2nd Urban Adventure Festival promises more excitement, less rain

2nd Urban Adventure Festival promises more excitement, less rain

OGDEN — The Urban Adventure Festival is back for a second year, and organizers expect this year’s event at The Junction to be a little less, well, soggy.

Danielle Collier, marketing and communications coordinator for Ogden Downtown Alliance, said last year’s inaugural festival ended up being a little wet.

“Last year it did rain,” she said. “So we’re excited this year because it’s supposed to be good weather — knock on wood.”

This year’s festival begins at noon Saturday, May 4, and continues through 8 p.m. at The Junction, at 23rd Street and Kiesel Avenue. Adventure-themed activities and food vendors will mix with an urban arts demonstration, outdoor yoga classes and live music by local artists. Admission is free.

Collier says the festival was born out of the idea that businesses in The Junction were hoping for a little more love from her organization, which acts as a liaison between business owners, the community and city government. She said the alliance manages four district associations in the city’s central business corridor: Historic 25th Street, The Junction, Washington Boulevard, and Nine Rails Creative District

“The businesses in The Junction said, ‘You do all these street festivals for other places like 25th Street, we want one of our own,’” Collier said. “So we got to thinking, ‘What would that look like?’”

The Junction’s theme is “Where Adventure Meets Downtown”; Collier said urban adventure seemed like the perfect idea for a festival.

Businesses from The Junction and the surrounding area — as well as community organizations — will offer booths at the festival.

“The thing we’ve asked them all to do is have some kind of interactive adventure-themed activity that has to do with their business,” Collier said.

This year’s festival will bring more of a focus on urban arts, according to Collier. Local artist Richard Ramos will be spray painting a work of art throughout the festival, Collier said it’s being done as a tribute to a friend who passed away.

Music will include Nicholas Garn taking the stage at noon, followed by Caleb Wendt and The Canvas at 1 p.m., Silence the Critic at 2:20 p.m., Nuthin Special at 4:20 p.m., and Morgan and the Mountain at 6:20 p.m.

The Swift Fix Mobile Bike Shop will offer free safety checks, gear adjustments and a bike valet.

“We want to encourage people to ride their bikes down here to the festival,” Collier said.

A number of food vendors will be on hand, and an art poster contest and display will depict artists’ views of The Junction and its adventure theme.

Free outdoor yoga classes will also be offered during the festival.

Collier said The Junction ends up being a nice place for a street festival. They’ll close of Kiesel Avenue at 24th Street, as well as the intersection at Kiesel and 23rd Street, and it makes for a nice open area for booths, activities and a stage for musical artists.

Collier said there’s a lot going on in downtown Ogden during the month of May — including the 150th anniversary of the driving of the golden spike — but she thinks the Urban Adventure Festival really stands apart.

“In downtown Ogden we’re so lucky to be where we’re located,” she said. “We’re just feet from the mountains and the trails and crazy outdoor adventures, and then you can come downtown and enjoy a growing business area. The idea of merging the two just makes sense.”

For more information on the festival, visit www.facebook.com/thejunctionogden or call 385-389-1411.

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