Artists of all ages chalked the street in downtown Gilroy during the Chalk Fest presented by MANOS on Oct. 7. The artists, taking refuge from the nearly triple-digit temperatures under tents, created various works of art using chalk that followed a Dia de los Muertos theme. The event took place on Monterey Street between Sixth and Fifth streets, and also featured live performances, vendors, food and more. Alfonso Salazar was awarded first place for his piece, “Abuelita,” which will be featured on the poster for next year’s Chalk Fest. The event continued a busy October for downtown Gilroy, with the Tamal Festival kicking things off the previous weekend. The Downtown Gilroy Beer Crawl, presented by the Gilroy Downtown Business Association, returns Oct. 14 from noon to 6pm, featuring more than 30 pour stations. The inaugural La Ofrenda Festival, in commemoration of Dia de los Muertos, takes place Oct. 28.
