Guests enjoyed watching large-scale chalk masterpieces come to life before their eyes while exploring the vendor market, activity zone and taking in musical performances from The Listening Party, Alyssia Dominguez, Blind Fiction and Non-Pop!
The 2026 Art & Chalk Fest award winners were Carli Ihde for the Outstanding Chalk Award, and Peter Davidson for the 2026 People’s Choice Award.
Visitors also received free museum admission all weekend and had the opportunity to explore an exhibition featuring the work of Leslie Smith III, as well as stunning works by Georgia O’Keeffe, Frank Lloyd Wright and Tom Uttech.
“MOWA’s Art and Chalk Fest is such an important event in our calendar as long-time members are joined by first-time visitors to a great weekend of art that appeals to all tastes and interests,” said Graeme Reid, MOWA’s senior curator. “Seeing the joy and amazement of guests joining us for the first time is always a thrill. From Frank Lloyd Wright’s chairs to Wisconsin’s largest free-standing painting to kids getting their faces painted or completing an art project, it’s truly an event for everyone, and thanks to our sponsors, it’s free. Add in food and music in a location between the Eisenbahn Trail and the Milwaukee River with shady gardens and flowering hydrangeas, and there’s not a better place to spend a summer’s day with art.”
Check-out the photo gallery by Erol Reyal of (MOWA) Art & Chalk Fest 2026.
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
Graeme Reid, Senior Curator of the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA).
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
Amanda Stout, Artist from Iowa City, Iowa with her work titled “Shattered Into Flight”.
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
Kaylee Goodman, Artist from Hartford, WI.
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
(MOWA) Art & Chalk Fest’s Community Partners and Marketplace.
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
Brandon, Charlee, Jasmine and Tristan at the “West Bend Friends of Sculpture” booth.
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
Rachel Kmecheck, Modern Medieval Press. Larry Wirtz, Rachel’s father, built her a custom 22 x 30 inch printing press.
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
Megan Camin, from Habitat for Humanity of Washington and Dodge Counties, celebrating West Bend Germanfest’s 40th Anniversary at Regner Park, August 27-30th.
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
Artist’s Jen Brennan and Kevin Johnson from Home Tree Arts.
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
Flowering Hydrangeas on MOWA’s four-acre campus.
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
The Art & Chalk Fest Food Truck Alley.
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
Volunteers, Alice Iaguinta and Grace Wind.
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
Laurie Winters, Executive Director and CEO of the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA).
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
Chalk Artist, Carli Ihde from Appleton, WI. winner of the 2026 Outstanding Chalk Award.
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
Fair goers enjoying the chalk illustration of Artist John Soukup from Cedar Rapids, IA.
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
Blind Fiction, from Milwaukee, played the Live Music Stage.
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
Blind Fiction, Tim Wright, Joe Howard, and Eric Madunic.
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
Flowering Hydrangeas on MOWA’s four-acre campus.
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Photo by Erol Reyal
MOWA Art & Chalk Fest 2026
5-year-old Owen from West Bend with his chalk art, titled “Pirate Ship”.
Learn more or get involved:
- Museum of Wisconsin Art
- West Bend Friends of Sculpture
- Habitat for Humanity of Washington and Dodge Counties
- West Bend Germanfest August 27-30, 2026
- Artist John Soukup
- Artist Amanda Stout
- Artist Kaylee Goodman
- Artist Rachel Kmecheck, Modern Medieval Press
- Artist’s Jen Brennan and Kevin Johnson, Home Tree Arts
- Artist Carli Ihde
- Blind Fiction
- Artist Leslie Smith III
- Artist Georgia O’Keeffe
- Frank Lloyd Wright
- Artist Tom Uttech
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Want to know more about MOWA? Check out this Supporting Milwaukee Arts interview with MOWA's Curator of Architecture and Design.
