On Thursday, June 20, the 2013 Utah Arts Festival (UAF) will kick off the summer season in spectacular style with four straight days of live music and a showcase of the myriad talented artists that Utah has to offer.
For Salt Lake Community College students, the UAF provides an opportunity to enjoy the first big party of summer in the company of energetic local bands and a chance to experience the beautiful genius of local artists in living color.
“The festival has been a jumping-off point for local bands starting their first national tours. The local music is the biggest attraction for college students,” said Teri Mumm, marketing manager for the UAF. “The biggest night for music is Thursday which attracts many young people because it’s the first real outdoor party of the summer.”
Thursday marks not only the opening of the festival, but the arrival of some of the most exciting new bands in Utah. There will be performances by King Niko and Royal Bliss on the Ampitheater Stage beginning at 8:30 p.m. as well as The African Showboyz and New Orleans fusion rockers, The Iguanas.
The Bay Area vertical dance troupe, BANDALOOP, will make the first of twice-daily festival appearances by entertaining crowds with thrilling performances using the curved facade of The City Library as their stage. Additionally, Thursday’s festivities will have an early bird special of $6 admission before 3 p.m. and $10 afterwards.
The festival provides students with more than just a chance to listen to live music as this marks the first year that the UAF will be partnering with the Leonardo to give students and patrons alike an opportunity to explore the museum.
“We are partnering with the Leonardo to allow entrance to the museum with paid admission to the festival,” said Mumm. “The Leonardo is an opportunity for students to explore their artistic side under the instruction of local artists.”
Access to the Leonardo’s new exhibit “101 Inventions That Changed the World” will only be $5 more with paid festival admission. The exhibit recognizes many of the turning points in our history from the use of stone tools to the era of the Internet with an immersive display that incorporates forty high-definition projectors, multi-channel motion graphics and cinema-quality sound.
The SLCC Community Writing Center will have a large presence at the festival this year as they host the 11th-Annual Wasatch Iron Pen Competition, a 24-hour writing marathon where budding writers face off against each other in a battle of mental and creative endurance.
“The SLCC Writing Center is one of our bigger collaborations this year at the festival. They will be holding workshops dedicated to helping develop writing skills within the community,” said Mumm.
