ST. GEORGE — The St. George Art Festival kicked off Friday, filling Town Square with artists, performers, vendors and visitors.
The annual event, which takes over downtown St. George and is in its 45th year, draws thousands with both traditional attractions and new offerings. The Art Festival continues Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“We try to get a little innovative and creative every year,” said Peyton Lee, community arts manager for the city of St. George and director of the St. George Art Festival. “We’re trying to add something for every member of the community every year. This year, we added our bicycle valet, to allow those that like to ride their bikes around to come – they can check their bike for free and then go walk around the festival; adding the new booths; we had over 40 food vendors this year, which is the most we’ve ever had. We’re just really trying to expand to everyone every year.”
This year’s St. George Art Festival features more than 160 artists (culled from over 400 applicants) who have traveled from all over the country and even international locations to showcase and sell their work.
A lengthy application and jurying process precede the selection of participating artists, with a different panel of jurors overseeing the selection process each year.
“Seeing the artists in their booths connecting with people and telling the stories behind their arts is really fulfilling to me because we’ve done this whole process of bringing them here and putting it together, and the community is so receptive to them being here,” Lee said. “It’s really nice to see just that culmination come together.”
In addition to the featured artists and vendors, this year’s St. George Art Festival features three entertainment stages, with performers showcasing their talents throughout both days. Among performers Friday at the festival were popular Provo-based indie/folk band The National Parks, and Saturday’s headliner will be the Gina Marie Osmond Band. Other performers will also take the various stages throughout the day on Saturday.
A local tradition since 1980, the St. George Art Festival has grown exponentially since its inception. While the festival now attracts artists from all over the world, the roots of the festival run deep, and some local participants still continue to come who were part of the festival back in its earliest days.
“One thing I really love is we still have our local artists,” Lee said, “because the Art Festival did start as a local art show, and although we’ve grown, we still have a lot of the same local artists – we’ve just expanded to be more regional, with some international artists, as well.
“There are some people that have stuck around, and they continue to come back,” she added, “which is really awesome, because it really confirms to us that we’re providing a space that is beneficial to them and their work.”
The St. George Art Festival continues Saturday in and around Town Square, located at 50 S. Main St. in St. George. Click here for additional information, including a full schedule of events and a list of participating artists.
Photo Gallery
The St. George Art Festival attracts thousands of visitors to downtown St. George, St. George, Utah, March 29, 2024 | Photo by Cami Cox, St. George News
The St. George Art Festival attracts thousands of visitors to downtown St. George, St. George, Utah, March 29, 2024 | Photo by Cami Cox, St. George News
The St. George Art Festival attracts thousands of visitors to downtown St. George, St. George, Utah, March 29, 2024 | Photo by Cami Cox, St. George News
The St. George Art Festival attracts thousands of visitors to downtown St. George, St. George, Utah, March 29, 2024 | Photo by Cami Cox, St. George News
The St. George Art Festival attracts thousands of visitors to downtown St. George, St. George, Utah, March 29, 2024 | Photo by Cami Cox, St. George News
The St. George Art Festival attracts thousands of visitors to downtown St. George, St. George, Utah, March 29, 2024 | Photo by Cami Cox, St. George News
The St. George Art Festival attracts thousands of visitors to downtown St. George, St. George, Utah, March 29, 2024 | Photo by Cami Cox, St. George News
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