Absolut Chalk Street Painting Festival

Festival Location: Pasadena, CA, USA

Festival State: Californian Festivals

Festival Type: Art Festivals

By: © Nelson Taylor 2009

I can't think of any better combination than vodka and chalk to really get the creative juices flowing. Every June since 1992, Absolut Vodka and the Light-Bringer Project (a local non-profit arts organization) have co-sponsored the Absolut Chalk Street Painting Festival, which is the largest festival of its kind in the world. It's a multi-cultural extravaganza of self-expression.

400 of the world's best street artists descend upon Pasadena to paint -- or shall I say chalk -- two city blocks pink. Awards are presented in such categories as the Wildest, the Most Colorful, the Best Rendition of a Master, the Most Humorous, the Most Inspiring, and the overall Favorite. Recent notable creations include a sixty-foot red squid, a Chagall mural and a glow-in-the-dark scene of skeletons battling on horseback.

Donated art, cash prizes and trips are commonly awarded. This festival attracts about 20,000 people, who not only ogle the art, but can enjoy cultural and musical events. Admission is $7.