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SALT LAKE CITY — The annual Utah Arts Festival, dubbed the "Great Utah Get-Together," will return to Liberty Square this week.
The largest outdoor multidisciplinary arts event in Utah will be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from noon until 11 p.m. The event attracts an average attendance of over 50,000 people each summer celebrating visual arts, music, dance, film and more.
For three days, downtown Salt Lake City will be turned into a hub of the arts, featuring live concerts and performances on six stages, award-winning film screenings and art pieces from local and national artists.
Buying your ticket and navigating traffic
The Utah Arts Festival has partnered with the Utah Transit Authority to allow free transit with the purchase of a ticket. The partnership will allow attendees to park elsewhere and use the TRAX system to travel to the festival. Attendees can show their tickets for unlimited access to FrontRunner, TRAX, bus and UTA OnDemand.
For bike riders, the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective will provide a free bike valet lot on 400 South just north of the Salt Lake City-County Building. Bike lot hours are noon to 11:30 p.m., Thursday through Sunday.
You can purchase your ticket online on the Utah Arts Festival website or in person at one of the following box offices:
- Library Arch Main Entrance, located midblock on 400 South between 200 East and 300 East. This is the main festival entrance and closest to the TRAX line and underground parking.
- The Park Entrance, located on the corner of 500 South and 300 East. This entrance is perfect for large groups visiting the festival and those with special needs.
- City-County Entrance (South), located midblock between 200 East and State Street on 500 South (south side of the Salt Lake City-County Building), next to the art yard, toddler zone and face painting areas.
- Bike Lot Entrance/City-County Entrance (North), located midblock between 200 East and State Street on 400 South (north side of the City-County Building).
The Utah Arts Festival has released a new app for easy navigation of the festival's performances, artists, schedules and interactive map along with exclusive coupons and a scavenger hunt for prizes.
What's new and returning
The multidisciplinary event features many performances and engagement opportunities. With a variety of artists, programs and spaces, the festival caters both to individuals and families. Exhibitions, food vendors and artist booths will be present throughout the festival as well as opportunities to engage in the arts. The festival's "100 Artist: One Image" will return in its 10th year, inviting festivalgoers to paint a square on Friday and Saturday afternoon that will become a 20-foot-tall mural by Saturday evening. The subject of the mural is a mystery until it's unveiled.
The Utah Arts Festival's "Fear No Film" is also reappearing on the schedule, featuring a variety of documentaries. Live performances both musical and literary, opportunities to buy pieces and engage with artists, and several workshops hosted by the SLCC Community Writing Center will be available to attendees.
Notable music headliners include 14-year-old drumming prodigy Yoyoka, who will be performing with her family band on Sunday night.
Loyal attendees can also celebrate the revival of street performances, which will be brought back this year, some of which are new to the festival.
"It's been many years since we've incorporated performances like aerialists, sway pole artists and stilt walkers," said Utah Arts Festival Executive Director Aimee Dunsmore. "We are working with Voodoo Productions to integrate these talented performers into the festival, including with the gorgeous backdrop of the main Library's glass wall."
