Chalkfest returns to downtown Wausau this week

Wausau Pilot & Review

Chalkfest will once again decorate The 400 Block in Wausau Saturday and Sunday with artists of all ages transforming the sidewalks in the city’s downtown area.

See dazzling works of art and a kaleidoscope of color and design in this celebration of community, creativity and boundless energy. This year, 400 artists age 12 and older are pre-registered, with limited space still remaining. Each artist receives a box of 48 pastels along with their sidewalk space, with two days to complete their work.

The idea for a chalk art festival came from former Mayor Linda Lawrence who wanted to create an event for the new 400 Block Park in downtown Wausau. In the first year, 2004, the event drew 82 artists, and it has steadily grown to over 400 artists creating 370 drawings and over 200 young artists in our Children’s Chalkfest area.

On Sunday afternoon, participants are encouraged to vote on their peers’ artwork. The 2024 Award Winners and Honorable Mentions will be announced Sunday at 4 p.m. from the stage at The 400 Block. Local musicians will perform throughout the weekend.

Children’s Chalkfest is for budding artists under 12 years of age to join in the fun with their own artwork. The children’s area is open Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. No advance registration is required for this area. Cost: $3 and $10 options.

Featured Artists

The 2023 winners Kate Saari will be drawing on the large center medallion space of the 400 Block and Samantha Wanner, Justin Schwarting, Nikki Kucharski and Faith Fermann will be taking the stage to showcase their incredible talents.

Come hungry and support non-profit food vendors serving up sizzling brats, juicy hamburgers, gooey cheese curd, refreshing lemonade and more!

Celebrating Chalkfest 20 Years Exhibit

The Chalkfest 20th Anniversary Exhibit has returned to the Center for Visual Arts (CVA). Poster boards with artists’ drawings from the past 20 years will be displayed until August 15 in the Loft Gallery. Hours are Wednesday through Friday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Exhibits are free and open to the public.

Volunteer for Chalkfest

Sign up to volunteer on Saturday or Sunday to help at the event. Anyone interested in volunteering can go to the Signup Genius to sign up for a time slot.