Chalk Howard Street Turns Concrete into Canvas

Street fairs and farmers markets are common summer sights in Chicago, but the city only has one chalk art festival — Chalk Howard Street. The annual event, held two miles from Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus on Howard Street, gathered professional artists, families and neighbors Aug. 24 for a day full of crafts, diverse cuisine and creativity.

Chalk Howard Street was established in 2019 by Howard Street, according to Cindy Plante, economic development manager of the Rogers Park Business Alliance (RPBA). As part of the RPBA, Howard Street works as a nonprofit supporting community development and small businesses on the eponymous street.

“So many neighborhoods have a street fair that brings people together and gets people excited about their street or their neighborhood — Howard Street, at the time, didn’t have something like that,” Plante said. “The idea is to bring people out, get to know your neighbors and see some great art.”

Attendees could purchase 16-square-foot chalk squares for $25 to show off their chalking chops. Some professional artists invited to the event got their start in those very amateur squares, according to Plante.

Randy Segura, a Denver-based professional chalk artist, said he comes to Chalk Howard Street every year. His piece this year was called “Love is Happiness” and featured a vibrant hummingbird with a saddle. Like other works at the festival, “Love is Happiness” was drawn to appear 3D, using optical illusions so viewers could sit on the saddle and appear to ride the bird.

Segura said he apprenticed as a muralist and sign maker in 2003 but pivoted to chalk after participating in Denver Chalk Art Festival in 2004. His studio, Arthotspot Studios, focuses on chalk art as well as other forms of 3D street art and murals.

“I love watching people interact with the work,” Segura said. “That sense of community — you feel it for sure. Other places, it’s not as obvious.”

Empty yogurt containers and water bottles filled with art supplies surrounded Segura’s spot on the street. He said artists often start working the day before festivals because their pieces can take at least 12 hours to complete.

Art wasn’t the only thing on display at Chalk Howard Street — local artisans sold jewelry, incense and face painting sessions while vendors served soul food, tacos and macarons.

“That’s part of it, too — not only giving folks a fun space to gather and celebrate community but also supporting our local businesses,” Plante said.

Taye Bonitto, a first-year student at Loyola, volunteered at the event as part of the university’s Saturday of Service program.

“It was pretty interesting to see a community come together to celebrate art and diversity,” Bonitto said.

Missy Perkins, co-founder and CEO of Chicago-based nonprofit Paint the City, managed a booth near the edge of the festival. Perkins said Paint the City was created in 2020 to repaint boarded-up businesses after the year’s protests against racial injustice.

“Our mission is to heal the city through art but also to help financially support artists of color,” Perkins said.

Alongside Paint the City-branded t-shirts and tote bags, the booth had a station for children to paint their own canvases and a wall for attendees to practice spray painting.

Perkins said Chalk Howard Street being on the far North Side helped Paint the City reach more of Chicago since many art festivals are closer to the center of the city.

“It blew my mind — the 3D ones, unreal,” attendee Eric Krause said. “The one down there, that looks like a gaping hole in the ground. It’s really impressive.”