Thousands of spectators strolled along the Santa Barbara Mission’s plaza Sunday to watch artists at work during the free I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival, which runs through Monday. Roughly 140 large-scale images are being drawn with pastel chalk, and they stretch across the pavement in front of the mission.
The 32nd annual gathering — which is inspired by a festival in Grazie di Curtatone, Italy — attracts crowds of viewers to enjoy the eye-grabbing art, music, food and weather at the mission, at 2201 Laguna St. “The I Madonnari is typically done at the steps of the mission in Italy,” festival coordinator Bryan Kerner said, adding the event is the first festival of its kind in North America.
