As part of the ramp-up to the first game in CSU’s new on-campus stadium this weekend, a host of artists will be creating CSU-themed chalk art in Old Town on Friday.

The partnership among CSU, Pastels on 5^th and the Downtown Fort Collins Business Association will result in 15 pieces of chalk art on sidewalks near the intersection of College and Mountain avenues. They will feature iconic CSU images like the Aggie “A”, CAM the Ram, the Oval and the Cannon. Most of the artists will create their artwork between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Vicky Paul-Bryant is the founder of the annual Pastels on 5^th chalk-art fundraiser held every September for Alternatives to Violence, a Loveland nonprofit that assists victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and similar crimes. She was contacted to help organize the downtown CSU-themed art in collaboration with CSU’s creative services team by Elias Martinez, CSU assistant vice president of brand strategy.

“Experience is everything, and we were inspired by the possibility of bringing the Pastels on 5^th experience to Fort Collins for game day,” Martinez said. “This event will be a big part of the Division of External Relations’ larger efforts to bridge campus and community, creating a game-day experience like no other.”

With the help of the DBA’s connections to the downtown businesses where the sidewalk art will appear, Paul-Bryant rallied 15 artists who have participated in Pastels on 5^th for the event. Several are award-winners in that juried competition, and a couple have participated in the annual Denver Chalk Art Festival.

Pastels on 5^th helps raise about $20,000 for Alternatives to Violence each year, Paul-Bryant says, and its contributions helped the nonprofit launch a safehouse last year. The 7^th annual Pastels on 5^th, will be held on Sept. 9 at 5^th Street and Lincoln Avenue in Loveland; visit pastelson5th.org for more information.

For more information about entertainment being offered before home games during the inaugural season of the on-campus stadium, visit stadiumsessions.colostate.edu.