Bob Weidman creates a piece of chalk art at a previous event.

From foot races to a parade, there was no shortage of activities at last year’s centennial celebration on the Seaside Promenade.

But when a chalk art contest turned out to be the most popular of Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District’s events, it secured its place for the next year and beyond, according to Melissa Ousley, marketing and special events manager at the recreation district.

The community contest will kick off with a Friday night art class at Sunset Recreation Center before chalking begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

“Our mission is to provide an opportunity to learn something,” Ousley said, adding that “there doesn’t have to be a certain standard of art.” The contest’s $35 entrance fee includes a set of pastel paints and other necessary supplies for designing and creating unique chalk art on the Seaside Promenade.

Last year’s submissions depicted everything from massive jellyfish to ornate beach kites to a portrait of Sacagawea. Each creation was vividly chalked on a 5-square-foot roped-off area along the Promenade.

The inaugural event drew more than 20 entrants, ranging from ages 5 to 73. Chalk artists included both total novices and professional artists.

The Friday night instruction will enable the event to bridge gaps in age and experience. Portland artists Bev Cordova and May Wallace will guide participants on a two-hour course in pastels, the blend of chalk used in the contest.

This chalk produces eye-popping color with a texture that’s just right. It’s not as rigid as blackboard chalk nor as soft and unwieldy as most children’s outdoor chalk.

Cordova, who specializes in sculpture, is a former Seaside resident. She’s previously taught with Wallace and is a pastels expert at Portland’s Park Rose High School. When Ousley approached Cordova about leading such a course last year, she agreed with one stipulation: only if she could bring the best pastel artist she knows.

In the Friday night class, Cordova and Wallace will lean on their years of teaching experience to alleviate any intimidation students might feel and help their visions feel scaleable onto the sidewalk.

“I talked to people about pastel techniques, like shades, shadows and highlights and drawing things that look like they’re actually three-dimensional,” Wallace said. “Then we take them outside and practice.”

The concrete canvas of the following morning is both well-trafficked and — at least last year — hard-earned. Volunteers swept wet sand off a stretch of the Prom for two hours to render it smooth and usable for the artists.

“We learned that people washing their feet off in front of the hotels creates a torrent of water coming straight toward the art,” Wallace said, laughing. Cordova added that sandbags will shield the art from such runoff this year.

While the outdoor elements may add some stress, Cordova and Wallace hope the exposure to a live audience of passersby will be a helpful learning experience, especially for younger artists.

“It’s a great way for them to learn that (being watched) doesn’t matter,” Wallace said. “You start to shrug it off after a bit.”

By mid-afternoon on Saturday, that audience may choose to vote in the contest’s People’s Choice category, which saw 173 votes last year. Other categories include Best Representation of Marine Life, Best Representation of the Spirit of Seaside and also delineate between youth and adult categories for best overall pieces.

This year’s judges include Steve Wright, a Seaside city councilor; Katie McCloud, interim chief executive officer at the Seaside Chamber of Commerce; and Ken Heman, board member of the Seaside Downtown Development Association.

The chalk art contest is made possible through a grant from the Juan Young Trust, which Ousley said has already provided funds for the contest’s possible third installment in 2023.

“May and Bev are both amazing teachers,” Ousley said. “It’s really festive.”

Seaside Chalk Art Contest

Sunset Empire Parks & Recreation District, 1140 Broadway St., Seaside. Chalk art contest along Seaside Promenade

Friday and Saturday

www.sunsetempire.com