The Berkley Area of Chamber Commerce will bring the 2nd Annual Berkley Street Art Fest to downtown Berkley on Saturday, July 14, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. in downtown Berkley. The festival will include a chalk art contest, live music, murals, artisan and food vendors and places for children and adults to create art. The activities primarily take place on Coolidge Hwy., which will be closed to traffic between Catalpa and Wiltshire.

Children, adults, families and businesses can participate in the chalk art contest for a chance to win cash prizes. All are invited to display their creativity and imagination and demonstrate the many varieties of chalk art. The registration fee, which ranges from $15 to $30 based on category, includes a t-shirt and a 24-pastel chalk box.

There are additional free activities for festival goers to take part in on July 14th. Professional chalk artists David Zinn and Rebecca Robinson, who are not part of the contest, will create chalk art at the festival. Attendees of all ages can create a paper doll at the Detroit Institute of Arts drop-in workshop and color in a community chalk art project at the Children’s Tent. All can participate in judging the People’s Choice award for the chalk art from 3-4 p.m. In addition, stores will have sidewalk sales throughout the city.

This year’s signature mural will be at Doggie in the Window at 2656 W. 11 Mile Road. This mural will be painted by Berkley artist Paolo Pedini. In addition, the Berkley Downtown Development Authority will sponsor local artists Jon Murrell and Troy Dirkse, who will paint street murals in the two pedestrian safety zones at the crosswalk on Coolidge at Dorothea.

Earlier in the week, two additional events will celebrate art in Berkley. On Thursday, July 12, teen artist, Jordan Harte, will create 3-D chalk art on the sidewalks in front of various businesses throughout downtown Berkley to raise awareness for the Friendship Circle’s Walk 4 Friendship in September.  On Friday, July 13, the Berkley DDA’s 2nd Friday Art & About event will offer art, craft, music, food, and shopping at some of the best specialty retail shops in Metro-Detroit.

For additional information about the Berkley Street Art Fest, visit berkleystreetartfest.com or call 248-414-9157.