About

Denver Chalk Art Festival on Larimer Square is a FREE two-day street-painting festival where more than 200 artists spend hours turning the streets of Larimer Square into a museum of chalk art. It's simply hard to put into words the magical experience that the Denver Chalk Art Festival creates for artists, vendors and visitors alike.

BecomeArtist
SponsorArtist

Saturday, June 5th

10am to 10pm

Sunday, June 6th

10am to 8pm

2019 ENTERTAINMENT

Along with the hundreds of visual artists you'll see creating masterpieces along Larimer Square, there will be a selection of talented musicians on hand as well.

Saturday, June 1

Sunday, June 2

If you are interested in performing at the 2019 Denver Chalk Art Festival, please contact us.

TITLE SPONSORS

Denver Chalk Art Festival wouldn't be possible without the generous support of our title sponsors.

If you or your organization are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact us.

HISTORY OF CHALK ART

Denver Chalk Art Festival follows street painting traditions that originated in 16th century Renaissance Italy when artists began transforming asphalt into canvas using chalk. The artists were called 'madonnari,' after their customary practice of recreating chalk paintings of the Madonna. Historically, madonnari were known for their life of travel and freedom, making their living from coins received from passers-by.

With World War II came many hardships, greatly reducing the number of these artists. The art form was not officially brought back to life until 1972 when the small town of Grazie di Curtatone in Italy started the first International Street Painting Competition. Today, artists worldwide are taking to the streets, bringing with them new ideas, techniques and excitement for this ancient form of expression. Handmade French pastels have replaced the simple chalks previously used and the paintings have become complicated images of traditional master-style works, modern pieces and surreal chalk art creations.

Street Painting
The creation of a chalk painting takes many hours and is often not as simple as it seems. First, the artists must draw an outline of the original painting in proper proportion using pencil or a charcoal pastel. Then they begin to lay the base of colors. Using a number of colored pastels, the artist layers the chalk, blending the colors to create shadow, contrast and depth. So one might ask, 'why street paint when the artists' efforts disappear immediately As avid street painters will tell you, this is performance art, where the process of creating the work is more important than the finished piece. For many, the dialogue with spectators can be as rewarding as creating their masterpieces. People can view the work in all stages of progress, from layout and design, to color application, and of course the finished creation.

BIKE CORRAL

Valet your Bike and support Non-Profit Partner wishforwheels.org.

ABOUT LARIMER SQUARE

As the Mile High City's oldest and most historic block, the buildings along Larimer Square tell vividly the story of the birth and early years of Denver. Today Larimer Square boasts a distinctive selection of local merchants, award-winning chef driven restaurants, and a collection of Denver's best bars and clubs.