BOUNTIFUL—Next week the sidewalks along Main Street will turn into works of art as the annual Bountiful Chalk Art Festival welcomes advanced and amateur artists to fill a sidewalk square with their creations. “Magic on the Sidewalk” runs from June 26-29.

“I’d seen a chalk art festival at the Gateway Mall downtown,” said Jane Joy, of the Joy Foundation, who started the Bountiful festival. Her son David, has now taken it over. “I was teaching troubled youth at Farmington Bay and there is sidewalk all around it. I thought it would be good if they could go out there and draw. I was also an art teacher with the Davis School District.”

Joy said she talked an artist with the Lamplight Gallery on Main Street into working in front of the gallery. “I said, ‘there are squares here’ and the idea grew. It’s been going for more than 20 years.”

It’s steadily grown, she said. “For many years it was earlier but it rained. The artists would build tents and even though it rained people would still come out. The thing I liked about it being earlier was the school kids. They’d have stars in their eyes.”

It’s an extremely healthy thing for Bountiful because it’s so family oriented, said Joy. “We don’t hire professionals. You just have to have a dream.”

This is E.J. Keyes’ third year as an artist at the festival. “I’ve just become more and more involved,” he said. “Every year they’ve roped me in. It’s been fun.”

Keyes is an art teacher at Viewmont High School. “I have an art club that takes a square so they can work on stuff over there. Every year I see students participating, some I didn’t even know they did art. It gives me a chance to share, compare and interact with them.”

Several times Keyes said his wife would bring the kids over. “They got squares of their own. With the younger ones I would collaborate. We all got involved in it. It became a family affair. Neighbors and friends would come by. It’s a great environment.”

Each square of art has a number on it so that people can vote for their favorite, he said. “There are first, second and third place awards for advanced and amateur in different categories.”

The festival is mostly on Main, said Keyes. “They’re adding some more squares for free art by the splash pad. Registered squares will be in front of the Tabernacle.”

Although registration for a square is full, Keyes said artists can still show up and see if there are any open squares from someone who couldn’t come. “Sadly some squares go untouched. Come on the opening day or two days. Volunteers can let you know where the open squares are.”

It’s “Magic on the Sidewalk,” he said. “It truly is magical. People are so kind they help each other tape up art in the rain. They share their talents and do what they do best. It’s fun for everybody. We want to have people come and just enjoy that.”