SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - More than 200 sidewalk squares were sponsored in the 34th annual Chalk It Up! Festival this past Labor Day weekend at Fremont Park on the border of downtown and midtown between 15th and 16th, and P and Q streets.

A square costs $250 to sponsor. The money goes to schools and organizations that provide field trips, easels and paintbrushes, after-school mentorship programs and more.

According to the Chalk It Up website at chalkitup.org, “Chalk It Up’s mission is to empower and support the next generation of Sacramento artists through targeted art grants for young artists and the programs that inspire them.” 

Established in 1991, the nonprofit organization promotes and supports youth arts by offering small grants to kindergarten through 12th-grade classrooms, and youth arts projects throughout the Sacramento region.

This year, Christy Jourdan ran the Chalk It Up! Festival; it is her fifth year as executive director and 11th as a volunteer. She said that 150 volunteers at the park “make it happen.”

When asked what is new for this year, Jourdan answered, “We’re super-stoked about our sponsor Taco Bell Cantina.” The restaurant is at 900 K St. and owned by Dave Smith, dubbed “Taco Dave.” 

“This event has a $90,000 price tag on it,” Jourdan said. “Somebody like Taco Dave comes in, wants to know how he can help.”

Jourdan said Smith’s contribution went toward a big tent for the beer garden and a picnic area.

The Chalk It Up! Festival included live music, food trucks and vendors all three days.

All ages came out to illustrate with chalk on the sidewalk squares.

Mason, 12, was in his second year drawing at the event. With his family urging him on, Mason drew a character named Satoru Gojo from the anime (Japanese animation) called “Jujutsu Kaizen.”

Yixin Huang from Singapore, a 17-year-old St. Francis High School student, had an art square sponsored by Girls Rock Sacramento, and she was encouraged by the presence of her parents from China. 

Sisters Alani, 8, and Alaysiya, 11, worked on adjacent squares. Alani said of her art, which included a rendition of the character Strawberry Shortcake, “I love strawberries. It’s a sweet treat theme.” Her sidewalk square had multiple squares drawn within it with sweet edible treats represented.

Alaysiya worked on “virtual singers,” including Hatsune Miku. 

An adult artist from the Cordova High School Class of 2018 was at Chalk It Up for his third time and said about his art, “I just use my imagination. It’s a concept based around nature and nurture. It’s introspective.”