PARK CITY — After a successful inaugural year for some new programs and the largest turnout in its history last year, the Park City Kimball Arts Festival will kick off its 42nd year on Aug. 5 with even greater expectations.
Irene Cho, communications director at the Kimball Arts Center, said the festival drew about 49,500 people in 2010. They’re hoping to reach a few thousand more this year.
The “Relevant” artist-in-residence and “Taste of Art” programs are both returning for their second years after success last year.
The “Relevant” program started out as a seven-day program for six college students, aiming to teach them how to be successful as artists outside the classroom. The students participated in workshops and worked one-on-one with art mentors. They produced works that were auctioned off the opening night of the festival. The program will run the same this year, but has been expanded to be 10 days long, kicking off on July 27. Four of the mentors and one of the students are from Utah.
The “Taste of Art” program started out highlighting 11 restaurants and will include 15 this year.
Other activities of note are the “Festival After Dark” programs that include performances in partnership with the Deer Valley Resort Concert Series, and KSL will set up a booth activity to give kids a glimpse into the world of broadcasting. The top 10 Best of Show festival winners from last year will also be featured in an exhibit to remind festival goers of last year’s offerings.
“We have a plethora of activities,” Cho said. “There’s just something for everybody of all ages.”
Admission will be free for all Summit County residents on Friday night. The festival is beginning an hour earlier at 5 p.m. Friday and will provide more buses to accommodate the large crowd this year.
The festival will run Aug. 5-7 in Park City. Weekend passes are $10 for adults, $5 for kids ages 6-18, and children 5 and under get in free.
For more information, visit www.parkcitykimballartsfestival.org.
Email: hbowler@desnews.com