Mount Vernon’s Chalk the Walk returns May 7, 8

MOUNT VERNON — The 17th annual Chalk the Walk, Iowa’s largest-ever Madonnari Festival, will take place Saturday and Sunday, May 7 and 8, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day along Mount Vernon’s historic First Street.

“Mount Vernon and the Chalk the Walk committee are beyond excited to celebrate Mount Vernon’s biggest and best warm weather festival,” said Matt Siders, Director of Parks and Rec for the city of Mount Vernon and Chair of the Chalk the Walk Committee. “The committee thought long and hard and we have decided that this year we would honor 1980s artist Keith Haring, an artist who believed in creating art for the masses through subway graffiti and community murals.”

The committee has chosen Haring’s “Retrospect” as its large community piece this year. For a $10 donation to the festival, any interested festival participant will be given a set of chalk sticks to create a single 2-foot by 2-foot square of a portion of the “Retrospect” image. When finished, a re-creation will appear on Mount Vernon’s Main Street as a giant image. This centerpiece of Chalk the Walk 2022 will be created with pastel chalk by dozens of artists of all ages and abilities.

This year’s event also will feature the work of dozens of artists creating original art in 8-foot by 10-foot rectangles directly onto Mount Vernon’s historic First Street. Last year’s first-place winner, Bryce Cox, will return to the event as the 2022 featured artist. Outdoor food vendors and musicians will be on hand throughout both days of the event.

More than $1,375 in cash prizes will be awarded to chalk artists this year, with a formal check presentation ceremony to take place May 8.

Chalk the Walk is based on an original art form that began in Italy in the 16th century. Called Madonnari, this form of public art originally was done by street artists hoping to collect coins from passersby. Images back then were based on religious themes, and as the Madonna was a popular subject, the artists became known as the “Madonnari.”

For more information or to apply as an artist, food vendor, volunteer or sponsor, go to https://www.mvaac.org/chalkthewalk. Chalk the Walk is presented by The city of Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation, the Mount Vernon Area Arts Council and the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Community Charitable Development Group (CCDG).