Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - The Ninth Annual Puerto Vallarta Festival I Madonnari will be held from November 7th-9th, 2014, according to the announcement made by the Puerto Vallarta/Santa Barbara Sister Cities Committee, organizer of this prestigious event.

Using the pavement as their canvas and chalk as their medium, "i Madonnari," or street painters, will transform streets and sidewalks into beautiful works of art.

What was once just thought of as cement underfoot, now becomes a surface open to interpretation. A wall can become a window, surrealistically stretching it out into a thought provoking illusion or a masterpiece of perspective, borrowing at will from art movements around the world.

Madonnari art had its origin in the Italy of XVI century. Nomadic artists were brought to the big cities and commissioned to paint inside the great cathedrals. Once their employment was done, they started to re-create the images on the stone floors of the cities. The word Madonnari comes from the fact that most of the images were Madonnas.

The first documented festival and contest of this singular artistic expression was held in London in 1906. The first International Contest/Festival I Madonnari took place in Grazie di Curtatone, Italy in 1972. The first Festival I Madonnari took place in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in 2005, with chalk artists from around the world drawing amazing renditions directly on downtown streets and walkways.

This year's I Madonnari Festival & Contest will begin at 9 am on Friday, November 7th in Puerto Vallarta's Municipal Plaza, and continue until Sunday, November 9th at 7 pm, when the winners will be announced. First prize in the adult category is an all-expense paid trip to Santa Barbara, California. First prize in the children's category is a scholarship to study painting, plus some cash to buy art supplies.

This ninth edition of the traditional and colorful fiesta of ephemeral art on pavement is sure to dazzle the senses, so don't forget your camera!