I Madonnari festival opens today at SB Mission

Featured artists at this year's I Madonnari are Wayne and Cheryl Renshaw. The artists have been preparing their chalk works for the opening of the festival today. MIKE ELIASON/NEWS-PRESS
Featured artists at this year’s I Madonnari are Wayne and Cheryl Renshaw. The artists have been preparing their chalk works for the opening of the festival today.
MIKE ELIASON/NEWS-PRESS

Lovers of street painting, the weekend you’ve been waiting for has arrived.

The 20,000-square-foot area in front of the Santa Barbara Mission will be turned into a walkable art gallery starting today when the I Madonnari chalk art festival returns for its 27th year.

The festival of the traditional Italian art form was the first in the U.S. and is an inspiration to others that have appeared since.

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