Idaho Falls is gearing up for one of its anticipated community events, the Sidewalk Chalk Festival. This year marks the third annual festival, and it looks like it’ll be the most vibrant one yet. Hosted by River West Dental and in partnership with the Art Museum of Eastern Idaho, the festival is a spectacular display of local talent, creativity and community spirit.
The Sidewalk Chalk Festival has grown significantly since its start. Chloe O’Laughlin, who works as the communications director for the Art Museum of Eastern Idaho, is impressed by the growing numbers of participants and attendees with each passing year.
“Last year we had close to a thousand people come through. It was really, really successful. We had 50 spots for the artists to compete in and all of them were filled,” O’Laughlin said. “This year we’ve bumped it up to 90 spots and we are fast approaching that number, so it’s going to be more artists, more people.”
The partnership between River West Dental and the Art Museum of Eastern Idaho has been a more recent occurrence but a natural fit. The museum, which is a community-based institution that promotes and nurtures local artists, was more than happy to join since their missions both align. They have helped the Sidewalk Chalk Festival for the last two years and hope to continue to help it grow in the future.
“We were really lucky that (River West Dental) picked us and that they’re interested in working with us on it because we’re a community-based art museum,” she said. “It’s a really amazing event. It’s a really great opportunity for people to come out and support local artists and see the kind of talent that Idaho Falls contains.”
The festival is a joyful celebration of artists of all ages, from as young as five years old to adults. Visitors can look forward to a day filled with artistic wonders and community activities. The competition itself promises to be fierce and exciting, with many categories for artists to participate in and some great prizes to win. The prizes will be given based on the people’s vote, there will be QR codes to scan where visitors can vote for their favorite pieces.
“The prizes are totally worth it. I think the largest one you can win is $1,000, which is definitely not chump change. It could make a big difference to someone,” O’Laughlin said.
The Sidewalk Chalk Festival continues to grow, it will remain a vibrant and creative way to support the local art community. Whether you’re an artist, a fan of the arts or just looking for a fun day out, this festival is a great event not to be missed. It will be this Saturday from 7 a.m. through 6 p.m. at 300 S Capital Ave and is free to attend. If you would like to learn more about the Sidewalk Chalk Festival, you can visit their event website at eventbrite.com/Idaho-falls-chalk-festival.