By admin 
Chalk murals took shape around the perimeter of Fremont Park as the “Chalk It Up!” chalk art and music festival returned for another colorful Labor Day weekend.
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The free event runs through Monday’s holiday, this year hosting around 200 artists. Money raised is used to fund grants for local arts education programs, said John Nelson, media director of the Chalk It Up nonprofit that runs the event.
“For a lot of artists, their art is a very solitary thing. It’s something they do by themselves,” Nelson said. “When they participate in Chalk It Up and they volunteer their time, they’re on stage. They have people walking by them all day long.”
Common themes among this year’s murals are cartoon characters (from Calvin and Hobbes to Bluey), tributes to the recently deceased Dolly Parton and Tim Curry (two and one for each, respectively) and food items (especially pizza).
“(The festival goers) have all been super nice, super supportive, and there’s been a lot of positive feedback,” said chalk artist Jennifer Bailey, whose mural depicts a blue and orange octopus. Bailey has been making art at the festival for four years, and her 2025 mural of a goldfish is part of the festival’s marketing for 2026.
“Being a teacher myself, I was really proud to be a part of this festival,” Bailey said.
Other pieces, like those by Sally Castleberry and Karen Baumann, had more direct messages. Their mural bore messages including “Pro-DEI” (diversity, equity and inclusion) and “Pro-Education,” and featured imagery of national parks and a dove with an olive branch.
“The motivation was to not be political, but stand up for what is right,” said Castleberry. “It’s trying to make a political statement without being under fire, without being argumentative.”
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Inside the park’s perimeter, smaller art pieces made by festival attendees (mostly young kids) line the cement pathways. Local art vendors, craftspeople and food trucks fill much of the remaining grassy areas.
Live music has become almost as synonymous with the festival as smudges of chalk on fingers and faces, and attendees were dancing and enjoying the performances in the light heat of the early afternoon. Several artists and festival organizers noted that this weekend’s temperatures, hovering around the mid-80s, are much more hospitable than the near-triple digits that have been observed some years.
Though most of the actual artwork is completed by the end of the festival’s first day, Nelson says the rest of the festival still has lots to offer.
“Saturday’s an interesting day, because there’s more artist interaction. Sunday is a great day because more of the art is on the cement. Monday is awesome because everything’s done, and you can just see everything,” Nelson said.
What to know before you go to Chalk It Up
For those who plan on going to the festival and don’t want to drive or deal with parking, Sacramento Regional Transit is offering special fare-free bus or light rail service to those attending the festival. Travelers will need to have a screenshot or printed copy of a special festival flyer available on SacRT’s website. Only one flyer is required per group, and the offer is valid from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day of the event. The 16th Street station is the closest light rail stop to the festival.
A free bike valet, open from 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., is also available throughout the festival. The R Street Parking Plaza, located at 15th and R streets a block away from Fremont Park, will be offering special event pricing of $15.99 for all-day parking.
More information on the festival and the musical performance lineup can be found on Chalk It Up’s website, chalkitup.org/festival.
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