The Arbor Lakes Business Association is proud to announce the second annual Chalkfest at Arbor Lakes, a free, 2-day street art festival with entertainment, food, and family fun! Chalkfest at Arbor Lakes will feature sidewalk chalk art by professionals, amateurs and art enthusiasts from across the world. Thirty four professional street artists will be travelling to Main Street Arbor Lakes in Maple Grove from around the country and as far away as Bahrain, Mexico and Milan, Italy to showcase their amazing talents! Chalkfest is also a people’s choice competition, in which artists will chalk Main Street Arbor Lakes competing with some of the best artists from around the world. Minneapolis Northwest Tourism is proudly supporting Chalkfest again in its second year.
“Chalkfest is a unique event that allows visitors to watch artists involved in the creative process,” said Dave Looby, Executive Director for Minneapolis Northwest Tourism. “As Presenting Sponsor, we recognize Chalkfest as an opportunity for community members, artists and visitors from around the world to become acquainted with and enjoy Maple Grove and our surrounding area.”Artists Tonya Youngberg, CassWomak, and Shawn McCann will work on murals that will preview the quality of art to be showcased during Chalkfest. The murals will be done at the Fountains at Arbor Lakes and then moved to Main Street Arbor Lakes for June 10 and 11. After that, the murals will remain on display at the Fountains through the end of June. Chalkfest at Arbor Lakes features local artist-in-residence Shawn McCann who is a co-founder of the festival. Shawn graduated from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design with a BFA and has grown into a multi-media, multi-disciplinary artist whose work explores color, texture, form, and content. Shawn’s work has encompassed: street painting, murals, fine art, children’s books, installation art, temporary and permanent art, and commercial illustration. He has been featured at numerous street painting festivals and worked on projects such as exhibition sized pieces and corporate clients. His work has won numerous awards. He is a NEA grant recipient and has been showcased in private and public collections, as well as featured twice at the LA Times Festival of Books as a featured illustrator.
Chalkfest at Arbor Lakes is presented in partnership with the Maple Grove Arts Center, a non-profit community arts initiative serving the northwest suburbs of the Minneapolis metropolitan area. The nonprofit’s mission is to, “...create relationships among artists and share in a fun and unique experience within the community in which they live and work. Providing the artists with useful tools to grow their name, bring awareness of the visual arts, and promoting the Community’s unique art culture.” They also seek to educate the public and provide them with the quality art programming for their entertainment and enjoyment. The Maple Grove Arts Center is offering classes to the public during Chalkfest and amateurs are welcome to sign up for the Chalk Fest. For more information visit the Maple Grove Arts Center website. In addition, McCann is working with Osseo Public School District 279 to teach the community how to chalk in their Chalk-It-Up course. For more information visit the website here.
WHEN: Saturday, June 10 and Sunday, June 11, 2017 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WHERE: Main Street, Arbor Lakes Elm Creek Boulevard and Main Street in Maple Grove
MORE INFO: Winners will be announced 5 p.m. Sunday, June 11. The public is encouraged to stay on Main Street, visit their favorite restaurant and browse the art until sundown when the street will be pressure-washed and reopened to traffic on June 11.
