Lewisville Colorpalooza is unlike most events of its kind in North Texas. It’s an event where the very trees, water features, and benches of Wayne Ferguson Plaza become part of a living, breathing art gallery; an event where attendees not only enjoy art created by others, but have the opportunity to create art themselves and take it home.
The brainchild of the late James Kunke, former director of Community Engagement for the City of Lewisville, ColorPalooza was created in 2016 around the existing Chalk This Way sidewalk chalk extravaganza. To expand the focus of the event, ColorPalooza blended the colors of art with the rich tapestry of international cultures and the “green” elements of sustainability. The vision was to focus on creating interactive, hands-on art activities as the cornerstone of the event. And it begins with the festival logo and an investment in the community.
Since the inception of the event, high school students in Lewisville have competed to design the event logo for the year and win a college scholarship as a prize. Since ColorPalooza is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, ten different students from different grades and schools have contributed to the legacy of the event.
Greidy Marison Flores Mejia, a sophomore at LHS Killough, continued that legacy by creating the 2026 logo. She wanted to share her creativity with the community and show what Lewisville means to her—that it’s colorful, friendly, and full of life.
“Welcoming high school students to design the logo each year is a unique way to connect the community to ColorPalooza and give opportunities to students that want to pursue art or graphic design,” said Denise Helbing, City of Lewisville Arts Center Manager. “How amazing to be able to say you designed the logo for your hometown festival! We couldn’t be happier to have so many teachers, counselors, and students invest in this initiative year after year.”
A tie-dye shirt station has been a fan favorite at Coloralooza since the very first year, with families returning wearing tie-dyed shirts they made at the previous event, ready to make and take home a new souvenir, featuring the current year’s logo, of course.
Whether it’s tie-dye, hand marbling, sun prints, or embroidery, everyone is an artist at ColorPalooza. After trying art yourself, you can watch professional artists create works of art right in front of you. They’re happy to talk about their craft and sometimes even invite you to create with them! Local professional artists anchor the Artisan Market, selling handcrafted items, and community nonprofits contribute to the creative atmosphere, offering interactive activities and crafts at their vendor booths. There’s no mistaking what kind of event you are at when you wander the grounds at ColorPalooza.
“I am an elementary school art teacher, and ColorPalooza is my favorite event,” said Rachel Varney, a return ColorPalooza attendee. “My family has been attending since 2019, and we do not miss it. My son even celebrated his birthday at ColorPalooza and invited his friends to join him. I love the opportunity to be creative with my kids and watch them light up when they try something new and cool.”
Sometimes that something new is learning a craft from a country like Ukraine or India as part of Cultural Corner, or sampling food from a country across the world. At ColorPalooza, you can listen to groovy world flute music, enjoy traditional Bavarian dance, belt out your favorite Disney tunes, and still take home art made with your own two hands.
ColorPalooza takes place on Saturday, April 26, in Old Town Lewisville. Learn more at LewisvilleColorPalooza.com