Artist Lorelle Miller works on a street painting depicting a clown-like figure with green and red face design and tiered gold collar.
Featured artist Lorelle Miller works on one of her street paintings. Credit: Lorelle Miller

I Madonnari, Santa Barbara’s picturesque festival, and the first of its kind in North America, returns for its 37th year Memorial Day weekend at the Santa Barbara Mission.

The community event, which is a fundraiser for arts programs in county schools, brings live music, local cuisine, and dozens of artists working from dawn until dusk to transform the Santa Barbara Mission plaza into an outdoor museum of art.

The free event, which takes 10 a.m.-6 p.m. May 27 through May 29 is the major annual fundraiser of the Children’s Creative Project (CCP), a nonprofit arts education program of the Santa Barbara County Education Office.

Originally inspired by the International Street Painting Competition in Grazie di Curtatone, Italy, I Madonnari features more than 100 street paintings drawn live with chalk pastels by renowned regional artists and other art enthusiasts, including children, families, businesses, and schools.

This year’s featured artist Lorelle Miller is nationally known for her work as a “Madonnara,” or street painter. Over the last 24 years, she has been an invited and featured artist in festivals throughout California and others in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Norway.

Her highly I Madonnari creation for 2023 is a larger-than-life mural directly beneath the Mission steps.

An expanded area for children to create street paintings will be located on the west side of the Mission. Kids’ Squares can be purchased for $15, which includes a box of chalk. Support for the Kids’ Squares area is made possible through the support of Village Properties and the Mosher Foundation.

Live music and a food market will be set up on the Mission lawn throughout the three-day event, with local vendors such as the United States of Espresso, Dave’s Dogs, Elubia’s Kitchen, and Nimita’s Cuisine, as well as traditional favorites like lemon-rosemary roasted chicken, pizza, and gelato, produced by the CCP Board of Directors with volunteers from National Charity League and Boys Charity League.

Music performances include several local favorites Mezcal Martini, Jason Libbs and the Congregation featuring Jackson Gillies, Brasscals, and Rent Party Blues Band.

The event also will showcase youth performances from emerging bands and local high school jazz bands.

All proceeds from sales benefit programs of the Children’s Creative Project, such as the Artist in Residency and Touring Artist programs, which bring high-quality arts education to public schools across the county.

CCP is dedicated to supporting students through equitable, inclusive and culturally relevant programs that uplift all students.

New to this year’s festival will be a grand entrance to help ensure a safe and exciting experience for all attendees. The grand entrance will be the single point of entry into the festival and Mission. Tour buses will not be permitted to park along the red curb sidewalk leading up to the mission and are encouraged to park along Los Olivos in the designated reserved parking for busses.

ADA passenger drop-off and pick-up are allowed along the red curb area. Free parking for the festival can be found at Old Mission Santa Barbara or in the surrounding neighborhood.

CCP is honoring two individuals and longtime friends of the organization and community at large, Gloria Liggett and Jeff Davis.

Liggett was a long-time artist and community activist. Her family has dedicated a square in her honor that will be painted by a local artist.

Davis was not only a vibrant member of the band Mezcal Martini, he also supplied eco-friendly products for the festival over many years. Mezcal Martini will be taking the stage at the festival on Monday afternoon.

The festival is made possible by the generosity of local individuals, foundations, and businesses. The year’s top sponsors include:

Michael and Nora Hurley, The Berry Man, Bella Vista Designs, Daniel and Mandy Hochman, Loreto Plaza Shopping Center, Mosher Foundation, Santa Barbara Beautiful, Santa Barbara Bowl, Village Properties, and Weidl Construction.

Additional sponsors are: Boys Team Charity League, COX Communication, Community West Bank, Haagen Printing/Typecraft Inc., Fransiscan Inn & Suites, Ken Kirkpatrick, KEYT NewChannel3, Marborg Industries, Montecito Bank and Trust, National Charity League, NS Ceramics Inc.,Pacific Beverage Company, V3 Printing, Santa Barbara Autowerks, Santa Barbara Independent, Santa Barbara City College Foundation, Santa Barbara Puerto Vallarta Sister City, Thorlabs, Veronique Chevalier, Ventura Party Rental, Voice Magazine.

Children’s Creative Project is grateful and thanks the Old Mission for hosting I Madonnari. The organization would also like to thank and acknowledge Elly Iverson with EJI Experiences, Warner Anderson with WA Event Management, Bluestar Parking, Marborg Industries, Miller Security, Scott Hunter with Safety Consulting Services, and Santa Barbara County Education Office for their operational and in-kind support.

To support CCP and the I Madonnari festival with a donation, visit https://ccp.sbceo.org/donate.

Learn more about I Madonnari at https://ccp.sbceo.org/i-madonnari/welcome.