Pinellas Diaspora Arts Project (PDAP) is hosting the 2nd Tampa Bay Chalk Festival on the Deuces on Saturday, May 4, from 9 am to 4 pm. Youth and adult artists are invited to register to take part in this free, family-friendly event.

For the second year in a row, the sidewalks of 22nd Street between 7th Avenue South and 9th Avenue South on the historic Deuces will be transformed, as 20 local artists create vibrant squares with chalk and washable mediums. This year’s theme is “PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT: Sustaining our Future.”

Award-winning visual artist, filmmaker, and educator Debbie Yati Garrett, organizer of the Tampa Bay Chalk Festival, received a Creative Pinellas BEYOND PLACEMAKING grant to support the project. The BEYOND PLACEMAKING grant was produced with the support of the National Endowment for the Arts, Creative Pinellas, the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners, and the State of Florida.

Garrett stated that the rich artistic history of the Deuces makes it the perfect location for the Chalk Art Festival. “This is an opportunity to bring together the community of artists, recreation centers, youth providers, and businesses, in addition to showcasing professional artists’ chalk work from near and far. And most importantly to give our children a day of art expression using chalk and art while having fun,” Garrett shared.

The PDAP teaching artist also said this free-to-the-public annual outdoor exhibit “aims to bring the community, tourists, businesses, and art district together to revitalize and elevate the Tampa Bay Area, Deuces Live Corridor, and local artist and vendor market through economic impact.”

Attendees are encouraged to enjoy delicious offerings available at the businesses located along Deuces corridor -- including Lorene's Fish&Crab House, Heavy’s Restaurant, Rastaman Natural Juices. and Urban Drinkery, which will be available to accommodate hungry visitors that day.
Additionally, PDAP will kick off THE BEAUTIFY PROJECT with a rock painting clinic at Urban Drinkery that day.

The 2nd Tampa Bay Chalk Festival will be held on May 4, from 9 am to 4:00 pm. Sponsors include Sierra Club, Pinellas Community Foundation, Tampa Bay Estuary Program, and The Factory St Pete.

Community partners include the Deuces Live Mainstreet, Dali Museum, Keep Pinellas Beautiful, Pace for Girls, Pinellas County Solid Waste Services, St. Petersburg Library, League of Women Voters, **DJ Queen B from 95.7 FM the Beat iHeart Radio and there will be Wellness screenings provided by Faith Community Nursing of Baycare/St. Anthony’s Hospital; Face painting will be provided by Paint ME Fancy LLC. A video team from DreamMakerz Productions will be documenting the day’s events, and events will be hosted by Charli Funk, another PDAP board member.

Vendors include Totally Green, The Peace Workout, Moonlit Creations, NAMI, Tracy Jones Artist, Costa Flora, Uniquely Original Art Studio, The Merry Meerkats Go!, It’s a Heart Thang, Elijah Lee LLC, and more.

Families should register for this FREE event here: Family Registration - https://tampabaychalkfestival.com/family-registration/
Volunteers should apply here: Volunteer Sign Up - https://tampabaychalkfestival.com/volunteer-signup/

Pinellas Diaspora Arts Project, Inc. is a registered 501c3 organization, with a mission to support, encourage, and promote BIPOC Arts and Artists in Tampa Bay while providing family engagements with a focus on health and wellness. For more information, visit https://tbchalkfest.com or https://pinellasdap.org online; follow on Instagram @pinellasdap, and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PinellasDAP.