20th Annual Lake Worth Street Painting Festival

Photos courtesy of Kaitlyn McAtee

More than 400 artists from all over the world come to Lake Worth every February to participate in the Lake Worth Street Painting Festival. The streets of Downtown Lake Worth serve as canvas for the many artists who come and create their art right there on the street using chalk. Their pieces range in subjects from movies to portraits and even dragons. The Lake Worth Street Painting Festival is the largest of its kind in the country blocking off Lucerne and Lake Avenues in Downtown Lake Worth for this free art exhibit under the sun.

This year’s festival was presented by Royal Palm Auto Mall and Palm Beach Toyota and took place this past weekend, February 21st and 22nd. This two day event features live music and many different types of foods and beverages for everyone to enjoy. The local businesses along the downtown strip are open and excited for the additional traffic the event brings. There are many outdoor spaces to dine as well as little shops to duck into for a little shopping. Attendees should be prepared to park along the streets near downtown or to pay to park in certain lots.

 
The festival is very much a family event. There is a special space for young artists to make their own creations called the “Children’s Meadow”. Children under twelve can participate free and are given chalk, a cup, and a blender as well as their own space to create. Some of the area elementary, middle, and high schools participate by having artists featured in the “Young Artists Studio” where they too are creating street paintings of their own.

 

The Street Painting Festival is a nonprofit organization supported by the community and its volunteers. If you are interested in more information and/or want to make plans to attend next February for the 21st Lake Worth Street Painting Festival, you can find more information on their website http://www.streetpaintingfestivalinc.org.