Entry No. 21 — the Sacramento file — filed under: roadside relic

Rainbow Poles

Seventy-two wooden poles painted in every color of the rainbow have stood on this midtown corner for at least 40 years — installed by a paint store decades ago as a literal advertisement for its color selection. The paint store is long gone (a blood bank occupies the lot now), but nobody's ever pulled the poles out.

The move: Walk or bike to the corner across from the park, and if you time it for Memorial Day weekend, catch the Chalk It Up chalk-art festival nearby, where kids climb and play in the little multicolored "pole forest" while you grab coffee at a nearby midtown spot.

📍 Midtown Sacramento
💸 Free
⚡ Up for anything
🌗 Outdoors

Where: 16th and Q Streets, Sacramento, CA 95811

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.

#roadside relic #public art #midtown #free #in-town

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Roadside America · waymarking.com · maps.roadtrippers.com

last checked: 2026-07-20