LEUCADIA — Keeping Leucadia funky has never been so easy. With three successful events under its belt, the Leucadia Highway 101 MainStreet Association brought back LeucadiART Walk this year with much of the eclectic flair that distinguishes the community itself.

Some visitors were surprised by the level of talent and creativity among the 101 artists displaying their original works at this year’s event. But Sarah Prulent, a Carlsbad resident, was particularly struck by the diversity of the art. “This is the third year I’ve come for the festival and it seems like there is something new each time,” she said. “It just keeps getting bigger and better.”

The free event showcased artists’ works in a variety of media including photography, sculpture, metal, glass, jewelry and pottery. More then 90 booths were stationed between West Glaucus Street and Encinitas Boulevard.

Musicians, dance troupes and other entertainment filled in the spaces as visitors strolled along North Coast Highway 101. For the first time this year, a children’s art center moved into the Leucadia Head Start school with chalk drawing and clay projects for children. Gyminny Kids Oceanside, a youth gymnast demonstration team, performed at the school to the delight of children and their parents. “I’m glad they added this element to the day,” Sharon Lopez said. The Encinitas resident said her three young children become restless after a few minutes. “The magician held their attention this time,” she said.

Visitor Dan MacDowell, an Encinitas resident, said that the biggest benefit to hosting the annual event was the positive impact on the community’s reputation. “More and more Leucadia is becoming known as an arts mecca,” he said. “I’ve lived here for a long time and I like the fact that we aren’t just known as a place with seedy motels and liquor stores thanks to the efforts of the MainStreet folks.”

Indeed, the association is a nonprofit organization formed in 2003, whose membership consists of local business owners dedicated to preserving the history of the area and revitalizing Leucadia’s corridor. The community’s art gallery owners held a similar, yet smaller-scale event during the mid-1980s.

Many of the attendees parked at offsite lots and were shuttled free-of-charge to the event in a double-decker bus affectionately called the Magic Bus, as parking spaces were limited along Highway 101 and the surrounding streets.