Wide Open Walls 2018

Wide Open Walls

Wide Open Walls is back and it’s going to be better than ever! This year’s stellar line-up of artists (including one of my favorite muralists, Okuda) will be hard at work for the next few days working on large scale murals around Sacramento.

The Wide Open Walls mural festival is taking place from August 10th through the 20th, 2017. It will bring over 40 artists – local, national and international – to the Sacramento area. This year’s event adds to the region’s already venerable history of mural painting – which has produced over 600 murals over the last 40 years.

The festival celebrates the relevancy and diversity of street art, and will transform walls and neighborhoods throughout the downtown area and beyond. It will include many opportunities for the public to engage with the artists – including gallery openings, public mural tours, artists’ receptions and panels, First Friday and Second Saturday celebrations, the Wall Ball – an art-themed fundraiser for arts education – and the unique opportunity to watch artists as they create these large-scale works of art.

The hard work for me doesn’t start until the murals are completed, so for now, I plan on getting involved in other ways! I’m most excited for the many walking, running, and cycling tours that will be offered through out the festival. It’s a great way to see several of the murals in progress while getting a workout in!

The Wall Ball is another really fun and interactive event on that calendar that features entertainment, food and drink, and more, all for a good cause. You can buy tickets for the event here.

As far as which murals I am personally most excited about – well, I already mentioned Okuda, so his is definitely #1 on my list! You can find him working on a water tower near The Mill on Broadway. I’m also excited to see what local artist Raphael Delgado paints above Jalapeno’s on 21st Street and outside of the grid I’m looking forward to seeing Caratoes’ mural on the side of Food4Less at 4555 Mack Road.

Oh, and if you like my matching swag, get it here!