AURORA | The Colfax Canvas mural festival will return to Aurora later this year, bringing a week-long celebration of public art, music and community events to the Aurora Cultural Arts District as city leaders push for renewed investment along the East Colfax corridor.
“Colfax Canvas is more than a mural festival, it’s a reflection of Aurora’s identity and a catalyst for its future,” said Aaron Vega, festival founder and producer at The People’s Building on Colfax. “This year, we’re celebrating not just incredible art, but the people, cultures, and partnerships that already exist and make this district thrive.”
The 2026 festival is scheduled for Aug. 29 through Sept. 4 and comes as Aurora’s newly formed Downtown Development Authority and a strengthened Aurora Cultural Arts District board seek to boost economic development and cultural activity in the area, organizers said in a statement.
The Colfax development authority is a special district that will be overseen by an appointed board with the ability to levy taxes with the goal of revitalizing the area. Voters approved the Colfax development authority last November after years of conversation about how to renew the East Colfax area.
Last week, the city named finalists for the new Colfax Downtown Development Authority board with interviews scheduled through the end of the month.
The city council will appoint six candidates to the board in May or June, according to city officials. They will join Councilmember Alli Jackson to make up a seven-person Colfax DDA board.
The new board’s first major responsibility will be to refine and adopt the Colfax Community Vision and Action Plan as the authority’s legally required plan of development, with final approval by city council, city officials said earlier this year. The draft plan was shaped by extensive community engagement with more than 870 attendees at 24 public events and input collected from more than 100 residents, business owners, property owners and organizations.
City officials say the authority and its board will work in tandem with a proposed nonprofit Community Development Corporation that would pursue additional funding streams and support a broader set of initiatives in and around the corridor. Together, these entities are intended to help improve public spaces, support small businesses and foster economic growth while preserving neighborhood character.
Muralists from across the region and the nation will create new works throughout the district during the festival, adding to what organizers describe as a growing collection of public art along East Colfax Avenue.
Applications for mural artists for the program can be submitted through May 31. Organizers said artists of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply, with selections made by a panel of local business owners, residents and former festival artists.
The festival will begin Aug. 29 in conjunction with Aurora Pride and continue Aug. 30 alongside Latin Pride events, highlighting the district’s diversity and inclusive culture.
Aurora’s growing annual Pride event last year moved from the Aurora Reservoir to the Aurora Arts District. Last year’s Aurora Pride offered a wide range of music alartists, drag performers, and DJs from Colorado and beyond. The event coordinated with Ballet Folklorico Sangre de México and brought headliner drag queen Jaymes Mansfield of Ru Paul fame to the stage.
This year, the public will be able to watch artists paint murals in real time and are encourage to check out the neighborhood’s arts and restaurant scene.
Now in its sixth year, the festival will conclude Sept. 4 with a local music celebration in partnership with Manos Sagrados, expanding the Aurora Cultural Arts District’s regular First Friday programming with additional live performances. Organizers said artist and music lineups will be announced in July.
Festival attendees also will be able to participate in a bingo-style promotion during the Sept. 4 festivities. Participants who collect stamps from participating district businesses will be entered into a drawing for prizes featuring experiences and products from local merchants.
Organizers said the event is expected to transform the neighborhood into an open-air gallery through partnerships with artists, businesses and community organizations.
Follow along for event updates and opportunities to get involved on Instagram @ColfaxCanvas and @AuroraCulturalArtsDistrict and look for details at ColfaxCanvas.com
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