Chalk Pastels are water-based and non-toxic. They are washed off with water. They are best cleaned when using pressure like a powerwasher or cleaning truck. For La Strada, the chalk is washed off by a commercial company who uses a “zamboni-like” washer which targets the art without excessive water overflow. The streets are then cleaned for larger particulates with a cleaning truck to help make sure the roads are ready to return to regular use.

The art itself is composed of entirely temporary materials – chalk pastels and, for some drawings, tempera. This means that the art is not “affixed” to the ground and when walked or driven on, they will telegraph beyond the event area. As good Earth stewards, we wash the art off in the areas we have already placed filter fabric over drains. This protects the ground water and storm drainage not only within the event layout but also beyond.

Additionally, it has been reported that drivers have become distracted when commuting over such lovely and colorful images that they inadvertently veer off course! So, to help keep our downtown safe, we wash the streets clean before opening the roads to regular vehicle access.

The art itself is composed of entirely temporary materials – chalk pastels and, for some drawings like the 3D designs, tempera. Both the chalk pastels and the tempera are water-based, non-toxic and not light-fast.

Setting up the event layout, including numbering vendor spaces, marking out chalk squares (professionals on Main Street and community squares on 2nd Ave.), as well as staging the rental items/equipment takes a lot of time and requires volunteers to work in the middle of the streets. For their safety as well as time management, TVC works with the City’s Public Works Department to establish timelines to safely close the streets to vehicle traffic on Friday.

The 2023 Street Closure Plan is as follows:

• Closures: Friday, July 14, 2023
  • 1:00pm “No Parking” enforcement begins
  • 2:00pm Street closures, set up anti-vehicle barricades and steel-style barricades (coordinated by City and Public Works)
• Reopen: Tuesday, July 18, 2023
  • By 10:00am PW street sweeping and barricades removal (coordinated by City and Public Works)
  • By 10:00am Streets reopened to vehicle and public use following Public Works street sweeping.

Although the streets are closed to vehicles, the sidewalk and Downtown Merchants are still open! Please enjoy the convenience of multiple adjacent parking lot options when you visit during the weekend of La Strada.

For questions specific to street closures, please contact the Cultural Arts District Manager at Bridie.Harrington@hillsboro-oregon.gov.

No. La Strada is produced by Tualatin Valley Creates, an independent 501c3 nonprofit arts service organization. The Festival is a public-private partnership between a nonprofit and the City. It is supported, in part, by the City of Hillsboro as the event’s Host Sponsor. This support includes Public Works coordination, marketing and modest financial assistance.

TVC staff and volunteers work with Hillsboro’s Cultural Arts District Manager all year long to ensure the Festivals’ success as a premier region wide experience for all ages.

The Farmers Market will be set up 1.5 blocks away from its normal weekend location in the Washington County Parking Lot at the corner of N 1st Ave and NW Lincoln Street.

Visit www.hillsboromarkets.org/downtown for hours and vendor details.

Along with on-street parking outside of the Festival layout, Downtown Hillsboro has six (6) public parking lots all within a 2-block radius. In addition, La Strada coordinators assign two (2) ADA Parking spaces at the outside corners of each walk-in entry to the Festival activities.

Public transit is encouraged during the weekend via TriMet’s MAX Blue Line and/or local Bus Routes. Check the schedule and stops with Trimet’s Trip Planner at www.trimet.org

Downtown Parking Map HERE

La Strada has multiple Planning Teams for each segment of the Festival, including for chalk artists, vendors and performers. After the close of each categories’ application window, the Planning Teams jury applications in order to curate a robust and dynamic Festival!

Interested artists, vendors and performers are required to submit an application  prior to being approved to set up. Applications are open to all levels of experience from novice, intermediate to professional.

Interested volunteers can join a Planning Team anytime of year! Sign up HERE

Yes. However, sidewalks must still maintain 4’ ADA clearance at all times.

The La Strada layout is consciously designed to maintain an open line of sight to [your] front door. Here are some suggestions to draw people into your shop(s):

• Advertise a “Festival Sale” in advance or on event day with a sidewalk signage;
• Offer water to those who enter your shop;
• Offer coupons or stickers with store information to attract people into your shop that day or to plan a return visit; or
• Offer a sidewalk sale by putting a table with items outside your front door.

