Utah celebrates creativity, community with 49th annual Arts Festival
Jun 21, 2025, 8:00 AM
The 49th annual Utah Arts Festival is officially underway at Library Square and Washington Square Park in downtown Salt Lake City.(Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
(Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — The 49th annual Utah Arts Festival is officially underway at Library Square and Washington Square Park in downtown Salt Lake City, showcasing a diverse range of more than 170 artists and 100 performers.
This year’s additions include more shaded areas for festival-goers, offering a cool respite from the summer heat, as well as a new demonstrating artist program. This program allows visitors to see artists at work, as they demonstrate their craft in real-time while selling their artwork.
“That’s what our goal is, to support artists and bring the community together through art,” said Executive Director Aimee Dunsmore.
Dunsmore said in response to last weekend’s events in Salt Lake City, they are implementing heightened precautions to ensure the well-being of all festival attendees.
“We are doing extended bag checks and wanding at our gates; we have an extended presence of security,” she said. “We want people to feel safe and also be safe, so that’s really our top priority.”
Back again this year at the festival, one of the fan favorites — the 100 to 1 mural.
Artist Mason Fetzer has 100 festival-goers each paint a square, which he then assembles into a massive 20-foot-tall masterpiece.
“This is kind of my gift to the Arts Festival community, to do this every year,” he said.
Artist Trevor Gough from Draper said he loves meeting new people at the festival every year.
“A lot of support, a lot of inspiration, and the community — it’s amazing. I’m grateful to be here,” he said.
Photographer Wendy Rice from Draper is one of this year’s emerging artists. For Rice, the festival represents an opportunity to get her name out into the local arts scene.
“This is a lot of fun. We’re looking forward to a lot of people coming out and just having a good time,” she said.
The Utah Arts Festival runs through Sunday, June 22. Tickets are $18/day for adults and free for kids 12 and under. For more information, visit uaf.org.
Related: ‘Think Sundance meets Coachella’: A new first-of-its-kind festival plans to take root in Utah
