Bring more murals to NEPA at the 5k Color Run/Walk "Fun"-raiser

By: Gabrielle Lang,, The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
·5 min read

Jul. 18—KINGSTON — The 5k Color Fun Walk/Run was rescheduled for Saturday, August 12 at Nesbitt Park to benefit the Street Art Society of NEPA. This 2nd Annual "Fun"-raiser sets off during the Wyoming Valley Riverfest celebration and helps raise funds for creating murals in the region.

At each kilometer mark, blasting stations will blanket racers with color powder! All ages are welcome to participate in the 2nd Annual "5k Color Fun Walk/Run Fun-raiser" happening at Kirby Park in Kingston starting at 10:00 a.m.

"You yourself will end up looking like artwork, which we love because we're all about bringing color and excitement to NEPA," said Kevin Harger-Blizzard of the Board of Directors of Street Art Society of NEPA.

Tickets are $30 for those aged 13+ and $20 for kids 12 and under. Register before Friday, July 21 to receive a T-shirt for the event. Sign up here: https://runsignup.com/Race/PA/Kingston/ColorFunWalkRun

This fun run with a color-blast twist takes place in conjunction with the Wyoming Valley Riverfest celebration happening the same weekend. Kirby Park will be alive with activity, with not just the color run but also Riverfest food and festivities. Racers not only get a memorable, uplifting experience but also support Street Art Society of NEPA's initiative to bring more art to the area.

Street Art Society of NEPA is responsible for the majority of the jaw-dropping murals popping up across Luzerne County in recent years. They're on a mission to bring more public art to the Wyoming Valley. These murals allow everyone to experience the joy of art — just keep an eye out your car window!

"They expose all different types of people to art who wouldn't see it otherwise. You have beautiful art in a museum but if you don't go there, you're never going to see it. When it's on the side of a building, the people that walk by, drive by, they really get exposed to it. We hope to really connect and inspire more people to appreciate art," said Harger-Blizzard.

A little paint goes a long way to brightening up town. Based in Forty Fort, the Street Art Society of NEPA has helped create works such as "Manifest Elevation" on Market Street in Kingston, "Owl See You at Night" on the corner of Main and Walnut in Luzerne, and Empire Arcade on Main Street in Edwardsville, as well as many, many more.

In 2018, a small group of women artists and community activists got together with an interest in completing mural projects in Luzerne County and formed the Street Art Society of NEPA. Jenna Casaldi, Amy Bezek, Laura Holbrook, Lisa Murphy, and Kevin Harger-Blizzard lead the non-profit, all-volunteer organization today. Street Art Society aims to improve the aesthetic, cultural, and investment value of communities in Northeastern Pennsylvania by initiating and coordinating the completion of public artworks.

Jenna Casaldi was one of the three original founders of the organization and an artist herself. Funny enough, she said they all approached their local representative separately with the same idea — bringing public art to the Valley. So, they teamed up and have been making murals ever since. "There was a lot of learning involved during our first phase. I'd say that during each one of those first ten murals different problems came up that taught us how to come up with solutions and deal with them," said Casaldi.

Photo Credit — Street Art Society of NEPA, "The Lady of the Valley" by artist Evan Lovett symbolizes the culture and history of the Wyoming Valley.

Since completing 20 murals of various sizes, locations, and subjects around Luzerne County, she and her team have become masters in large-scale masterpieces.So much thought, innovation, and planning goes into each and every project. The Street Art Society of NEPA now knows everything they need to know to keep creating new landmarks across town. They're now onto "Phase 2" with projects set for Pringle, Exeter, and moving right down Route 11.

Ideas for murals are a meeting of the minds; the artist, SAS, and the building owners. Some murals depict elements of NEPA culture such as "Nature of Things" in Kingston by Amanda Lynn that features our Pennsylvania state flower, the mountain laurel, or the gorgeous multi-story mural "Lady of the Valley" that towers proudly over Downtown Wilkes-Barre. They're behind so many local murals that during the Fine Arts Fiesta 2023, SAS took attendees on a trolley tour to see them all and provide background info.

The 5k Color Run/Walk "Fun"-raiser allows this colorful non-profit to continue bringing beauty to new highly-visible places throughout the region. On August 12, help them make art accessible to everybody and have a "blast" while doing it.

Get pummeled with color for a good cause. This all-ages, all-skill-levels 5k is a fun way to get involved with the local art scene. You'll be able to see exactly where your support is going when the next mural goes up!

Artists and volunteers are welcome to reach out to get involved, as well as property owners that think their building might be a good match for a future project. Street Art Society of NEPA are also always open to receiving donations. Visit https://streetartsocietynepa.org/.