Let’s start this post off with a riddle.
They’re bright and colorful.
They’re all different sizes, but many are so big that you’ll have to look from the ground to the sky to see the whole thing.
They’re all over downtown Jackson, and quite hard to miss.
There are so many – 40 to be exact, and they are all unique and different.
What are they?
The Bright Walls Murals!
The Bright Walls Mural Festival started in 2018 and has continued each year since. This public art and mural festival, which was founded and produced by the Jackson Young Professionals, brings talented artists to Downtown Jackson to leave their marks on giant walls all over the city and also brings other vibrant attractions for festival attendees to see – from music to events, to food trucks and tours. Due to the pandemic, the grand finale originally planned for 2020 has been postponed until 2022, but we can’t wait to see what small-scale ideas the Bright Walls Festival team brings to Jackson this fall.
The Bright Walls Murals are one of my absolute favorite things about Downtown Jackson. I look forward to the festival each year and love watching the process from start to finish. Each mural has a story, and they are an amazing public art installation that we never get tired of viewing (plus they make amazing photo backdrops!).
For these reasons (and so many more), we highly recommend setting aside some time while being a tourist in your town to take a walking tour to see all of the Bright Walls Murals while you are in Downtown Jackson. The Bright Walls team has made this easy with a detailed map that you can download from their site. Forgot your map? There are some maps installed at the 2018 and 2019 sites to help you navigate!
One special note for those wanting to see all 40 murals – The four murals from 2020 are a little more spread out, so you might plan to drive to 37, 38, and 39. After you have visited the Bright Walls Murals, come back to leave a comment and let us know which mural was your favorite! And don’t worry, we’ll be sure to share plans for any 2021 Bright Walls happenings once they are announced!