NOTE: No unauthorized tents are permitted on the street itself by merchants. The streets are occupied under TVC’s Special Events Permit, and have been curated to maximize the  Festival’s vision. TVC’s Permit does not include use of sidewalks.

Chalk pastels are a loose and soft material. To help it hold-up to wind and UV light over the 2 days, coordinators may paint in the square with water-based tempera. This provides an even tooth/blending surface to the physical terrain. As an added benefit, it also unifies the surface color to add POP and contrast to each artist’s design.

Tempera is water-based and washes away during the after-event clean-up.

Although we can not guarantee customer engagement per [your] place of business or products, we can share that La Strada anticipates 40,000+ attendees over the weekend’s activities. In addition, on average, arts audiences visiting and residing in Washington County, OR spend $21.00-25.00 per person while attending cultural activities (AEP5). Based on the 2022 La Strada surveys, most folks come in groups of 2+. The La Strada layout  is consciously designed to maintain an open line of sight to [your] front door. Here are some suggestions to draw people into your shop(s):

• Advertise a “Festival Sale” in advance or on event day with a sidewalk signage;
• Offer water to those who enter your shop;
• Offer coupons or stickers with store information to attract people into your shop that day or to plan a return visit; or
• Offer a sidewalk sale by putting a table with items outside your front door.

Chalk Art Festival attendees come from all over the region and the country. Attendees typically stay an average of 3-hours while strolling the event activities, dining and purchasing gifts; with many locals returning Sunday afternoon to see the completed chalk art designs.

We’ll leave it up to you if you’d like to stay open. And, if you have vendor questions or are looking for more ideas on how to activate your store front, please contact Jayne Dahl at programs@tvcreates.org.

If you want to chalk the weekend of, come to the 2nd Ave Community Area! The 2023 La Strada will be hosting drop-in chalking for all ages on 2nd Ave. between Washington and Lincoln.

The street cleaners have specific focus areas at the conclusion of the Festival. In order to keep Downtown clean during and after the Festival, please be mindful that community chalk drawing is only authorized within the pre-marked out zones on 2nd Ave. (Yes, this is different from the pre-approved artists chalking on Main Street.)

TVC works hard to keep these hands-on activities free. Please consider making a donation to our nonprofit to help cover the cost of materials and coordination HERE

The 2023 La Strada will not be hosting an alcohol component. Rather, we want to shift that amenity to the existing restaurants in Downtown Hillsboro more equipped to serve customers.

The Festival is NOT an open-consumption event. Please enjoy your libations in the comfort of the restaurant or retailers’ facilities before rejoining the event.

TVC prides itself on compensating artists for their time and talents. La Strada does not permit “tip jars” of any of its chalk or performing artists, however they are welcome to hand out business cards or promotional materials to follow-up with clients after the Festival.

Any interested weekend of artists who didn’t already follow the application process for the Festival may check-in with the Info Booth and/or Main Stage in the Civic Center Plaza to see if there are any pop-in opportunities within the layout and/or schedule. If assigned to a spot, the artist will be compensated a competitive stipend.

To conclude, busking is not permitted by unauthorized persons. In addition, volunteers will be monitoring for any inappropriate designs or performances by pop-in artists.

TVC can help if you’d like live music at your brick’n’mortor location! Since we’ll be accepting performers’ applications and mapping out the weekend’s performance schedule(s), we can help coordinate a musician for your venue.

Budgets are limited, so we ask that you consider covering the performer’s stipend to ensure all performers are paid equally. Give us a call or email to get you looped in.

Yes. The approved Chalk Artists and Performers are paid a modest stipend for their time and talents.

These stipends are supported by Sponsorships, donations and, in some cases, grants. Contact TVC early if you’d like to be an artist or become a Sponsor!

Yes, pets are welcome. We encourage pet-owners to bring water and to please clean up after your pets. Please keep all animals on leashes no longer than 3 feet.

While enjoying the art and activities, please be sure to keep paws off of the chalk art.

Liability is the sole responsibility of the owner. TVC and the La Strada coordinators are not responsible for pet dehydration or attacks.

Yes. La Strada coordinators assign two (2) ADA Parking spaces at the outside corners of walk-in entries to the Festival activities. This includes, two on 4^th Ave at Main Street, and two on Lincoln at both 2^nd and 3^rd Aves.

Many of the Downtown Public Parking lots also have assigned ADA stalls. View the La Strada Layout HERE, and the Downtown Parking Map HERE.