La Strada dei Pastelli Chalk Art Festival returns to Hillsboro this weekend

Hillsboro’s downtown will burst into a kaleidoscopic display this weekend as the La Strada dei Pastelli Chalk Art Festival makes its much-anticipated return.

The free festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, July 20, and Sunday, July 21, transforming city streets into stunning canvases and attracting artists from all around the world.

“(The festival) has been the mainstay, biggest event in downtown Hillsboro, bringing over 40,000 people into downtown over the course of the weekend, and chalk artists from all around the world to show us their talent on Main Street,” Harrison Butler, co-executive director of the Hillsboro Downtown Partnership, said.

Created by local nonprofit 2D4D, the festival was previously held in Beaverton in 2019 and 2021. In 2022, the event moved to the heart of Hillsboro and was taken over by Tualatin Valley Creates with support from the city.

Averaging 10-foot squares, the pieces line East Main Street between First and Fourth avenues. A window into the mind of an artist, the festival gives visitors a chance to observe the creative process of manipulating colorful pigments to bring vivid illustrations to life.

After awards are given out Sunday evening, Monday will be the last chance to admire the ephemeral masterpieces before they are washed away.

“Monday is the chalk art stroll. So we keep the streets closed for Monday so that everybody can walk and view the finished art one last time, and then Monday night, it's all washed off,” Butler explained.

Anticipating sweltering temperatures, Butler said organizers plan to set up cooling stations and misting fans to help attendees beat the heat.

In addition to the public exhibits, local performing artists will fill the air with rhythm and sound from the festival’s main stage. Attendees can also shop at local vendors, and there will be hands-on activities for kids to get creative.

Find out more at Tualatin Valley Creates’ website .