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Ethan Fillmore, of Salem, poses with his chalk art Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, at Cole Park in Salem.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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A girl poses with her chalk art Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, at Cole Park in Salem.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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Saratoga Springs resident Salisia works on her chalk art Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, at Cole Park in Salem.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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A girl works on her chalk art Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, at Cole Park in Salem.

Jacob Nielson, Daily Herald

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The theme of 2025 Salem Days is “building bridges, every act counts.”

At one of the many activities taking place across the city this week, one Salem teenager appeared to take the motto to heart.

Participating at the inaugural “Chalk the Block” event Wednesday at Cole Park, Ethan Fillmore arrived early and spent hours in the hot sun painting an image with water-based chalk, first by drawing a grid and then tracing it, placing a base coat on and filling in the detail.

His finished product was an image of characters from the animated movie “Shrek” and a caption drawn out below that read “Kindness Matters.” Fillmore said people can learn a thing or two from the unlikely friendship between the swamp-loving Shrek and the carefree Donkey.

“They’re from different situations in the world and they’re trying to get along,” he said. “And throughout this adventure, they realize how to grow with each other. And I think this can symbolize, even though you’re two different kinds of people, you can still help each other out despite your differences.”

Those good vibes were felt across the park Wednesday, where seven participating groups supported one another despite competing for cash prizes. Volunteer organizer Jesicca Kallas said the assortment of kid and adult artists — along with the parents there to support — all seemed to enjoy the camaraderie.

Another volunteer mentioned that when wind came in, everyone helped artists with canopies to keep them from blowing away and made sure nothing fell into the wet chalk.

“We’ve noticed that the demographic has been so different between the groups, and it’s been fun to watch them mingle and get to know each other and learn from one another,” Kallas said.

The activity was started by Kallas, who said she wants to promote more art within the community. She pulled the idea from the Riverwood’s Chalk the Block charity event in Provo and mentioned that the Salem Library puts on a chalk art activity as well.

She’s hoping that the new activity will continue to grow after year one, and Fillmore seemed in support of it as well.

“I feel like this is a place where everyone can gather through art, through what they love to do, and it’s calm,” he said.

Salem Days will continue into the weekend. Thursday will have a cornhole tournament, children’s rodeo and a summer musical. On Friday, there will be a children’s parade, golf tournament, city fair and concert. The concluding day is Saturday, and the city will put on a fun run, a parade, the Youth Council Games, a car show, a night entertainment show and fireworks.

Kallas has lived in Salem for over 20 years and said the residents’ willingness to give and be generous is what makes the festival so great.

“Salem Days is huge,” she said. “People from all over come just for the fireworks. The parade is a blast.”