While it may not look like it at first glance, the main street of Mount Vernon is the perfect blank canvas.
The first weekend of May marks the beginning of a community descent into the heart of Mount Vernon for two days of creativity, color, and fellowship. The event, dubbed “Chalk the Walk,” transforms Main Street into a playground for its participants. Tandi Dausener, an architect and school designer residing in Mount Ver-
non, has been attending Chalk the Walk for over nine years.
“Once you get into the workforce, your creative outlet changes,” Dau-
sener said. “I hadn’t realized how much I missed using my hands to
create things. It’s a great creative outlet for me.”
Dausener’s children are the reason she started in the first place, and one of the main reasons she comes back every year. She’s participated for the past nine years since, mainly, she says, because of the family-friendly atmosphere of the event.
Her memory from the first time she attended Chalk the Walk is foggy, but she’s pretty sure she drew the Lorax or some Dr. Suess adjacent drawing. Since then, she’s tried to include some sort of version of the “Peanuts” character, Snoopy, in her work on Main Street. No
matter what creation the artists choose, all artistic styles are welcome for the weekend.
For the 20th consecutive time, Mount Vernon celebrated its annual “Chalk the Walk” event, where over 500 artists, amateur and professional, gathered to transform Main Street into a living canvas.
But no Monet or Van Goghs are required — only those with a desire
to express their artistic creativity. All artistic skill levels are encouraged to draw at “Chalk the Walk.”
Any participant who signs up to draw will get an 8×10 square, with a large community theme of the festival for them to garner inspiration. This year, there was a waitlist of artists after the 160 original slots were filled.
All attendees have the option of making a $10 donation to the festival
in exchange for a single 2×2 portion of an overall 40×80 creation in the middle of Main Street. This year’s 40×80 painting was Henri Matisse’s “Woman in a Purple Coat”. Just like a puzzle, once each piece is completed, the final image will reveal a recreation of Matisse’s painting.
However, artists like Dausener can choose an alternative route, drawing their creation in an 8×10 square in the blocks surrounding main street. Walking up and down those blocks, you’ll not only find dozens of colorful, imaginative creations but also the promotion
of local vendors and businesses around the Mount Vernon-Lisbon area.
Even in the wake of a global pandemic, Chalk the Walk was still able to happen. Albeit, like many events in 2020, the event happened at the artists’ own homes. Instead of Main Street being used as the canvas, artists had the option of using their driveway as their
mural and later sharing their results on social media channels.
Whether you’re participating in the large recreation of Matisse’s painting, or wanting to draw your creation, there’s something for everyone at this event.
For Lisbon resident Jan Clarke and hundreds of other artists, Chalk the Walk becomes memorable when it turns into a family affair.
“My mom is in her 80s and she will still come down and help,” Clarke said. “She counts on me to do the outline of the artwork, but she’ll still get down on her knees and color. It’s great having someone who can help me like that.”
While Clarke, a marketing specialist in Lisbon, makes this a family event, the community spirit is what keeps her coming back.
The artistic spirit for the first weekend in May makes it hard to miss.
“We all come together in the spirit of artistic creation,” Clarke said. “There’s a certain excitement to that that you have all these wonderful artistic beings in the same two blocks.”
Similarly for Marion resident and participant Mike Larson, family is at the core of Chalk the Walk. What started as the opportunity to get outside and have a creative outlet for the weekend turned into a family tradition.
Larson originally started by doing the event alone, but in his second year, his children joined him. For him, seeing his children focusing on their pieces and using their creativity within the community was when Chalk the Walk became a must-attend event.
Larson is a website and graphic designer, so the artistic capability of drawing with chalk comes naturally to him. Chalk the Walk is an opportunity for that creativity to shine.
“You know, I’m an artist,” Larson said. “At Chalk the Walk, you can set aside any other thing you need to do and focus on your piece. That’s the enjoyable part for me.”
Dausener, Clarke and Larson are just three of the hundreds of artists who come to Mount Vernon for Chalk the Walk. The small-town community feel is still prevalent even with the massive population of the event with new friendships being forged every year. The gathering of professional and amateur artists from around the world creates a sense of community for the Mount Vernon community that
Siders has seen multiple times before. The diverse range of people that come to the small town makes the first weekend of May shine a little brighter.
Matt Siders, the chairman of Chalk the Walk, gives all the credit for the inception of the event to former Mount Vernon director of parks and recreation, Craig Wilson.
“He started this as a small simple event,” Siders said. “And it’s grown into a regional destination for thousands of people.”
Siders’ fingerprints are all over the Mount Vernon destination event, overseeing the community piece selection, food vendors, artist registration, volunteer sign-ups, sponsorships, and more. You name it, Siders has contributed to it.
Planning for the event started as early as November of 2024, with Siders giving credit to the committee of Chalk the Walk for their dedication to the event.
“The committee for Chalk the Walk is one of the most dedicated committees I have been involved with.” Siders said. “Everyone’s goal is to make this event memorable.”
Siders and his committee make the event happen, and the artists are what make the event continue to go forward.
“Our Mount Vernon and Lisbon community create such a peaceful and inviting weekend for all to enjoy,” Siders said. “I’m amazed every year by the talent that participates in the event. Some artists are repeats and some are brand new. That is a really cool mix.