Kids use sidewalk chalk to decorate the trail at Arlington Park & Aquatic Complex

By Ian Swaby
| 8:55 p.m. July 24, 2026

Jared Thomas, 8; Penelope Brouillette, 7; and Sebastian Meehan, 8, chalk the trail together.

Sarasota
Neighbors

The trail at Arlington Park & Aquatic Complex had a temporary makeover on Friday.

The city of Sarasota hosted Chalk the Trail at Arlington Park that morning, bringing out solid and liquid chalk and stencils and allowing young attendees to create drawings like magic wands and hopscotch boards along the half-mile long trail.

The event was the first of its kind held at the complex. It was part of the city's Parks and Recreation Month in July, which has involved events at different city parks to encourage community involvement.

Most attendees were kids from the city's summer camps at the Arlington complex and the Robert L. Taylor Community Complex, although the event was also open to the general public.

"We were like, 'It's a great activity they can do," said Conner Bowers, recreation leader with Arlington Park & Aquatic Complex. "(The trail) gets tons and tons of walkers every day, so why not put a smile on their face and have the kids have some fun?"

Farrah Lemay, 2, watches as her mother Rebekah Lemay picks up cups of liquid chalk.

One participant added a magical touch to the trail.

Lillianna McColley, 6, Beatrix Atkins, 6 and Zoey Love, 6, pet Isaac Johnson's dog Juniper.

Beatrix Atkins, 6, and Jakhi Arthur, 6, join other campers in playing hopscotch.

Kade Dean, 11, and Conner Bowers, recreation leader with Arlington Park and Aquatic Complex, mix up some liquid chalk.

Chalk drawings from kids adorn the trail.

Farrah Lemay, 2, and her mother Rebekah Lemay created a signature.

Theodore Mirochnik, 6, selects a stencil.

Alexandra Schutz, 8, paints shells with liquid chalk.

Splashes of liquid chalk cover the trail.

Ivy Beles, 6, looks over her stencil of a butterfly.

Wyatt Morris, 5, works on a stencil drawing.

Addison Badurek, 6, watches as Ariyana Ennis of the staff at Arlington Park and Aquatic Complex's summer camp demonstrates the chalk drawings.

author

Ian Swaby

Ian Swaby is the Sarasota neighbors writer for the Observer. Ian is a Florida State University graduate of Editing, Writing, and Media and previously worked in the publishing industry in the Cayman Islands.