The Utah Arts Festival will open it[s gates for its 33nd time next week. What started out as the Salt Lake Festival of the Arts for three days in June of 1976 featuring 55 visual artists, 43 performing arts groups and 8 food artists on a three block section of Main Street has blossomed into a 4 day event, featuring 130+ visual artists, 100+ performing arts groups, 18+ culinary artists and drawing 80,000 patrons each June at Library and Washington Squares.

In the late 1800’s a number of resorts sprang up along the shores of the Great Salt Lake. Saltair was one, and another was the original Lagoon, named Lake Park. It was “one of the most attractive watering places in the West,” having opened on July 15, 1886. It featured an open-air dancing pavilion with delicately-carved lattice-work and archways.