As the Oberlin summer fades into fall, it is important to remember to get out of town before the pressure of classes and the gray blanket of autumn descend upon us. At just about this time in September every year, the Cleveland Museum of Art hosts its annual Chalk Festival, inviting us to savor some of the last remaining lazy days of summer.
Whether you rent a small space for yourself or a large one to enjoy with friends, for less than the cost of a movie, the museum bestows upon you a small piece of pavement canvas and a brand new box of professional pastel chalk with which to create your masterpiece. A small square and box of 12 colors costs a mere five dollars, while a large square and 24 colors costs only 10.
After a great lunch at Soul Vegetarian, only a few minutes away at 2240 Lee Rd in Cleveland Heights, we arrived at the museum and got to work. For our creation, Lee Dolan and I composed a violent nighttime seascape: a deep and highly introspective lone lighthouse on a rocky shore.
As we drew, we were entertained by a Latin band and the smiling faces of children chased by giant alien puppets, which were in turn chased by the parents of the children. After a couple hours of sketching, blending and fading, we were finished with what we thought would surely beat anything the competition had to offer. Although beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, I definitely had to concede defeat to the a Japanese koi garden, complete with perfect swimming fish and bricks real enough to pick up. We had to give it up to a surrealist sunscape complete with flying orange and pink salmon.
The chalk drawing, though, is only a part of the fun. After you have completed your work of artistic genius you don’t have to go home. Whether you enjoy dancing with the old men in front of the band, smearing your dirty fingers on the face of your partner or just checking out the artistry of others, simply soaking up the atmosphere is well worth the time.
One of the many great things about the museum is its location: 11150 East Blvd. After meeting up with friends at the festival, we were only a few minutes drive away from milkshakes at Tommy’s, and browsing through all the junk and toys at Big Fun (both on Coventry), providing a perfect end to a warm, sunny day outside the confines of Oberlin.
Although the Chalk festival is over, you never need an excuse to enjoy the expansive collection of the Cleveland Museum, or one of its special exhibitions. Right now you can go check out Starlight: David Stephenson Photographs, 18th and 19th Century French Prints, or French Drawings From the Collection of Muriel Butkin. Ask a friend out for a classy afternoon at the museum or an inventive piece of cinema at the Cinematheque across the street. End the day with a not-quite-Stevie dinner of gnocchi and pizza in little Italy, only a few blocks away on Mayfield Road.
When the confines of Oberlin make you bored or angsty, just remember that an inspiring, artsy world awaits you, only 50 minutes away.

Photos by Lee Dolan