Contest is added to activities

Using concrete as a canvas and chalk as the medium, artists will transform the walkways surrounding the Columbia County Amphitheater and Memorial Gardens on Saturday during the inaugural Art in the Park Sidewalk Chalk Contest.

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Columbia County Arts Inc. will hold its annual Art in the Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the amphitheater and gardens behind the Columbia County Library in Evans.

A $10 registration fee is required to participate in the chalk drawing contest, and participants receive one box of chalk. Judging will take place at 5 p.m., and prizes will be awarded.

Robert Thurman, the organization's president-elect, said the contest is patterned after the annual Savannah College of Art and Design sidewalk art contest.

"It's really going to be a lot of fun this year, and next year it'll be a lot bigger," Thurman said.

In addition to the individual sidewalk art contest, students are challenged to participate for their school. Schools can send a team to work on their sidewalk square. Kohl's department store will provide $100 prizes for the winning elementary, middle and high school art departments.

A free kid's chalk zone will be open for those not wanting to participate in the contest.

Other events at the arts festival include storytelling, vendors, dance groups, children's activities and dramatic presentations. Admission is free.

Thurman said the Art in the Park event had been sponsored by the county. Columbia County Arts took over last year.

"Since they didn't do it last year, Columbia County Arts decided to take over," Thurman said. "We wanted to have a spring art event just for kids."