Sidewalk Chalk Flood in downtown Grand Rapids

With Rosa Parks Circle at the center, chalk art spread throughout downtown Grand Rapids during Sunday afternoon's Sidewalk Chalk Flood. Organizer Rob Bliss passed out thousands of pieces of chalk to an estimated 3,000 happy artists who came to lay their claim to the blank canvas of downtown's sidewalks. Cement benches, drain covers, crosswalks - by the time the second annual event came to a close, more than just the sidewalks were covered in colorful chalk drawings. Monroe Center Road was not closed to traffic posing a risk to artists looking to create their art on the street's bricks, though drivers seemed to have patience with the crowd. Said one excited artist after finishing his "Love" message across Monroe Center at Ottawa, "No one's even honked at me!"

Chalk art stretched out several blocks from Rosa Parks Circle decorating the sidewalks of Monroe Center Road, Ottawa Ave., Louis Street, Monroe Ave. and Pearl Street. T-shirts bearing the phrase "Sidewalk Chalk" were available for $10 each in support of the free event.
 

1. Image 1: Rosa Parks Circle full of artists at work.
2. Image 2: 20,000+ pieces of chalk were available for free to artists choosing to not bring their own.
3. Image 3: Artist Drew Potter creates chalk portraits in Rosa Parks Circle.
4. Image 4: Creating chalk art.
5. Image 5: Artists at work in front of the Grand Rapids Art Museum.
6. Image 6: Creating chalk art on the steps at Rosa Parks Circle.
7. Image 7: Creating chalk art.
8. Image 8: GR love in chalk.
9. Image 9: Positive messages were common in the art.
10. Image 10: Video games were also a popular theme.
11. Image 11: Chalk artists at work.
12. Image 12: Rosa Parks Circle was covered in chalk art within an hour of the event starting.
13. Image 13: Chalk iris in front of the Grand Rapids Art Museum.
14. Image 14: Several trees downtown had their covers decorated.
15. Image 15: LOVE across the intersection of Monroe Center St. and Ottawa Ave.