San Diego’s Little Italy FESTA is not your typical street fair.

Every October since 1994, the streets of Little Italy are cordoned off and the community morphs into a street fair, art gallery, concert venue and stickball court.

You’ll find the typical mix of vendors and artisans hawking some pretty cool stuff. The food, however, is a giant step up from the usual festival fare—you are in Little Italy, after all. Arrive hungry and enjoy a slice of pizza, a cannoli, and some gelato.

Check the schedule if you want to listen to a Frank or Tony soundalike or catch a stickball game. It’s definitely worth the effort.

But, the highlight of this unique street fair is on the asphalt.

Numerous artists are given a small section of asphalt to transform into a temporary chalk masterpiece. This is a monumental undertaking—requiring major vision, significant planning, and hours of chalking on all fours atop hard asphalt with a blazing sun above you.

A little tip to make this outing even more beautiful—wear comfy shoes and a hat, drive to Coronado’s Ferry Landing, park your car in the lot, hop on the ferry, and hoof it up the hill to Little Italy.

Here’s a taste of what you’ll find…