Project Jericho, Clark State Community College’s youth outreach program, will present the third annual ChalkFest chalk-art festival and contest on Saturday, October 5.

“Boy Blue – a Dayton-based artist – will be the featured chalk artist who works with Project Jericho youth leading up to the event,” said Lo Houser, director of Project Jericho. “He will be creating a large community piece during the festival.”

The American Landscape will be performing live music and local food trucks, including Kleinfelder Hots & Brats and Christian Bros Meat Company, will be available. The Springfield Museum of Art will lead a children’s art activity under the big tent.

“In addition to Boy Blue, there will be three additional professional chalk artists who come to create displays separate from the competition,” said Houser.

ChalkFest will also include the annual Project Scare-A-Crow exhibit. This year the theme is unique superheroes. The scarecrow installation goes up October 2 and is taken down on October 29. 

“We have seven Project Jericho families working with seven artists to create seven superhero scarecrows,” said Kristi Limes, Project Jericho success coordinator. “They meet for four nights to build them at the Heritage Center. We have been doing Project Scare-A-Crow for nine years. Three years ago we began having ChalkFEST at the park where the scarecrows are exhibited; both programs build upon one another.”

ChalkFest will begin at 11:30 a.m., Saturday, October 5 at the National Road Commons Park, 21 Fisher Street (located between West Main Street and West Columbia Street, two blocks west of St. Rt. 72), near the Madonna of the Trail in downtown Springfield. Admission is free. The event is presented by Project Jericho and National Trail Parks and Recreation.

Project Jericho provides in-depth performing and visual arts camps and workshops with a goal to make art and cultural experiences available to all youth and families in the community.