Pearl Street Arts Fest: Boulder's July Art Show on the Mall

calendar Jul 4, 2026 / · 6 min read · Pearl Street Arts Fest Events 80304 Boulder Colorado NoBo  ·
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Pearl Street Arts Fest: Boulder's July Art Show

Every July, the Pearl Street Mall turns into an outdoor gallery for a weekend. Pearl Street Arts Fest is a free, juried art show where artists from Colorado and many other states sell their work from booths along the mall. It is produced by Downtown Boulder Community Initiatives, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs arts and community events downtown. The 2026 show was the 49th.

Where is it? The Pearl Street Mall in downtown Boulder, CO 80302 — the city describes it as "four pedestrian blocks from 11th Street to 15th Street" — plus 14th Street and the Boulder County Courthouse lawn.



The 2026 Festival

The 49th Pearl Street Arts Fest ran from Friday, July 17 to Sunday, July 19, 2026. According to the organizer:

  • Friday, July 17, 3–8 p.m.: most of the juried artists were showing
  • Saturday, July 18, 10 a.m.–7 p.m.: the full line-up of artists
  • Sunday, July 19, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.: the last day, with every artist present

Admission was free. The 2026 artist list covered more than 13 kinds of work from 22 states. The categories included ceramics, digital art, drawing and pastels, fiber and textiles, glass, jewelry, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, upcycled work and woodworking. The organizer said the styles ranged "from abstract to Impressionistic, functional and decorative."

The festival is held rain or shine. The organizer closes it only when the weather is a danger to visitors, artists and staff. It is also a humans-only event: the City of Boulder does not allow pets on the Pearl Street Mall, so leave dogs at home.

A Short History

The show has not always had this name. The organizer's poster page says that from 2011 to 2014 it was called Open Arts Fest, and it was renamed Pearl Street Arts Fest in 2015. There was no show in 2020 or 2021 because of COVID-19.

Since 2011, the festival has made a commemorative print of one featured artist's work each year, with Art Source International, a print shop at 1237 Pearl Street. The 2026 print was sold in a 16-by-20 size for $50, at Art Source International and at the artist's booth. Older posters can also be printed there.

The Awards

Each year a panel of judges gives awards in four categories: Best 2D, Best 3D, Best Functional Art, and Best of Show. The organizer's past winners page lists the 2026 winners:

  • Best of Show: Jimmie Shealey
  • Best 2D: Robin Whalen
  • Best 3D: Abigail Brown
  • Best Functional Art: Magenta Martinez
  • Honorable mentions: Nina Alderete, Eric Calvillo, Brianna Martray and Laura Rubin

In 2025, Best of Show went to Anna Pausch, in 2024 to Brent Bishop, in 2023 to Brianna Martray and in 2022 to Prince Duncan-Williams. Some artists come back year after year: Martray, the 2023 winner, also won an honorable mention in 2026.

Things to Do Besides Shopping

The festival has free activities on the Boulder County Courthouse lawn. In 2026, the Open Studios Mobile Art Lab ran a free art tent on the east side of the lawn on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., for kids and people of all ages. On the west side, RestART Art Therapy ran a community weaving project that visitors could add to all weekend.

Downtown also has art all year. The organizer's experience page points to a free, self-guided walking tour of downtown murals and to the Boulder Alley Gallery, 25 doors painted by Boulder County artists. For children there are the rocks to climb on and the Pop Jet Fountain on the mall.

Before the 2026 show, Downtown Boulder also held an online auction of painted Adirondack-style chairs from its East End Community Chair Project, a public art display on east Pearl Street. Each chair was painted by a Colorado artist, and the money went to future public art and the Downtown Boulder Partnership's 50th anniversary.

The Mall Itself

The festival's home is older than the festival. The city's Pearl Street Mall Refresh page says the mall opened in 1977 and will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2027. It is a historic pedestrian street and a city park covering four blocks. After fifty years of heavy use, the city is planning repairs and small improvements for the anniversary summer of 2027, with maintenance work starting in early 2027, and is studying the mall's long-term needs.

What to Bring

The organizer notes that mid-July is usually hot in Boulder. Wear light, comfortable clothes, and bring a hat, sunscreen and a refillable water bottle. If you lose something, go to the Visitor Information Center at 13th and Pearl; it runs the lost and found.

Food, Drinks and Restrooms

From the festival's FAQ:

  • Food: a picnic area on the east side of the 1300 block, near the Pop Jet Fountain, with take-away food from momos and pizza to pretzels and falafel. More than 100 restaurants are nearby.
  • Alcohol: none is sold at the festival itself, but nearby bars and restaurants serve it.
  • Restrooms: public restrooms are just north of the Visitor Information Center, on the northeast corner of 13th and Pearl, with portable toilets next to them.
  • Help: the Visitor Information Center, at 13th and Pearl, can suggest places to eat. It also gives out the festival map showing where each artist's booth is.

Getting There From North Boulder

The organizer's getting here page gives three ways:

  • Bus. Take RTD's SKIP from any of its stops along Broadway and get off at the Walnut and Broadway stop. From there, the mall is less than a block away. For people in 80304, this is the simplest way downtown.
  • Bike. Bike paths reach downtown from almost anywhere in Boulder. There are bike racks all over downtown, and bike lockers at the RTD station.
  • Car. Downtown has 6 parking garages, 5 parking lots and street meters — more than 4,000 spaces in all. City of Boulder garages are free on Saturdays and Sundays, and street meters are free on Sundays. The organizer suggests the garage at 15th and Pearl, one of the largest. In 2026, the 11th and Spruce garage was closed for repairs through October.

City garages no longer have gates. They charge through Metropolis, a system that reads your license plate and bills a card you register with your phone number. The city's parking page has the details.

Volunteering

The organizer says it takes more than 60 volunteers to run the festival. Sign-ups are on the festival's volunteer page.

Practical Information

  • When: each July; the 2026 festival was Friday to Sunday, July 17–19
  • Where: Pearl Street Mall, 11th to 15th streets, Boulder, CO 80302
  • Cost: free
  • Next year's dates: Pearl Street Arts Fest
  • Bus from 80304: RTD SKIP on Broadway to the Walnut and Broadway stop
  • Parking: city garages are free on weekends
  • Organizer: Downtown Boulder, 1320 Pearl Street, Suite 232, (303) 449-3774

Should You Go?

If you live in North Boulder, Arts Fest is an easy summer outing: a bus ride on the SKIP and free entry. Go on Saturday or Sunday to see the full line-up of artists; on Sunday, every exhibiting artist is at their booth.

References

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