September 29, 2026
The Rotary Club of Oak Ridge's 2026 Street Painting Festival raised a record $31,773 for Roane State student scholarships, making this year's event the most successful fundraiser in the festival's history.
The annual celebration of art and community was held September 19 at Roane State’s Oak Ridge Campus and drew artists, sponsors, volunteers, and visitors from across the region.
Proceeds from the festival benefit scholarships awarded by Roane State Foundation, helping students pursue educational opportunities at the college. Since its inception more than 25 years ago, the Street Painting Festival has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship support for Roane State students.
Working through the late summer heatwave, artists of all ages transformed campus walkways into colorful works of art while attendees enjoyed the festival atmosphere and the inaugural Art and Autos Car Show. The event culminated with the presentation of awards recognizing outstanding artistic creations across multiple categories.
Among the festival's top honors, Kassidi Loos earned Best in Show and received the festival's $300 grand prize. Pipes Palette captured the People's Choice Award and its $200 prize.
Additional first place winners included:
A complete list of award winners, including second- and third-place finishers in each category, is available online at roanestate.edu/SPFawards.
After the event, festival organizers expressed gratitude to the many sponsors, artists, volunteers, and community members whose support made the event possible.
Leading sponsors for the 2026 festival included Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), LIS Technologies Inc., and Barry and Lucy Stephenson – all at the platinum level, the highest sponsorship tier available. This marks the first year the festival has received three platinum sponsors in the history of the event.
United Cleanup Oak Ridge LLC (UCOR) also continued its longstanding support of the event as a silver sponsor. For the second consecutive year, UCOR was the first to lend its support.
“This record-breaking fundraising total is reflective of how the festival continues to grow along with the commitment of our community to help students succeed,” Oak Ridge Campus Director Andy Spellman said. “We couldn’t be more grateful to everyone who helped make this event possible. We’re looking forward to many more Street Painting Festivals on our campus.”
A complete sponsor listing as well as information about the Street Painting Festival is available at roanestate.edu/streetpainting.
Roane State Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, ethnicity or national origin, sex, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, or any other class protected by federal or state laws and regulations, and by Tennessee Board of Regents policies with respect to employment, programs, and activities. View full non-discrimination policy.
Report Fraud, Waste and Abuse | Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 | Privacy Notice
