Sidewalk chalk festival returns to give community ‘a reason to smile’

IDAHO FALLS — A increasing sidewalk chalk show is returning for its 3rd year.

The 3rd yearly Idaho Falls Sidewalk Chalk Festival, sponsored successful business by RiverWest Dental and nan Art Museum of Eastern Idaho, will beryllium free for nan full organization to be connected July 20. The arena has grown from astir 30 competing artists successful its first twelvemonth to 55 artists this year.

“We are actively trying to springiness nan organization a logic to smile,” said arena coordinator Kyle Peterson, besides nan trading head for RiverWest Dental.

People who show up to nan Art Museum of Eastern Idaho astatine 300 South Capital Avenue will find artists moving connected classical creation pieces, lifelike portraits and popular civilization pieces, each pinch sidewalk chalk. These artists will beryllium competing for varying rate prizes successful different acquisition and property brackets.

Courtesy RiverWest Dental

Chalk Pros and Chalk Novices are some unfastened to immoderate property to compete, for group who person a bully magnitude of acquisition and those who are conscionable starting out. The first-place grant for nan pro level is $1,000, and nan novice is $500.

There are 3 abstracted inferior brackets, pinch Power Powders for ages 7 done 10, Chalk Crushers for ages 11 done 14 and Concrete Conquerors for ages 15 done 18. The first spot prize for Concrete Conquerors is $200 and is $100 for Chalk Crushers.

All competing artists person nan opportunity to triumph nan People’s Choice Award for $300. Spectators tin ballot online up to a week aft nan event.

Children tin spell to nan free drafting conception to tie immoderate they tin imagine. The depository will besides beryllium opening its doors free pinch 2 activities taking spot inside: really to homemake chalk and really to create an creator journal.

“Kids tin travel and return a break from nan basking sun, study really to make chalk and study really to make an creation diary and spot immoderate of nan worldly that’s already astatine nan creation depository for free,” Peterson said.

Although nan crowd mostly doesn’t show up to nan arena until astir 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., artists tin commencement activity arsenic early arsenic 5 a.m. that morning. People who want to stock their acquisition astatine nan show connected societal media tin utilizing nan tag #IFCHALKFEST.

There’s not overmuch room near for different artists to participate into nan competition. Although nan Chalk Novice bracket is wholly full, location a fewer unfastened spots near successful nan rest.

Peterson hopes to support increasing nan arena overtime truthful that they tin let much artists to showcase their talent and springiness them and nan spectators a consciousness of nostalgia.

“Our arena is unsocial because that puerility emotion that you person astatine a very young property of afloat productivity and afloat imagination… sidewalk chalk taps into that feeling,” Peterson said.