Sidewalks and art make for a fun day in downtown Oberlin

OBERLIN — To most, the sidewalks throughout downtown Oberlin are just that, sidewalks. But to an artist's soul, they are blank canvases waiting to be filled. On Saturday, those square chunks of hardened concrete will come to life with the vibrant drawings of artists young and old with the return of Oberlin's annual Chalk Walk. Now in its 15th year, the Chalk Walk returns after a two-year intermission due to COVID-19. "It feels pretty great, especially after the last few years we've had," said Janet Haar, executive director of Oberlin Business Partnership. "We had 1,100 people registered in 2019 and we expect more this year as people start to get back out again." The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday throughout downtown. Five registration tables will be set up throughout the square for participants to pick up their supplies, including free chalk. Barry Richard, committee chairperson for the Oberlin Chalk Walk and the man who started it all, brought the outdoor art experience to Oberlin after a friend sent him a photo of some 3D chalk art in Italy. "It was intriguing," he said. "I thought, Oberlin is an art town. This is cool. We could do something like that here." He contacted Main Street Oberlin and the Allen Memorial Art Museum and the labor of love took off from there. "Of course, the idea is to drive business to downtown," he said. "To bring people into Oberlin who perhaps haven't been there before and have them return. And it brings a lot of vibrant colors to downtown, really good artwork from a variety of people." Oberlin Chalk Walk is a collaborative event organized by Richard and Allen Memorial Art Museum, Firelands Association for the Visual Arts, Oberlin Business Partnership, Oberlin Heritage Center and the Oberlin Public Library. "The collaborative part means a lot," Haar said. "Oberlin, in Lorain County, is known as the cultural center of the county with the college, the art, the music and the dance opportunities available. We want people to come to Oberlin and say, 'This is a pretty cool town. I'm going to come back when I have more time and go to lunch or go shopping.'" There are plenty of locations to do both and many of them are donating their services for the event, including Ginko Gallery & Studios, Oberlin Cable Co-op, Oberlin Subway and Oberlin College. Kendal at Oberlin and Kohl's Associates in Action are providing volunteers. As one of the organizers of the event, Richard rarely gets time to enjoy the art that day, but that doesn't mean he won't enjoy it. "On Sunday morning, I like to go out on my bike and check everything out in detail," he said. "Sunday mornings in Oberlin are really quiet and peaceful. I don't get to really see it Saturday, but I enjoy it afterward." Artists of all ages lend their talents to the event, whether they are 5 or 85, but there are several professionals who create their masterpieces on the square slabs. Master artists for this year's event are Wendy Mahon, Hector Castellanos, Robin VanLear and Dan Cherney. Local artists include David Baker, Una Laubscher Baumann, Julian Cross, Dana Juliano, Joseph Toothman and Beth Wolosz. On Saturday, it doesn't matter if you're a master artist, a local artist or just an artist at heart. Pick up some chalk and make some art. Contact Christina Jolliffe at ctnews@chroniclet.com. WHAT: Oberlin Chalk Walk WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday (rain date, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday)WHERE: Downtown OberlinCOST: FreeFOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit www.facebook.com/oberlinchalkwalk