A new mural is being painted on the wall between the Compass building and the Royal Hotel. (Photo Courtesy Bob Schneider)

By Chris Brown

Mural Fest ready to bring more beauty downtown

Jul 5, 2022 | 4:36 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – It seems like hardly a week goes by without another prominent downtown wall getting a colourful facelift.

This weekend, three separate walls on Second Street will get a new look during Medicine Hat Mural Fest, from July 8-10. Mural Fest is part of Saturday’s Art in Motion celebration that will see events at the Esplanade, Riverside Veterans’ Memorial Park and other downtown locations.

One of the new murals will be added to a wall at the back of the Beveridge Building, another will be at Moose and Squirrel and Toronto artist Young Jarus has already started work on a wall between the Compass building and the Royal Hotel.

Mural Fest organizer Jeff Goring says people are encouraged to watch the artists work, and it’s a show you don’t want to miss.

WHAT'S ON

Here is what's on this weekend in Medicine Hat and area: Dec. 13-15

23m ago

IN THE COMMUNITY

Medicine Hat's Mustard Seed adding new shelter spaces at Alberta government's request

20h ago

HOLIDAYS

Medicine Hat Kiwanis hosting Christmas dinner, applications due Friday

Dec 12, 2024

“It’s phenomenal to see these guys paint. Even for Jarus for example, no projector, no nothing,” Goring says. “He just has a picture on his iPad and has an extendo rolling pole with a brush that he either duct tapes or he rolls right in and just stands back and kind of like, ‘oh, I’ll add an eye here; oh, I’ll add this.’ And just, it’s phenomenal to see on such a large scale and to see it come together.”

Jarus has paintings all over the world, says Goring, everywhere from Hong Kong to Mumbai and the Phillippines, and an 11-storey building at Vancouver’s Granville Island.

READ MORE: Downtown gets another hit of colour

Goring says people from all over the world see the murals when they come to our city and it’s exciting to see where these photos end up.

“We always get tagged in them on Instagram or on Facebook and it’s really cool,” he says. “Everyone from like celebrities who come to play at the Esplanade to just everyday people getting photos or grad photos. And for us, we’re just trying to make downtown beautiful bring people downtown and support local businesses.”

Other aspects of Art in Motion include a graffiti workshop at the Esplanade, chalk art, cultural performances and Midnight Madness shopping. They will also show the influential documentary “Style Wars” about the New York City graffiti scene in the 1970s and ’80s.

Goring says Mural Fest is partnering with MyCityCare this year to raise awareness of its work and thanks all the local sponsors for their support.