Pasadena ARTWalk Returns to Playhouse Village for 18th Year

More than 180 artists and craftspeople will set up booths along Green Street in Playhouse Village on Saturday, Sept. 19, and Sunday, Sept. 20, for the 18th annual Pasadena ARTWalk, according to a press release from organizers Jackalope Arts and the Playhouse Village Association.

The free, two-day fair will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days on Green Street between Los Robles and El Molino avenues, the release said. Admission is free and open to the public, according to the release. The event is wheelchair accessible and allows leashed pets, according to Jackalope Arts’ website.

Vendors are expected to sell fine art, jewelry, ceramics, home décor, apparel, photography and specialty foods, according to the release. Artisans are coming from across Southern California and beyond, the release said. The event will also include live music, food vendors and hands-on activities intended for children and adults, organizers said.

Past editions of the ARTWalk have featured activities such as face painting and craft-making stations for children, according to prior news coverage of the fair, though this year’s specific activity lineup was not detailed in the release.

The ARTWalk is produced by Jackalope Arts, an indie-artisan-fair company founded in 2015 by Melissa Kohout and Sara Diederich, in partnership with the Playhouse Village Association, according to Pasadena Weekendr. Jackalope Arts runs artisan markets in several cities and holds three annual events in Pasadena, including a separate fair in Central Park in Old Pasadena, according to the company’s website. The company also produces artisan fairs in San Diego, Santa Barbara, Burbank, the Twin Cities and Arvada, Colorado, according to its website.

The Pasadena ARTWalk is marking its 18th edition this year, with organizers pausing the event during the COVID-19 pandemic before bringing it back to Playhouse Village in subsequent years, Jackalope Arts staff told Pasadena Weekly in 2024. The event has drawn more than 180 vendors in recent years, matching the figure cited for this year’s fair, according to organizers’ past statements and the current release.

Organizers are recommending public transit or ride-sharing for attendees, noting that street parking near the venue is limited, though one hour of free street parking is available nearby, according to Jackalope Arts’ website. Additional paid parking areas are located north and south of Colorado Boulevard within walking distance of the event, according to the same source.

More information, including participating artists and event updates, can be found at jackalopeartfair.com/artwalk.