Macon Mural Festival returns September 12–14 with new downtown artwork

The free three-day event will feature new murals, guided tours and a Saturday night celebration.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Downtown Macon will transform into an open-air gallery this month as the Macon Mural Festival returns for its third year, bringing new artwork to local businesses and buildings.

The Macon Arts Alliance is hosting the three-day event, which brings artists to the city to create colorful murals on local businesses and buildings.

Festival coordinator Colin Penndorf said it’s a chance for people to enjoy art while exploring downtown.

“They are going to start late on Thursday as they arrive prepping their walls, but of course Friday, September 12, Saturday, September 13 and Sunday, September 14, these artists will be out onsite from 10 to 5, and it’s a great time to come and tour downtown, take a walking tour,” Penndorf said. “We’ll have some map brochures both in person at the Macon Arts Alliance and also uploaded online and those will show you the locations for our new murals going up, murals from past years and just general murals and other public artwork.”

The event is free and open to the public, but organizers encourage donations to support the work. The festival is funded entirely through donations and sponsorships.

Each mural is matched with a local business or organization, and a selection committee chooses the artists earlier in the year.

The schedule includes painting on Friday and Saturday, followed by a mural celebration party on Saturday evening. Artists will finish their murals on Sunday.

Organizers say the festival helps boost Macon’s economy, brings people together and spreads art to underserved neighborhoods.