The Cook Foundation’s annual street painting festival known as Chalk Fest will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday on Carriage Court in the Gloucester Village across the street from SunTrust Bank.

"Our theme this year is ‘The Circle of Life,’" said spokesperson Jenny Crittenden. Registration will begin at 10 a.m. Admission to the festival is free of charge.

To compete in the festival, Crittenden said there is a fee of $15 that entitles the participant to his or her choice of square to draw on and a box of pastel chalks.

"We will also have our judge-free area available again this year for a fee of $5," she added.

Crittenden said the Cook Foundation is offering its school incentive program again this year. She said if a local school, or an entity of the school, sponsors a student, or a group of students, the school will win the monetary amount to be applied to art supplies for the school.

Cash prizes include overall best-in-show worth $500; first-p...