Chalk It Up! An Art Festival

Colorful Creations on Display in Downtown Broken Arrow

Last year’s ‘Best of Show’ winner Bailey Partain.

If you’ve been fascinated with chalk art since Mary Poppins jumped Bert and the Banks children into the sidewalk art for their jolly holiday of penguin dancing and carousels, we’ve got a fix for you.
On September 22-23, the Rose District will partner with Your Design Gallery and ArtsOK (Regional Arts Alliance of Broken Arrow) and the City of Broken Arrow to brighten up the streets with vibrant chalk art for the sixth annual Chalk it Up! Art Festival.
Artists ages 6 and up will brighten up Main Street in brilliant chalk masterpieces, competing in five categories for one of 17 cash prizes available.
The $35 entry fee includes chalk and water for the competition, a festival t-shirt, lunch voucher, and super sweet swag bag from Main Street business owners.
Competitive categories include 3D, Animation, Masters, Original, and Artist’s Choice. There is also a prize for Best of Show and a People’s Choice Award.
For creator Alisa Inglett, the event is the realization of a dream. “We always wanted to put together a chalk festival,” she mused. Inglett described the festival as “an opportunity to experience a diverse group of artists in a family-friendly setting,” emphasizing that the wide variety of artists presenting their creations goes way beyond chalk art.
Chalk it Up is a reflection of the gallery’s mission, making sure art is public and giving an outlet to creative individuals. The local art gallery features primarily local artists, providing them with an opening night and an opportunity to get a first experience showing art, an obstacle that can be a significant barrier to many local artists. “We help artists get started, make it easy for them to get out there and promote themselves, and get over that hurdle of showing their work for the first time,” Inglett explained.
And the festival, which is by all accounts growing significantly every year, provides an opportunity for many local artists to share their passion and vision with the community.
Other local artists at the festival will include stone carvers, crafters, oil painters, and artists whose creations are crafted from recycled materials. Festivalgoers will also be treated to amazing performance art, with buskers slated to include jugglers, hoopers, stilt walkers, unicyclists, living statues, and fire artists. The event also includes a live music lineup featuring local musicians throughout the festival.
Even if you don’t have a little chalk Rembrandt on your hands, the festival has plenty to offer the younger set. The Kids’ Zone will include face painters, snow cones, balloon artists, art activities geared to kids, and an opportunity to play around with chalk art just like the competitors.
The festival takes place in the heart of Main Street from 7-11 pm on Friday and continues from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Saturday. The event is free to the public. Rose District shops will also offer specials and prizes available for festival goers, so join us in Downtown Broken Arrow for a fun-filled weekend.

Competing Team Chalk Talkers hard at work at the 2016 Chalk It Up! Art Festival.

Stilt Walker Corn Cobb towers over the crowd.