Artistry and Colour Take Centre Stage at Chilliwack Mural Festival

Robin

All photos © Robin and Arlene Karpan

Many communities have murals, but Chilliwack, British Columbia, kicks things up a notch with an annual Chilliwack Mural Festival featuring renowned muralists from both close to home and from around the world.  This year’s festival, held Aug. 14-16, will bring together 11 skilled artists from five countries to add their unique artwork to the growing number of murals in the downtown.

Mural in Chilliwack, BC
Painted on the Smoking Gun Café near the entrance to District 1881, this piece by Indigenous artist Carrilynn Victor serves as a welcome to those entering the area. Her mural depicts a woman extending her arms in greeting, welcoming visitors according to Indigenous traditions.
Downtown Chilliwack, BC and the entrance to District 1881.
Downtown Chilliwack, BC and the entrance to District 1881.

Where is Chilliwack?

Chilliwack is located in the eastern Fraser Valley, about 100 kilometres east of Vancouver. It has developed into a hub for everything from outdoor adventure to music, culture, and farming. Its history dates back to the Stó꞉lō people (Coast Salish) who originally lived on the land, and later to the arrival of gold seekers and those who took up farming in the fertile valley.

Chilliwack, BC downtown.
How can you resist the chance to explore a street named Sasquatch Alley? In downtown District 1881, Chilliwack, BC.

In 1881, due to continuing threats of flooding and building silt deposits in the river, the emerging settlement moved to a place known as Five Corners, where five major roads intersect. The business community began to develop and grow in the area, which is now known as District 1881.

Mural in downtown Chilliwack, BC painted for Mural Festival.
Artist Fio Silva from Argentina wanted to use blue and orange in her design of a great blue heron that is typically found in the area, and chickadees.
Mural in downtown Chilliwack, BC painted during the Chilliwack Mural Festival.
Temponok did this mural in five days with spray paint. It is on a wall beside one of the oldest churches in Chilliwack dating to the 1890s. Called Sunday Reflection, Temponok shows a reflection of the church in one of his signature colourful bubbles.

Situated in the heart of Chilliwack, the District is now a revitalized hub with a walkable neighbourhood, some pedestrian-only streets, distinctive historic architecture, and plenty of shopping and dining. It was a short stroll from where we were staying at the Coast Chilliwack Hotel.

Background to the Festival

It was back in 2019 when the idea of organizing a mural festival took shape. City planners and festival promoters wanted to beautify the downtown area with public art that would be available free to everyone year-round. They also wanted to revitalize the central area in a unique way, instill pride and a sense of identity, and bring people together to celebrate creativity.

The first Mural Festival was launched in 2020. Local and international artists came to paint street art, brightening the downtown core with masterful works using diverse themes. Now there are more than 50 murals painted on building walls, with more planned each year.

Mural in downtown Chilliwack, BC
Artist Aero pays tribute to the local Indigenous Stó꞉lō people with this mural, using only shades of brown spray paint.

The Mural Festival has been a resounding success, receiving thousands of applications from artists throughout the world wanting the chance to create their art in Chilliwack.

Mural in downtown Chilliwack, BC.
Painted by muralist Juanjo Surace from Barcelona, Spain

Learning about the Murals with Chilliwack Tours

To find out more about the murals and their background, we went on a guided mural tour offered by local historian Michael Berger of Chilliwack Tours. Along with murals, Michael also provides tours based on public art and history.

Mural in downtown Chilliwack, BC.
Michael Berger describes this piece by artist Guillem Font, originally from Barcelona, who painted his impression of what the Fraser River looks like under the water. Font likes to use black, white, and shades of gray and silver in his work.

During our 90-minute walk, Michael showed us several murals within the District, each with its own story not only about what was portrayed, but also about the artists’ personal stories, their painting techniques, and the inspiration behind their work.

Michael also told us more about the behind-the-scenes process that goes into selecting locations and artists for the Mural Festival. First, they have to find appropriate building walls and obtain the building owner’s permission to install the artwork. Then they narrow down the applicants, ask them to produce a draft, and ultimately make a final selection.

Mural in downtown Chilliwack.
Mural in downtown Chilliwack.
Mural in downtown Chilliwack, BC.
Undulation and Turmoil by artist Raven-Tacuara.

During the festival, artists are hosted in Chilliwack, taken to events, introduced to other community artists, and supported with a living wage while working. Their materials are provided.  

Michael explained that there are many things that set the Chilliwack Mural Festival apart. “For a community of this size, I think it’s unusual to attract the quality of artists that we get. We also work hard to give opportunities to young local artists, indigenous artists, people that have never been part of a mural festival, or even painted a mural before, and international artists.”

Mural in downtown Chilliwack, BC.
Floral Belted Kingfisher by Curtis Hylton from London, England. Curtis likes to mix flora and fauna in his work and place the subject in a suitable setting. Belted kingfishers are found in the region, so he incorporated a view of a nearby lake into the background.
Mural in downtown Chilliwack, BC
Legendary Pokemon by Chase Gray, an Indigenous artist who incorporates his love of Pokemon with traditional Northwest Coast Indigenous design elements.

Engaging with the artists is important for local residents. “Our local and young artists are just in awe when they get to meet this person that they’ve followed on social media for years. It’s also a great thing for the artists. You combine that with being paid and the fact that it’s a beautiful community and you’re supported when you’re here.”

Mural in downtown Chilliwack, BC
Don Quixote Y La Rana by Swiss artist Malik. A sidestep from the original Don Quixote story, Malik portrays a knight riding a frog, a species from this region, as they charge at windmills. While artists are normally paid, Michael says that the only payment Malik wanted for his work was a can of Coke at the end of each day’s work. It took Malik five days, so he was paid five cans of Coke.
Mural in downtown Chilliwack, BC
Artist Carolyn Wong from Vancouver painted this colourful scene depicting a lily pond and wetlands, with birds. But why the rabbit? It’s a tribute to the fact that she painted the mural during the Year of the Rabbit in Chinese culture.

For Michael, a high point of the festival is watching the artists at work, often on scissor-lifts high up on a building. “It’s really cool to see them up there,” he says. “It’s amazing how many people who will literally come out with a lawn chair and watch paint dry.”

Mural by Andrew Hem from Pasadena, CA
Mural by Andrew Hem from Pasadena, CA

We thank Tourism Chilliwack, Destination BC, and Michael Berger for their assistance with our visit to Chilliwack.

Resources

  • Chilliwack Mural Festival has more details on happenings at this year’s festival which runs August 14-16, 2026, and the selected artists. The event showcases Chilliwack and area culture with tours, live music, a street party, and workshops. They also have a map showing mural locations, and photos and basic information on all the murals, organized according to the year they were painted.
  • Tourism Chilliwack has more details on the many other attractions in and around Chilliwack.
  • See Super Natural British Columbia for travel details throughout BC.

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