Free: This Long Beach art festival celebrates murals, artists, and imagination

The start of summer has a bigness to it, and a boldness, too, and we can suddenly find ourselves craving colorful expression, large-scale razzmatazz, and the sorts of moments that feel a little more monumental.

An amazing mural aptly fits this description. It's often found in the sunshine, or at least on the side of an outdoor structure, and its saturated hues and powerful themes instantly catch the passing eye (and imagination).

Long Beach Walls and Art Renzei Festival, which is so big that it will stretch over a big, bold week, is just the sort of free, get-outdoors art extravaganza that we're craving as summer revs up.

The 2024 event runs from June 22 through 29, at several points around the city, including one that is on the move: a Long Beach Transit bus.

"This year, we honor the rich tradition of intergenerational sharing between young and veteran artists, encouraging them to connect, exchange, and learn from one another," a post on the event site revealed.

"We call this theme 'A Platform for the Youth.'"

The multimedia festival — that's Art Renzei — celebrates "the natural beauty of the Long Beach coastline."

The "gathering of contemporary artists," Long Beach Walls, is all about "engaging with the broader community through the process and creation of art."

Are you eager to find what's happening and where to admire the murals? There's a map on this site.

We live in a state that is known for its mural-marvelous communities, from Eureka to Lompoc to Exeter murals, not far from Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

Long Beach has long been a mural-loving sort of municipality, and the chance to celebrate that spirit at a mural-focused event feels right.

It does, in fact, feel like the spirit of summer. Discover more about the week-long festival now.