What to Know
- The 2024 Pasadena Chalk Festival took place on June 22 and 23 at the Plaza at the Pasadena Convention Center
- The festival, which is free to visit, regularly features hundreds of “madonnari” artists creating chalk-based pictures on the sidewalks of the area
- Artist Shuji Nishimara won the first place “Best in Festival” award as well as the People’s Choice honor
Creative spaces really do come in all shapes, sizes, and styles, and a visitor to a gallery may find themselves gazing into unexpected spaces or spots to enjoy an artist’s work.
But there are only a few events that feature artworks that are displayed beneath our feet, those chalk-on-concrete wonders that are deftly fashioned by skilled madonnari.
Madonnari is the venerable Italian term those artists who wonderfully wield pieces of chalk, and we’re lucky that so many talented madonnari call Southern California home.
And when the later part of June arrives each year? Many of those innovative artists converge on the Crown City, which is home to the long-running Pasadena Chalk Festival.
The 2024 festival just took place on June 22 and 23 near the Pasadena Convention Center, with hundreds of whimsy-minded portraitists, impressionists, pop culture aficionados, and avant garde dreamers creating whimsical works to remember.
A few of the chalk artworks, which may only be savored during a brief window of time given their materials and placement, received special accolades; you can find a few of the winning artworks from the most recent festival below and more pieces lauded on the festival’s site.
Keep a watch for the 2025 dates on the Pasadena Chalk Festival site; as always, the beloved festival requires no admission.
For the celebratory slate of festival winners and more peeks at the fascinating process, visit the official page for the 31st Annual Pasadena Chalk Festival now.
