Walk of Arts is an all-inclusive Art and Music Festival that began in 2022 as a response to the need for local children to be able to participate in activities that are not sports-related. This event includes a sidewalk chalk competition for children aged 5-18 with celebrity & local artist judges, a selection of food trucks and art-based vendors, a full day of entertainment including both local, regional, and national acts, and over $4,200 in total prizes awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places in each age sidewalk chalk art category.

Best of all, the Walk of Arts raises funds to grow arts activities in Citrus County, and it’s free to attend!

Join the Walk of Arts 2023 on November 4 in Floral Park, Floral City, Florida. This year’s lineup promises to be one of the best yet, featuring an incredible mix of talented regional and national bands, along with exciting art competitions for youths and adults.

Bands scheduled to perform at the Walk of Arts 2023 include youth musicians CHS Breez and Landon Devon and regional bands Actual Bank Robbers, Kyle Ingram Trio, and the POP2000 Tour. The bands will be playing a mix of late 90s – early 2000s covers, setting the stage for the evening’s headliners – The Pop2000 Tour featuring O-Town, LFO, and Ryan Cabrera. Attendees can expect an event filled with art throughout the day and unforgettable music that will have them dancing and singing along.
200 Young Artists to Compete in Mythological Creatures Sidewalk Chalk Art Contest

“Twistid Ink works with many local school programs and has the trust of the local youth. In our work with high school and elementary school arts programs, we have a lot of open, direct communication with students and parents. We have frequently heard that the community is looking for more things for children to do that are not sports-related. These conversations are what prompted the creation of the Walk of Arts Festival.”

– Elisha Belden

In addition to the amazing music, the Walk of Arts 2023 will also feature a sidewalk chalk competition for 200 youthful artists from 5-18 years of age, with over $4200 in prizes! The sidewalk chalk art contest will be judged by local award-winning artist Danny Belden and celebrity artists Aaron Is and Ryan Eternal from Paramount Network’s Ink Master.

Each age range will hold approximately 50 spots. Registration will be on a first-come, first-serve basis. There are a few spots left, and artists can be from anywhere, so click here to register.

The competition utilizes special chalk, issued to each participant, will allow custom drawings from each participating artist – but will require the custom drawings to follow a theme. This year’s theme is MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURES.

Sidewalk Chalk Art Competition is Open to Ages 5-18 from Anywhere

“Children from all areas are welcome to participate in the sidewalk chalk art competition,” Elisha Beldens shared with NatureCoaster, “They just need to register online and come to the event ready to draw. We provide each child with a set of sidewalk chalk to work with so they are all competing on equal ground.”

Each age group will have a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner. Prize packs featuring age-appropriate high-end art supplies and gifts will be awarded to each place from the stage. Ribbons will be awarded to all participants in recognition of their engagement.

The event check-in for pre-registered junior artists will begin at 10 am. Drawing time begins at 11 a.m. and runs until 2 p.m. The event will run from 11 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Awards announcements will be made before the headliners take the stage, between 3 pm and 4:30 pm. A full timeline will be emailed to every registered participant.

In 2022, the sidewalk chalk competition was slated for 150 competitors of various age ranges. The event was so popular that we increased to 169 spaces on the day of.  Each age group had a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner. The contests were judged by a combination of Celebrity TV artists (from Paramount’s Ink Master) and local award-winning artists.

Bookbags packed with high-end, age-appropriate art supplies were awarded to each place. Ribbons were awarded to all participants in recognition of their engagement. The competition allowed for custom drawings from each participating artist – but required the custom drawings to follow a theme: Citrus County Wildlife. All supplies were provided. Kids of all ages can unleash their creativity and compete for a chance to win some fantastic prizes.

Art & Photography Contest for Adults

This year, there is an added option for adults to compete in unique ways! Introducing the 18+ Art and Photography competition where adult artists and photographers can enter a piece of their art and it will be on display at the Walk of Arts throughout the day. Winners will be announced during the awards segment of the event, from 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Adult artists and photographers will be responsible for checking in their artwork on the day of the event but need to preregister and pay the $20 entry fee via email with their registration. Check-in time for each artist will be released via email updates closer to the event time.

Art and Photos will be displayed in the racquetball court and will be available for the public to view. We will have a volunteer posted to ensure the artwork remains safe and untouched throughout the day.

Winning artists and photographers will receive an award, a formal certificate, and a digital award to display on their website, social media, etc. Digital awards will be emailed the week after the event.

Join in the Cosplay Costume Contest

Electric Llama costume shop will be hosting a cosplay costume contest at the Walk of Arts. Bring your best costumes and show off! Cosplay competition will be open to all ages.

Registration must be completed in advance and adult entry fees of $5 are nonrefundable. There is no charge for ages 18 and under to enter. Register here (at the bottom of the page) and payment links will be sent in the email confirmation after the form has been submitted. These fees must be paid upon registration to qualify for the competition.

The rules include no weapons, explicit or inappropriate costumes (as judged by the contest hosts), and all costumes entered must be custom made – no mass-produced, store-bought costumes qualify for entry. Be sure to read all the rules when you register.

Walk of Arts 2023 Promises to be Better than Ever

“We’re thrilled to bring the Walk of Arts back for another year,” said event organizer Elisha Belden. “This event is a celebration of art, music, and community, and we can’t wait to share it with everyone. We have an amazing lineup of bands and competitions that will make for an unforgettable event.”

The event is being hosted by the Twistid Arts Initiative, a new non-profit in Central Florida, and Twistid Ink, in partnership with Citrus County Parks & Recreation.

VIP tickets will be available for the headliners closer to the event date and are $100 each; however, general admission to the event is free. To avoid missing out on what promises to be a fantastic event, be sure to visit our website and sign up for the email list.

For more information, please visit the Twistid Art Initiative‘s website: www.twistidartsinitiative.org. Vendor applications are open, and sponsorship opportunities are still available. Informationis available on the website.