Clearwater visitors of all ages can check out the eclectic and intricate artwork of talented chalk artists across Clearwater as part of this year’s AMPLIFY Clearwater Chalktober Art Festival presented by Morton Plant Hospital/BayCare Health System. The festival runs across two four-day weekends, October 14-17, and October 21-24. Festivities launch with a special kickoff event Experience Chalktober on Thursday, October 14 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. along downtown Clearwater’s Cleveland Street.
This year’s festival marks the return of talented artists to the area leaving their mark on some of Clearwater’s top visitor hot spots with three-dimensional chalk artistry. For October 14-17, artists will showcase their talents across Downtown Clearwater sidewalks; and for October 21-24, visitors can check out that weekend’s chalk art draped along pathways by Beachwalk Clearwater Beach.
As with past Chalktober events, participating artists will begin working on Thursdays with the intended completion target on the following Sunday. The festival brings together both local businesses and artists by pairing up each participating business with a local or visiting artist who will dream up and produce the chalk masterpiece outside near the business. At the end of the festival, the public gets an opportunity to vote on their favorite chalk artwork to be followed by an announcement of “People’s Choice Winner” for that year.
Chalktober Art Festival organizer AMPLIFY Clearwater is the Clearwater area’s chamber of commerce focused on supporting and promoting local business, industry, and tourism in North Pinellas. As with other events organized by AMPLIFY Clearwater, the organizers want to ensure the safety of both participants and visitors and will be following AMPLIFY Clearwater’s COVID-19 safety protocols based on updated CDC guidelines. Visitors are encouraged to wear a mask and to engage in 6’ social distancing whenever possible. According to AMPLIFY Clearwater’s established protocols, anyone who has been exposed to or exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 are asked to stay home, regardless of whether they have been able to get tested or received a negative test result.
For the latest information about this year’s festival and its participating businesses, artists, and sponsors, visit their website here. To learn more about Amplify Clearwater, click here to stop by their Facebook page.
Content written by Chris Kuhn for Destination Tampa Bay™. Photos are from the last years’ Clearwater Chalktober Art Festival.