Lake Worth Street Painting Festival

By William J Mullen

February 25, 2018 9:44 AM

Boynton Beach Fl.

Tall billowing sub-tropical clouds are forming in the morning air today here on the South Florida coast. A warm humid breeze is drifting in from the ocean; palm fronds make a gentle noise twisting and fluttering; small wind chimes are ringing; sunday morning mimosas are served.

Breakfast at the Country Owl Cafe on La Chalet in Boynton Beach. Great place, funky staff, quick service, inexpensive.

A near perfect day so far.

Yes, under the lanai canopy, pool in front of me, temperature is in the low 80’s. February in South Florida.

February means street painting. Every year, the last weekend each February in Lake Worth.

The small downtown of Lake Worth, a community set just inland of the barrier islands of Florida’s east coast, is a quaint little downtown with a strong arts feel. Murals cover otherwise sterile walls, bistros spill out onto the sidewalks, color is everywhere.

Color is everywhere this weekend in Lake Worth as dozens of artists, and tens of thousands of people converge on the small downtown for the Lake Worth Street Painting Festival. I was told this is the largest street painting event in the nation, I learned later that it is in fact the largest in the world.

The festival first run in 1995, modeled after the Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival in Santa Barbara, California, attracts up to 600 artists and close to 100,000 visitors over the two day event (I spoke with one 25 year veteran of the festival, she said the the Lake Worth Police Department reported a total of 160,000 in attendance last year). Food vendors, beer vendors, balloon artists, street musicians and so on are out in force.

Art is everywhere.

Dogs are out in force too. Loads of friendly pups sniffing the air, looking for the passing head pat, smiling dog smiles. And this is indicative of the whole atmosphere at the festival — open, friendly, happy. A great family atmosphere all around. In fact I was surprised to see as many child artists at work on their paintings as I did. I ran into a group of teens from one of the local high schools working on a good half dozen paintings. They all were wearing tye dyes — always a good sign.

I met locals, and plenty of out of towners. One chap, Mack from Key West afforded me a few moments of conversation. He makes the trip, seven hours from Key West, just for this festival. He says he has met folks from all over the country at the festival, and if I consider that I am here from New Hampshire, that may just say it all.

My brother-in-laws, Sean and Dennis, both create street paintings at the festival each for close to 20 years now. It has turned into a family affair: the younglings helping the older crew out, some moving on to do their own works. Quite a scene.

All of the paintings, of course, are temporary art, being created from colored chalk. But that aspect in and of itself — the impermanence — is a marvelous lesson (if you can get it), that all things come and go, but each artist works just as hard, maybe harder, creating these pieces.

If I could make one observation of this wonderful event — it’s so worth the visit.

Aside from the Street Festival, Lake Worth; Boynton Beach; Delray all have fantastic Atlantic beaches all within about 20 minutes of each other. A bit of travelling places you all over South Florida. Within a rough hour you have access to the Florida coast from Port St Lucie all the way to Greater Miami. Of course this also offers great cultural destinations as well: West Palm and it’s thriving arts community; the galleries and Latin culture of Miami Beach; live music — always lot’s of good music to be found all over no matter what your preference is.

A bit farther afield: Naples is about three hours drive across the Everglades — Alligator alley; The islands of Captiva/Sanibel roughly three hours; Sarasota and Siesta Key (with the world’s finest beach sand) also roughly three hours; much of the Everglades National Park close enough for a day trip with the kids. Orlando is within three hours, and Daytona about three hours away.

My wife and I have been coming here to Lake Worth and Boynton Beach for several years now, and it’s always been a good time, and this year the Lake Worth Street Painting Festival just made this trip much, much more interesting.

Finishing up my mimosa in the shade of the lanai I’m looking forward to getting back out into that South Florida sun and baking in it for a few hours, with lot’s of new friends and artists to meet.

Tomorrow we catch up with the latest incarnation of The Grateful Dead, and Tuesday we’ll head up to Hutchinson Island for some quiet time on the beach before heading back home later in the week — it’s snowing and in the 20’s where I live, high in the hills of New Hampshire.

Here in Boynton Beach, It’s 85 and sunny; clear blue skies. No explanation needed.