Running during the third weekend in June, the Utah Arts Festival is an experience city dwellers look forward to. The extravaganza offers a variety of art, entertainment and culture by featuring live music, a short film festival, over a hundred local artists’ work and a high-wire act.
This weekend, the Utah Arts Festival hopes to take advantage of Library Square’s unique architecture and its ability to astound passersby by presenting Bandaloop, a high wire dance act. During Bandallop’s show, performers will paint the distinctive atmosphere of the library’s curved formation by using aerial ballet to scale down its walls.
Of course, the Utah Arts Festival wouldn’t be much of an art festival if it didn’t showcase local talent. Throughout the course of the festival, artists will display their work in the art marketplace. At the makeshift art galleries, individual artists will be on hand, ready to discuss and sell their creations.
Moving from the high rising temperatures of the outside art presentations to the air-conditioned facilities of the library, the Utah Arts Festival offers an oasis away from the heat. Inside the library’s auditorium, Fear No Film will be hosting a film festival, featuring short films composed by local filmmakers. The filmmakers plan to ask the audience, “Where did this film come from emotionally, and how does that change my experience viewing it?” The art spectacular will also feature the family-friendly Fear No Film Kids festival.
From art to tunes, music lovers will find no want for variety in terms of local and headlining music talent. The festival highlights soul, Celtic, reggae and other music genres to act as background music to the event. From local artists like Royal Bliss to international artists like African Showboyz, the music versatility is obvious.
With the Community Writing Center right on Library Square, writing and storytelling are going to be part of the event. On Friday, Timpanogos Storytellers will be presenting “Ordinary folks, extraordinary events,” a compilation of stories and songs about the Utah pioneers. Sam Payne in “Sam Payne Singing Stories” will also be present on Saturday. Payne is often described as a unique storyteller/songwriter with a talent for incredible music and writing.
From literary art to cartoon pages of comic books, the writing aspect of the Utah Arts Festival will take full swing. Comic book fanatics will get to hear from Anina Bennett and Paul Guinan, the comic book team that has worked for Stan Lee and DC Comics. Writing workshops and a giant magnetic poetry wall will also be provided for those interested in stretching their literary muscles.
This is all without mentioning the dozens of other performers, musicians, workshops, kids’ activities and shows that will be within the two block radius of Library Square and Washington Square Park.