World's Largest Street Painting Festival Coming to Pasadena, CA June 25 & 26, 2005

Absolut Chalk will draw nearly 600 artists from across Southern California to Paseo Colorado Shopping Village

For centuries artists have painted beautiful images on the boulevards and squares of great cities, using chalk as their medium and the street pavement as their canvas. These artists and their creations were not a destination unto themselves; they were a wonderful element of the everyday business of these cities. With Paseo Colorados interconnected mix of retail, entertainment, housing and garden promenades, the Absolut Chalk Street Painting Festival continues the legacy of the street painting art form by offering festival visitors an opportunity to shop, dine or see a movie as the artworks come to life. Absolut Chalk returns to Paseo Colorado on Saturday, June 25 and Sunday, June 26, 2005 from 10am -- 7pm. Absolut Chalk is open to the public and free of charge.

Absolut Chalk places over 25,000 sticks of pastel chalks in the hands of hundreds of Madonnari," Italian for street painter, who come from all across Southern California and points beyond to spend two days on hands and knees creating spectacular murals in every style imaginable on pavement the size of two city blocks. In addition to witnessing the murals come to life, guests can head upstairs to Paseo Colorados Fountain Court to enjoy a taste of the fare in the Absolut Bistro and to bid on affordable, small painted canvases by the Festivals artists in the Absolut Art Gallery. A new addition to the festival, the Absolut Bistro will offer guests a place to relax, mingle with the artists, grab a light meal and enjoy Absolut cocktails.

Guests will also be treated to live music representing many cultural influences and children can get into the creative act in Chalkland, a specially-designated area for kids and families featuring activities, arts and crafts, face painting and more. At the conclusion of the festival, participating artists will select the outstanding murals of the festival, including Best Overall, Best Technique, Best Use of Color and more. Festival visitors will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite murals as well. Absolut Chalk Paseo Colorado Peoples Choice" ballots will be available in the Centers retailers. The artist selected as Paseo Colorados Peoples Choice" will win a gift basket filled with a wonderful selection of items from Paseo Colorado retailers.

Prestigious cultural festivals in Europe, North and South America celebrate this traditional art form and are popular attractions for artists, art lovers and people from all walks of life. Now in its 13th year, the Absolut Chalk Street Painting Festival is the worlds largest of these gatherings by sheer numbers of participating artists. Previous Absolut Chalk festivals have attracted artists and design teams from many regions of the country, across Southern California and virtually every Los Angeles-area community. Leading art schools, museums and cultural centers are also represented at the festival.

Absolut Chalk is produced by and benefits the Light Bringer Project, a Pasadena-based non-profit cultural arts organization that has served Los Angles County since 1990. The organization was founded by local residents who were interested in the role the arts, architecture and design played in the growth and development of their community. Since 1997, the organization has focused on the pressing need for arts education in the schools. One of the organizations signature projects is Cultural Passport, a partnership between Light Bringer Project, the Pasadena Public Library, Pasadena Unified School District and major arts organizations. Cultural Passport helps middle and high school students develop literacy skills through arts and learning curriculum and presentations. Cultural Passport has won the California League of Cities Helen Putnam Award of Excellence in the area of public-private partnerships. The Organization also delivers the Advertising and Design Academy to senior high school students of the LAUSD and Expressing Feelings Through Art, an exhibition/scholarship program for students of the LA County school system.

Paseo Colorado is located at 280 East Colorado Boulevard (between Marengo and Los Robles Avenues) in the heart of Pasadenas historic downtown Civic Center. Plenty of convenient parking is available. For more festival information, the public may call (626) 795-9100 or visit www.paseocoloradopasadena.com.

Paseo Colorado is professionally managed by Cleveland-based Developers Diversified Realty Corporation (DDR). DDR currently owns and manages over 470 operating and development properties totaling approximately 108 million square feet of real estate in 44 states and Puerto Rico. DDR is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT) operating as a fully integrated real estate company which acquires, develops, leases and manages shopping centers.

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