Chalk the Walk
Unplug Illinois Day features family art in Tinley Park
More than 30 communities are scheduled to participate July 15 in Illinois Park & Recreation Association’s fifth annual Unplug Illinois Day.
Tinley Park-Park District hosts the third year of Chalk the Walk on July 15 outdoors at The Band Shell at Tony Bettenhausen Recreation Center.
“It really is a fun way for families to get together and do something different,” said Carol Bradtke, marketing manager for Tinley ParkPark District.
“The push is to help people develop healthier lifestyles and (show) how Parks and Recreation can help them do that.”
Chalk is provided for the public art experience during which attendees can create artwork and share positive messages on the sidewalk surrounding The Band Shell, Community Park and White Water Canyon Water Park.
“This year we’re doing a bit more. We’re also going to have a couple of crafts focusing on being kind and we’ve got a binocular kit — fun things for kids to make and take with them,” said Bradtke of Tinley Park.
“They’ll have a little passport and get everything checked off that they did. That will be the raffle ticket theme. We will pull prizes. We have people donating different gift cards.
“Everyone gets a treat bag that will include a little coloring book that we created from pictures from people having fun at the park district.”
According to Bradtke, Tinley Park-Park District drew approximately 20 individuals and day camp participants ranging from age 3 to teenager for the initial Chalk the Walk in 2019 while the event’s second installment in 2022 drew approximately 80 families and individuals.
“We came up with Chalk the Walk because we wanted to put good vibes out in the world,” she said.
Bradtke noted that Unplug Illinois Day “is all about making people aware of everything that park districts have to offer and helping them to find ways to get away from electronics, the television
and the computer.”
She added that the Illinois Park & Recreation Association initiative encourages people to “be outside and enjoy not only our parks but all natural areas, forest preserves and everything like that and to engage with other active people and to be active.”
Chalk the Walk’s unplugged family fun also includes games, a Storywalk and a scavenger hunt.
More information about Unplug Illinois is at unplugillinois.org, where other participating communities include Bolingbrook, Crete, Mokena, Palos Park, Plainfield and Richton Park.