16TH ANNUAL CHALK WALK RETURNS TO DOWNTOWN KNOXVILLE
April 1, 2024 [Knoxville, Tennessee] – Knoxville’s favorite live art competition is back! Dogwood Arts will host the 16th Annual Chalk Walk from 8AM-7:30PM in Downtown Knoxville on Saturday, April 6th. Over 300 artists and collaborative teams will turn downtown sidewalks into an infinite canvas — from kindergarteners to professional artists, this event allows the entire community to showcase their creative talents. Alongside what’s happening on the ground, attendees can also enjoy food trucks, a blooming beer garden, and free art activities for kids. The City of Knoxville estimates that over 30,000 people come out to enjoy Chalk Walk each year. Organizers expanded the event footprint in 2022 to ease congested areas in Market Square, add additional space for artists, and create an overall better experience for attendees.
“Chalk Walk is one of our most popular events — and not just for attendees, but in terms of artist participation as well” said Dogwood Arts Visual Arts Project Manager, Emily Curran. “We’re always blown away by how quickly the spots fill up — there is room for right around 150 squares on the footprint and they were almost all filled within just a day or two of putting the application online. This year, we have over 150 artists on the waitlist!”
- Event Date: Saturday, April 6th in Market Square, Downtown Knoxville [Rain date: April 13, 2024]
- Artists Working: 8AM-5PM
- Award Ceremony: 7PM (Market Square Stage)
- Participating Food Vendors: Alebrijes Mexican Cuisine, Clean Smoke BBQ, Daddy D’s, AppeThai, Mama Bear’s Sweet Treats, King of Pops, Sleepy Dog Coffee, and there will be free filtered water provided by the AB Project (attendees are encouraged to bring their own refillable water bottles).
There are 12 competition categories including: Elementary (Single & Collaborative), Middle School (Single & Collaborative), High School (Single & Collaborative), College (Single & Collaborative), Adult (Single & Collaborative), Family, and SideWalk of Fame. Artists will work from 8AM-5PM on their squares, at which point a team of jurors will review each piece and award cash prizes and ribbons to select artists who have created imaginative and inspiring artworks in their age division.
Kids Chalk Free! Kids of all ages can also create their own chalk masterpieces with free chalk provided by First Horizon Bank in the First Horizon Fun Zone—located on Market Street directly behind the East Tenneessee Historical Society. The People’s Choice Award, presented by WIVK FM-107.7, will allow guests to text-to-vote for their favorite square.
Chalk Walk is sponsored by ORNL Federal Credit Union, Knoxville Utilities Board, First Horizon, Cherokee Distributing, Downtown Knoxville Alliance, City of Knoxville, Tennessee Arts Commission, Graphic Creations, Jerry’s Artarama, Renewal by Andersen, the AB Project, and US Cellular. Dogwood Arts, presented by ORNL Federal Credit Union, is a 501(c)3 organization with a mission to promote and celebrate our region’s art, culture, and natural beauty.
