There are few things more hopeful than a blank wall.
For a day or two, it exists in a state of possibility. A lift rolls into place. Paint cans collect on the sidewalk. Passersby slow their pace, trying to guess what the first few lines might become. By the end of the weekend, the wall belongs to the city in an entirely new way.
A taste of last year.
That’s the rhythm of the Chilliwack Mural Festival, returning August 14–16 for its seventh year.
Presented by the Chilliwack Arts Council, the festival celebrates public art in the heart of historic Downtown Chilliwack, bringing together emerging and established muralists from Canada and around the world to create large-scale works in full view of the public. The festival is held on the unceded territory of the Stó:lō people, whose ongoing connection to this place forms an important part of the community’s story.
For a couple days each August, Downtown Chilliwack becomes both studio and gallery. Visitors are not simply looking at finished artwork. They are experiencing it.
Many of this year’s murals will once again take shape throughout District 1881, while others appear across downtown, gradually expanding an outdoor collection that has become one of the city’s defining attractions. Whether you’re following the official mural map or wandering wherever the next splash of color leads, every block offers another reason to stop and look up.
On August 14 and 15, the festival spills beyond the walls into a lively street party. Artists continue painting throughout the day while live musicians and performers bring energy to the streets. Visitors can browse the art market, grab dinner from local food trucks, add their own creativity to the community graffiti wall, explore interactive art experiences, enjoy a drink in the Sidekick Bevi Garden or join a guided mural tour. It is the kind of event where you might set out to see one mural and end up spending the entire afternoon.
The weekend’s calendar of events offers something for every pace. Families linger over hands-on activities while photographers wait for the afternoon light to hit a favorite wall just right. Music drifts between the historic brick buildings, and each newly completed mural gives people another reason to gather on the sidewalk below.
Then, on August 16, the festival slows down just enough to invite a closer look. Workshops offer insight into the creative process, while guided walking tours, presented in partnership with Chilliwack Tours, explore the stories, symbolism and techniques behind many of the murals. It is a chance to see not only what was painted, but why.
District 1881 remains at the heart of the experience. Between murals, settle onto one of the neighborhood’s patios, browse independent boutiques or stop into a café before continuing your walk. The restored heritage buildings create a striking backdrop for the artwork, making the district one of the festival’s most photographed destinations. It is easy to spend hours here without realizing how much ground you’ve covered.
One of the festival’s greatest strengths is its accessibility. The event is free to attend, entirely walkable and designed to encourage wandering. Whether you’re a longtime local or searching for things to do in Chilliwack this summer, it offers one of the season’s best summer ideas.
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By Sunday evening, the stages come down, the food trucks head home and the paint begins to dry. The artists pack up their supplies. The conversations move from the sidewalks to nearby patios.
The murals stay.
Long after the weekend ends, they continue to brighten familiar streets, spark new conversations and invite people to look a little more closely at the city around them. That may be the festival’s greatest achievement. It does not simply fill a weekend. It leaves Chilliwack with something beautiful to return to every day.
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