THE BLOCKS Summer in Review
It’s been a long summer full of amazing events, art and people in THE BLOCKS. In case you missed anything, here is a quick review:
We began our summer on July 13 with our Brand Launch Block Party where we showed Salt Lake City the kinds of organizations and groups that we would be partnering with in the future. From ballet to spoken word and break dancing to live painting, we partied away that July evening and were thankful for the warm welcome to the art and culture scene in Salt Lake.
Also in July, THE BLOCKS led a Community Mural at the 200 West Underpass. This project involved six local artists who designed and prepped the mural before it was opened for two days of public work time. The community worked together to complete several hundred square feet of painting. THE BLOCKS is now home to one of Utah’s largest public murals and we couldn’t be more proud of the talented artists and members of the public. This project was a highlight of our summer!
Fringe Festival came next, running August 2 – 12, and with it came 30 shows in 8 days and over 3,000 attendees. This festival included theatre, performance art, dance, music and so much more. Artists held the power and had the opportunity to create the art that mattered to them. Another year of Fringe ended in success!
Mid summer came and with it, Craft Lake City’s DIY Festival from August 10 – 12. This summer marked ten years of the DIY Festival. It is Utah’s largest local-centric, three-day arts festival, with over 250 local artisans, DIY engineers, vintage vendors, and craft food creators, two stages of music and dance performances, local food trucks, and approximately 20,000 attendees. There was a little something for everyone at this festival and it continues to be a Salt Lake favorite!
A new festival hit the streets this year and brought street performance to the forefront. Busker Fest 2018 made its debut on August 24, featuring 3 main stages and dozens of buskers and street performers. Vaudeville returned to Block 70 (Regent Street and Main Street between 100 and 200 South) for this free and open to the public event.
THE BLOCKS’ Urban Plein Air Project rounded out the summer while celebrating the beauty of our downtown landscapes. From September 13-15, 25 local artists set out on the streets of downtown Salt Lake City to capture the people and places of our cultural core through plein air painting (painting outdoors). Collectively, they completed 50 works that featured 10 iconic venues and locations in THE BLOCKS, Salt Lake’s Cultural Core.
A few projects and programs in THE BLOCKS run all summer long and are certainly part of what make the warmer month worth while. Spy Hop’s Brown Bag Concert Series is a prime example of how the arts are ingrained in Salt Lake’s culture. A program of the Salt Lake City Arts Council, the series of free concerts geared toward the lunch crowd and had yet another successful season!
The Twilight Concert Series made a comeback this year as well and brought vibrancy to THE BLOCKS on Thursday nights. With headliners like Diplo and DJ Snoopadelic, the series entertained concert goers of all ages. Twilight is a tradition that brings thousands into THE BLOCKS all summer long.