This year’s Chalk It Up! event appeared to have outgrown its venue at Fremont Park. Thousands of visitors came to enjoy the three day annual event. As usual, the event was held during the Labor Day weekend. Talented and creative artists of all ages participated using just chalk and the sidewalk around Fremont Park to create some magnificent pieces of art. Music has always been a centerpiece of the event and once again Jerry Perry Presents put together a great lineup. Close to three dozen local musicians and bands participated to create another memorable Chalk It Up. Children’s activities, a beer garden, food and numerous vendors shared the grounds at Fremont Park. Chalk It Up! help

Sidewalk chalk isn’t just for kids, anymore. This Labor Day weekend, Sacramentans can get in touch with their inner child at the 20th annual “Chalk it Up! to Sacramento” chalk art festival in Fremont Park. Saturday through Monday, 200 professional artists will be on their hands and knees, creating two-by-four masterpieces on the sidewalk. Non-professionals can purchase their own squares for $10, which includes a box of chalk. A communal space with communal chalk on the interior of the park will also be available for kids and adults alike to chalk it up. Darby Flynn, president of Chalk it Up! said this type of event is special to Sacramento. “We want to make sure that our arts remain vi

Fremont Park has put on a few movie nights in the park. On Friday, the delightful 2009 animated Disney-Pixar movie Up was shown to area residents and guests. The Capitol Area Development Authority (CADA) with the help of the City of Sacramento and Friends of Fremont Park held their Movie in Fremont Park screening. The movie was free to the public and had other activities preceding the showing of Up. Lena Wrightsman, former president of Chalk-it-Up, was at work finishing up a chalk drawing of Carl who is one of the main characters of the movie. Around the Fremont Park fountain Lena had already drawn Kevin, Russell (characters in the movie) and as she finished Carl moved on to draw Dug the

Michael Lew and Steve McCarthy, (right in photo), says the game plan is to have Iceland Ice Rink up and running this November without a roof.  He says they'll have everything inside that's needed for running the ice rink. He and other workers have been cleaning the charred interior, cutting suspension rods that had kept the walls stable prior to the fire and cleaning the area under the pipes that create the ice. Behind them is the front along Del Paso Blvd.   While work is going on inside, the front exterior will have a chalk mural to adorn it, thanks to Angela Casagrande and Jen Cimaglio. It is a scene featuring the four seasons. Casa Grande works on an ice rink depicted in the winter

Here are snapshots of what I happened upon during Second Saturday in midtown: These women moved  v e r y  slowly through dances in front of the Marrs Building (above and below). They are members of Dangerous Lorraines. More information about them here: dangerouslorraines.org/ . They attracted lots of attention! Joe Velez in Headhunters kept patrons happy with their favorite libations. This artist pulled her "studio" on a wagon behind her bicycle. Youngsters checked out their "apin art". The Alkali Flats did their Lo-Fi and Honky-Tonk music in the Bike Kitchen (above and below).     Stephanie Oliveira (above) and Jen Cemaglio (below) were on J St. again creating an underwat

Second Saturday was very well attended for the July 10 Art showings. I think this was the largest crowd of the year. Jen Cimaglio and Stephanie Oliveira actually started with their art starting on Friday. They were doing a chalk mural for the forthcoming 20th Aniversary of the Chalk It Up event. You can see their work on J Street near Cesar Chavez Plaza. Other performers that I stopped to listen to were Meghan Collier who also sings with the Corner Pocket Band was on hand. Meghan has a webise at www.myspace.com/myredsky. Mae McCoy and the Neon Stars played at the Sacramento Bicycle Kitchen. The last act of the night that I had the pleasure to listen to was Lindsey Cook playing in a court

Chalk artists Stephanie Olivera and Jen Cimeglio transformed the façade of 1018 J Street by painting a temporary chalk mural as part of a live Second Saturday show. The two-panel mural features a Japanese theme and spans approximately 320 square feet. A new mural will be painted live every Second Saturday throughout the summer to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of Chalk It Up! on Labor Day weekend. Jen Cimeglio and Stephanie Olivera, the chalk artists.   The mural marks the beginning of West of 16th Street and East of the River – a series of downtown arts-related events and programs that showcase Downtown’s public art, cultural history and architecture through temporary art exhibits,

Vacant building or blank canvas? This weekend, local artists in collaboration with the Downtown Sacramento Partnership will blur the line with phantom galleries and temporary public art installations in vacant downtown buildings. Chalk artists Stephanie Olivera and Jen Cimeglio will transform the façade of 1018 J Street by painting a temporary chalk mural as part of a live Second Saturday show from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The two-panel mural will feature a Japanese theme and span approximately 320 square feet. A new mural will be painted live every Second Saturday throughout the summer to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of Chalk It Up! on Labor Day weekend. Contemporary artists Amber Dias, Sal

There is no doubt that businesses in general have suffered through our ever-changing economy. Businesses on multiple levels have had to make sacrifices; downsizing, cutting salaries, furloughing, laying off, and certainly cutting expenses.Small business, especially in Sacramento, is no exception. One expense that seems to be a commonality, is the Company Holiday Party. Historically, no matter how large or small an office or business is, company's have celebrated the holidays and their accomplishments with their partners, employees, and sometimes, vendors and customers. It is a time when people put work aside, and come together over food, drinks, entertainment and memories that often survi

Thousands gathered at Fremont Park for the 19th annual Chalk it Up! Festival. Families enjoyed face painting, live music, food and the hundreds of chalk creations that lined the sidewalk squares. Here is a glimpse of this weekend's activities.                        

Hoping to meet more people and bring them to our office as well as support social media, we at The Sacramento Press will be holding our first Tweetup this Thursday, May 28, from 6 - 8 p.m. We were very lucky to team up with Ricardo Robles, from Capsity Offices, Ronnie Ledesma, from Sacramento Social Media Club and Darby Flynn, from Chalk it Up! to connect with all sorts of artists and local businesses. Thursday evening will be filled with belly dancing from Red Tent Belly Dance, performance art from Phoenix Gallery, wine tasting from MAS Wine and James David Cellars, break dancing from Capitol Roots Dance Studio, chalk drawing from Chalk it Up! artists, a presentation from the Sacramento

Why do you live in the Downtown/Southside Park/R Street Corridor/Richmond Grove area? What are the great things about it? Is there anything that you wish were different?   One of the main reasons I love Downtown is the easy access to other interesting neighborhoods and events.  Here’s a sampling of activities and events from the past month that I could walk to or ride my bike to:   Chalk it Up Friday Night Concerts at Caesar Chavez Parkmovies at Southside Park Andy Warhol's Athlete Portraits Star at The Crocker Art Museum Several farmer’s markets (Cesar Chavez Plaza, Fremont Park, Roosevelt Park & under the freeway at X and 3rd) Gold Rush Days in Old Town San Francisco Mime Troupe