PITTSBORO — Chatham County community members of all ages are invited to express their creativity and create a masterpiece at Chatham 250’s Sidewalk Chalk Festival on Saturday, Sept. 11, at The Park at Briar Chapel.
The park is located at 1015 Andrews Store Rd., Pittsboro. In the event of inclement weather, the festival will be held Sept. 12.
All Chatham County artists — amateur and professional alike — are invited to draw their chalk creations inspired by Chatham County. Residents also are invited to spend the morning in the park enjoying the artwork.
Check in for sidewalk chalk artists begins at 8:30 a.m.; artists will draw from 9 to 11 a.m. Artists can register online at https://www.chatham250.com/event-details/sidewalk-chalk-festival. A tabletop drawing option is available upon request for those who are not able to draw on the ground.
“As we continue to celebrate Chatham County’s 250th anniversary, we are excited to offer this unique opportunity to celebrate art and creativity in our community while also being conscientious about COVID-19,” said Mallory Peterson, Program Supervisor with Chatham County Parks and Recreation and Chatham 250 events coordinator. “The event will take place outdoors and will allow for ample social distancing. Our priority is to celebrate Chatham County while making the participants and observing residents feel safe.”
Participants will be split into competition divisions (family, teens, adults, and seniors), and the winners will be selected by a panel of judges. The judges will be represented by the event sponsor, Chatham 250 planning committee, and Chatham County’s artist community. There will be a “Crowd Pleaser Award” selected by the community. All winners will be announced at noon and will receive creative arts-themed prizes.
The Sidewalk Chalk Festival also will provide an opportunity to celebrate the Creative Arts in Chatham County. The Chatham Artist Guild will host a few booths with art for sale, art-based outreach activities, and an art supplies drive for Chatham County students. Eric Sommer will play Roots Americana music during the event.
Chatham 250 would like to thank Carolina Meadows for their sponsorship of this event, as well as the United Way of Chatham County, Chatham County Parks and Recreation and Chatham Artist Guild for their participation in planning efforts.
For more information and to register for the Sidewalk Chalk Festival, individuals may visit https://www.chatham250.com/event-details/sidewalk-chalk-festival or contact Hilary Pollan at hilary.pollan@chathamcountync.gov or 919-545-8408. Information about other events and ways to celebrate Chatham County’s 250th anniversary can be found at chatham250.com.