2025 Chalk the walk
The City of Mount Vernon, Mount Vernon Parks and Recreation and the Mount Vernon Area Arts Council (MVAAC) have announced the dates for the 20th annual Chalk the Walk, Iowa’s first and largest Madonnari Festival. The two-day festival will take place Saturday and Sunday, May 3 and 4, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day along Mount Vernon’s historic 1st Street.
The committee has chosen Henri Matisse’s “Woman in a Purple Coat” as its large community piece this year. For a $10 donation to the festival, any interested festival participant will be given a set of chalk sticks to create a single 2’ by 2’ square of a portion of this giant 40’ x 80’ Matisse image. When finished, a re-creation of the artwork will appear on Mount Vernon’s historic 1st Street created by dozens of artists of all ages and abilities.
This year’s event also will feature the work of up to 166 artists creating original art in 8’ by 10’ rectangles chalked directly onto Mount Vernon’s historic 1st Street. Last year’s 1st Place Winners, Josh Wirtz and Leah Presnall, have been invited back to the event as the 2025 featured artists. Outdoor food vendors, children’s activities and live music also will take place throughout both days of the event.
More than $1,375 in cash prizes will be awarded to chalk artists this year, with a formal check presentation ceremony to take place Sunday afternoon, May 4.
Chalk the Walk is based on an original art form that began in Italy in the 16th century. Called Madonnari, this form of public art was originally done by street artists hoping to collect coins from passersby. Images back then were based on religious themes, and as the Madonna was a popular subject, the artists became known as the “Madonnari.”
