St. George shows its artistic side with annual festival

The 44th annual St. George Art Festival could be the biggest one yet.

The two-day event, which features artists, musicians, vendors and a full schedule of events over two days each spring, makes its return April 7-8 at the city's Historic Town Square park downtown.

A major addition this year should be the headline concert scheduled for the evening of April 7, with the Spazmatics, a high-energy '80s tribute band, set to perform on a main stage with their signature skinny ties, Bryllcreemed hair and horn-rimmed glasses.

"The City is so excited to have this amazing band performing at the St George Art Festival — it is a huge addition to the festivities," said Rebecca Densley, the city's community art and events coordinator. "We look forward to having the whole community out there and having fun."

Started in 1980, when the city's population was a little over 13,000 — it's closer to 100,000 today — the festival has grown into one of the largest single-weekend arts events in southern Utah, drawing more than 100 artists and an estimated 30,000 visitors each year.

A family-friendly event held adjacent to the city-run carousel and a popular water play area, it features dozens of artists' booths, ongoing live entertainment, food offerings and a dedicated section for kids.

Organizers said they hope the Spazmatics concert helps add a new element this year.

"This is music for every generation to enjoy and dance to," said Jeremy Poston, the city's technical theater coordinator. "It sets the tone of the Art Festival as upbeat, energetic and fun for the whole family."

The festival is slated to go from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, with the concert at 6 p.m. On Saturday, it runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit sgartfestival.com.

This article originally appeared on St. George Spectrum & Daily News: St. George Art Festival to feature main concert, family-friendly fun