Got that need to travel? That Travel Bug? Want to do some photography but not sure what to shoot? Don’t have the time, money, or whatever it might be to actually get out of town? What do you do? Why – Be A Hometown Tourist of course! You might recall that I’ve written on this topic previously (see this article.) But just in case, let me remind you that you don’t have to leave town to enjoy many of the pleasures that come from travel. You can explore new places, try new foods, or enjoy new events right in your own hometown. And with that mindset you can do some travel – like photography right at home. That’s what I did this weekend – I was a Hometown Tourist in Kansas City.
Having no time to travel recently, I jumped at the chance to join a friend to visit and photograph the Kansas City Chalk & Walk Festival. No, it wasn’t Paris. But it didn’t cost as much as Paris – and there was no jet lag involved!
The Chalk & Walk Festival has become an annual event in Kansas City. Held in the central plaza area of Crown Center Square, selected artists are given a “square” of sidewalk area to create their chalk art masterpieces. It’s a process which takes some time. They started on Saturday morning and when I visited mid morning on Sunday some pieces were completed while some were still in process. The atmosphere is festive with a large central fountain adding a bit of cooling mist to the air – temperatures today actually rose to the high 90’s. With temperatures like that you had to feel sorry for artists assigned spaces in direct sun. Artists located under the shade trees truly lucked out this year.
A “fisheye” lens view of the space early in the day.
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Art In The Sun Is Hot Work!
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Some Artists Brought Their Own Shade
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Some Lucky Artists Had Shady Locations
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The entire event is free to the public, supported by event sponsors as well as sponsors for each individual artist space. The photo above shows the chalk art created in the space sponsored by Kansas City’s Nelson – Atkins Museum of Art. In addition to the chalk art there was music, food, and street performers all of which added to the festive atmosphere in this one area of Kansas City. No – it wasn’t a two week cruise. But it was a delightful outing for a Hometown Tourist.
Visit & Photograph At Home ……. And Enjoy the Adventure!
Dr.B, The PhotoTrekker
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