This Saturday and Sunday, August 10-11, Crystal Bridges will be hosting its very first Chalk Festival at the museum. We’ve invited professional chalk artists from all over the country–24 to be exact–to come and create beautiful chalk art for everyone to enjoy, for free.

Chalk Festival will be located in the lower level of the main parking garage. Guests are encouraged to park in the Additional Parking lot at the top of the hill (near Buckyball) and walk down the Orchard Trail or take the shuttle to the main entrance. Take the elevator down to Level 3, and you’re there!

Once you arrive, here’s what you can expect at Chalk Festival:

Saturday, August 10 – Get a close-up view of the chalk artists at work

If you come on Saturday, all of the chalk artists will be hard at work framing their pieces and beginning the drawing process. Guests will be able to get a close-up look at their process and watch as concrete pavement is turned into a work of art before their eyes. The theme for the event is “Nature,” and each chalk artist will be creating a work of art that connects to that theme in a creative way.

Chalk Festival is open during museum hours on Saturday: 10 am to 6 pm.

Sunday, August 11 – Come back to see the finished products!

All of the chalk art will be completed by Sunday afternoon for guests to view the final products and take fun pictures with them. We are so excited to see all this hard work pay off!

Chalk Festival will be happening from 12 to 5 pm on Sunday.

Taste Bike Rack beers on the Ale Trail

Don’t miss the Ale Trail! For guests ages 21 and up, Chalk Festival will also offer an Ale Trail, featuring custom brews crafted by Bike Rack Brewing Co. Three of the five brews were created specifically for this event! The Ale Trail will be located at the lower parking area and down the path leading to the Frank Lloyd Wright House. You may purchase your ticket for the Ale Trail at Chalk Festival. A $10 ticket includes 5 beers (4 oz. pours) and the first 250 ticket buyers will receive a souvenir cup. It will be open during Chalk Festival hours.

Enjoy live music with your chalk

Guests of Chalk Festival will be able to enjoy live music by some of the region’s best bands while they peruse chalk art. Here is a lineup of who will be playing on both days, located in the lower parking area:

Saturday, August 10

• 10 am to 12 pm: Trio de Janeiro
• 12 pm to 2 pm: Jamie Lou and The Hullabaloo
• 2 pm to 4 pm: Mariachi Amistad
• 4 pm to 6 pm: Melody Pond

Sunday, August 11

• 1 pm to 3 pm: Still on the Hill
• 3 pm to 5 pm: Ashtyn Barbaree Band

Try your hand at being a chalk artist!

Chalk Festival will also feature a kid’s chalking area with additional artmaking activities in the lower parking deck and on the trail that leads to the Frank Lloyd Wright House. Feel free to try your hand at your own chalk masterpiece after watching how the pros do it!

In addition to artmaking activities, food trucks will be available for a quick snack or lunch.

Where to Park

Guests can park in the upper parking lot, close to the museum, and there will be spaces identified for handicapped parking. They can also park in the Additional Parking Lot and take a shuttle to the museum. Overflow parking is available at the Helen Walton Children’s Enrichment Center on J St., and guests can walk from the Center to our Additional Parking Lot to take a shuttle (sidewalk is open). Anyone parking downtown can also enjoy the walk down the Art Trail and see art/activities along the way.

This will be the chalk of the town. Can’t wait to see you there!

Special thanks to our sponsors: Miller Zell, Visit Bentonville, and the Art For All Fund.