Public Art Reston will take over Reston Town Square Park later this month with the return of its annual ChalkFest.
The centerpiece of Reston Town Center’s eARTh Day Celebration on Saturday, April 25, the event will celebrate the literary arts for the first time as well as visual arts with the addition of a public art poetry contest.
Through April 20, community members of all ages can submit poems inspired by one of the dozens of public art works installed around Reston. Participants will have a chance to read their works during ChalkFest, among other prizes, such as an overnight stay at the JW Marriott hotel in Reston Station and a gourmet dinner from its restaurant, The Simon.
“Whether it’s a sculpture, a mural, or a hidden artistic gem in the community, each artwork offers a chance to spark imagination and turn visual inspiration into beautiful words,” Public Art Reston said in a press release.
The inaugural poetry contest was conceived as a celebration of National Poetry Month, which comes every April and is being recognized in Fairfax County through a variety of events.
Professional and amateur artists alike, along with kids and families, can also still register for the main ChalkFest competition, where they can earn prizes with pavement-based artworks focused on nature and environmental themes.
While professional participants must be invited directly by Public Art Reston, the contest is open to any amateur artists for $30 and families and children for $20.
Chalking will begin at 11 a.m., with judging starting at 4 p.m. and winners announced at 5 p.m.
There will also be free face painting, live music and other family-friendly activities to keep all attendees entertained, even if they’re not reading a poem or working on chalk art of their own.
Outside of ChalkFest, Reston Town Center’s eARTh Day Celebration will feature:
- A poetry reading from current Fairfax County Poet Laureate Angelique Palmer as part of an opening ceremony at noon
- Concerts from Project Locrea at 12:30-1:45 p.m. and Juan Megna Group at 2:30-3:45 p.m.
- Drop-in art workshops along St. Francis Street from the Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art (Tephra ICA) from 1-5 p.m.
Tephra ICA’s main gallery at 12001 Market Street, Suite 103, and its second gallery in the Signature apartments (11850 Freedom Drive) will also be open from noon to 5 p.m. so visitors can take in their current exhibitions. The strings duo Marcolivia will deliver a musical performance at the main gallery around 2 p.m.
The Earth Day festivities are a collaboration between Public Art Reston, Tephra ICA and the Reston Town Center Association.
A nonprofit founded in 2007, Public Art Reston supports the creation of new public artworks and the documentation of existing ones. The organization recently launched a survey to gather input on a new Public Art Master Plan that will guide future initiatives and ensure they meet the community’s needs.
The deadline to take the survey is next Wednesday, April 15.
