The Lompoc Theatre Project will host Lompoc Chalks, its free street art festival celebrating creativity, community and culture, Oct. 2-4 at the Lompoc Veterans Memorial Building, 100 E. Locust Ave.
The site will become a colorful outdoor gallery as 40 chalk artists from across California create large-scale works in front of a live audience.
Event times are 5-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4.
Free parking is available at the Lompoc City public parking lots on South I Street, with free shuttles running every 30 minutes to and from the festival on Saturday and Sunday.
This year’s festivities begin Friday with a newly formatted Meet the Artists Kick Off event, 5-8 p.m.
Attendees can mingle with featured artists, event organizers, local dignitaries, and Lompoc Theatre Project board members while DJ BargainBin spins classic hits.
Valley Grill will serve a Santa Maria-style barbecue dinner, 5:30-7:30 p.m. for $25 per person, available by advance reservation only; dinners will not be sold at the door. To reserve, email LompocChalks@gmail.com by Wednesday, Sept. 30.
On Saturday and Sunday, artists begin their chalk masterpieces early in the morning, and visitors are encouraged to return throughout the weekend to watch the pieces evolve from first sketch to finished work.
For many local families, Lompoc Chalks has become an annual tradition, and for some young participants, it’s where they first picked up the chalk as artists, organizers said.
“From the very beginning, we wanted Lompoc Chalks to be a community-first event, something free and open to everyone, where you can walk right up to an artist and watch them work,” said Barbara Satterfield, Lompoc Chalks chair and president of Lompoc Theatre Project.
“What we didn’t fully anticipate was how many kids would grow up alongside the festival. Every year we see children in the Kids Corner studying the featured artists, then going back to their own squares to try something new. Nurturing that creativity is what this event is really about,” she said.
Jenavieve De La Vega is one of those kids. She has attended Lompoc Chalks since its first year, when she worked on a small square to the side while her older sister Courtney participated as a featured artist.
In the years that followed, Jenavieve drew along the edges and helped Courtney bring her chalk art to life until 2025, when she took her place as a standalone artist for the first time.
“Jenavieve’s story is exactly why we do this,” Satterfield said. “She went from offering support on her sister’s square to leaving her own creative mark on the festival. That’s the power of putting art in the middle of the community, where everyone can be part of it.”
Both sisters will be among the featured artists participating at Lompoc Chalks this year.
“I grew up at the chalk festival,” De La Vega said. “I look forward to sharing my art again with everyone this year.”
Festival highlights:
• Featured chalk artists include Lori Antoinette, Delphine Anaya, Courtney De La Vega, Jenavieve De La Vega, Clifton Gold, Aaron Hernandez, Julio César Jiménez, Emily Lostaunau, Joe Mandrick, Lorelle Miller, Shuji Nishimura, Monika Petroczy, Jennifer Ripassa, Jen Swain, Rod Tryon, Ruth Villa.
• Kids Corner: Sponsored by KTKB Enterprises, Kids Corner offers free chalking squares, face painting, and games for young artists.
• Live Stage Entertainment: Sponsored by Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation, Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture, and Santa Barbara County. Saturday lineup: Lompoc High School Sapphire Dance Team, Ua Noe Polynesian Dance, Jacob Edward Cole, Mic Singh and his Band, Live & Love Dance Productions, and Spange. Sunday brings Skunk Puppy, Gymnastics North/Nova Dance, Emerald Set Fire, Garcia Dance Studio, and Serendipity. Full schedule available at lompoctheatre.org/chalks.
• Food Trucks: Sasafrass and Oak and Smoke will have food available for purchase, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
• Crafts and Vendor Faire: Handmade goods from local makers including Santa Rita Hills Lavender, California Coast Sea Glass, Little Moon Shiner’s, Manic Creative Art + Friends, Dollhouse Bakery, Warren’s Baked Bliss, WakkiJakkiArt, The Creator’s Exchange, Audrey’s Pumpkin Patch.
• Silent Auction: A silent auction, with all proceeds benefiting Lompoc Theatre Project.
To protect the artwork, pets are not permitted at the event.
Lompoc Chalks remains free thanks to the support of sponsors and community donations.
The 2026 event is supported by Explore Lompoc; Santa Barbara County Office of Arts & Culture with Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation; KTKB Enterprises; and contributions from Bill and Kathy Cady, Michael Prentice, Mary Sharp, Alvin Cabral, Dare 2 Dream Farms, Hernandez Family Ranch, Martin & Mary Schaefer, Tri Valley Roofing, Heather Woolsey, Lompoc Mural Society, Lompoc Valley Arts Council, Manzanita Public Charter School, CLAY by Jamie Dufek, The Surf Connection, and community supporters and volunteers.
Event details are available at lompoctheatre.org/chalks.