Students' chalk art competition at Arts and Apples Festival

(WJBK) - For decades, the Arts and Apples Festival has brought some of the nation's finest art to metro Detroit. The festival is back this year September 9-11, 2016. The festival is a program of Paint Creek Center for the Arts, a regional, nonprofit art center located in downtown Rochester.

More than 300 artists from across the nation and will showcase their art. In addition to the art, live entertainment, children’s activities, food vendors, interactive exhibits and an abundance of fresh apple treats will be there.

This year, a new sidewalk chalk art competition gives the little ones a chance to showcase their art with the professionals. Students ranging from kindergarten to high school are invited to help transform the sidewalk in the park to an open-air gallery.

The competition is open to students of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties who are in Kindergarten to 12 grade. Participants will get a designated 8’x8’ of allotted sidewalk space square with supplied chalk between 4pm - 7pm on Friday, September 9 to work their magic. Afterwards, they must attend an award ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 10. The work will be on display for the entire weekend of the festival for patrons to view.

Those who are interested must apply by Friday, September 2 to participate. You can get more information to apply here.

Sidewalk chalk art designs will be judged by age group (grades K-3; 4-5; 6-8; and 9-12) and the grand prize winners in each age category will be awarded a gift certificate (valued up to $170) towards one art class of their choosing at Paint Creek Center for the Arts.