; there’s no prior knowledge required,” Hurley explained.
The Light Bringer Project nonprofit organizes the festival as a fundraising event for year-round programming serving underserved youth. Each artist volunteers approximately 20 hours to create their mural.
“The Silent auction is supporting everything we do all year long. It is a big fundraiser for us…You’re just coming and buying affordable art, and you’re instilling in your children and your family by original art because it makes a difference if it’s a print from a furniture store versus real art made by a real human being,” Hurley said.
Special attractions include a Classic Car Show on Saturday, live DJ performances, food vendors, beer garden, and Chalkland children’s area.
The festival supports expanded outreach efforts, including a new Room 13 creative space opening at the Jackie Robinson Community Center.
“This year we’re just about to open a brand-new Room 13 for the community…at the Jackie Robinson Community Center…even if the schools are closed, there’s still a place the kids can go to just have fun and make friends and be creative,” Hurley noted.
Proceeds fund programs including the Omega sci-Fi science fiction writing initiative and career exploration. “We present many, many creative careers that they could choose from in the arts, in media, in marketing, in film, in all sorts of areas, animation, graphic design,” Hurley explained.
“There’s only been one year we did not do it, and that was during COVID and we made a documentary in its place. So, this one is just going super strong, strong as ever,” Hurley said.
