Pastels on 5th in Loveland: Chalk It Up to Social Conscience

Richard Gonet |  North Forty News

The fourteenth happening of the Pastels on 5th art festival was held in downtown Loveland, Colorado, on Saturday, September 14, 2024.  For this annual event, 5th Street was blocked off between Cleveland and Lincoln Avenues adjacent to the Loveland Museum, and the sidewalks were given over to 170 artists to create sidewalk chalk art on 131 art squares.

The festival was inaugurated in 2011 by Marcia Moellenberg and Vicky Bryant to highlight the thriving Loveland artists’ community and as a benefit for the Alternatives to Violence (ATV) non-profit organization. 

ATV provides emergency shelter, advocacy, 24-hour crisis intervention, education, and resources for people impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking.  Local businesses and individuals sponsor artists, and this year, the festival has raised more than $50,000 and has approached $500,000 in total sponsorships since the festival was founded.

Each artist is provided a 24-color set of Koss pastels, which have been approved by the City of Loveland, and no preservatives can be applied.  The professional, amateur, and student artists then use the pastels to create wildly decorative works of art of their own design on sidewalk squares assigned to them. 

Last year, over 3,500 visitors attended the festival, and many more can view the art in the days that follow until the creations weather away.

In addition to the pastels themselves, there was live music, a Marketplace with food vendors, artisan booths, and a children’s art area where kids could create their own sidewalk masterpieces.  Judges selected their favorite works of art for juried awards that included cash prizes for the winning artists. Additionally, community members participated by voting for their favorite works of art in the People’s Choice awards.

The pastel artworks will still be available for viewing for several weeks, depending on the weather.  For more information on Alternatives to Violence or to get support, donate, or volunteer, visit the ATV website at alternativestoviolence.org.