Downtown Ventura Playing Host to Arts Festival

Downtown Ventura will be given over to the arts Saturday with a daylong street-painting festival and live entertainment, culminating with the annual Summer Artwalk through downtown’s museums and galleries.

The day begins with the “Give ‘em Something to Chalc About” street-painting festival at 8 a.m. on California Street between Main and Poli streets.

Throughout the day, artists will be drawing on the street, with City Hall and the Father Serra statue as their backdrop. Live music is scheduled until 10 p.m.

To purchase a square to draw in, call 643-4069.

The Summer Artwalk offers a unique nighttime look at the local arts scene as participants take a free self-guided tour of galleries, museums and performing arts spaces.

Activities include sculpture, dance, fine art, music, poetry and photography, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Among the featured exhibits is the Monart Drawing School’s “Drawing with Children” show at the Eco Salon and Day Spa, 422 E. Main St. The 80-piece exhibit includes works by artists age 3 and up.

The 3rd Floor Gallery, located on the third floor of City Hall, will host its closing reception during the Summer Artwalk. The gallery--a temporary space featuring a juried exhibition of 74 county artists--is located in the old Ventura County Women’s Jail.

Entertainment during the reception is the Plexus Dance Theater 10 Year Celebration. Performance times are 7 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Artwalk guides are available at City Hall, and at the corner of California and Santa Clara streets during the event.

Parking will be available in all downtown lots, and two free shuttle buses will take Artwalk participants from City Hall to outlying exhibits every 30 minutes.

For more information on the Summer Artwalk, call 658-4726.