Ogden is rounding up the best in the West -- of art, artifacts and people -- for July's First Friday Art Stroll.
The art stroll starts at 6 p.m. July 6 in downtown Ogden. Galleries and shops will be open late, welcoming visitors who stop by to see the new exhibits. Most of the participating galleries and shops are along Historic 25th Street, from Wall to Jefferson avenues, making it possible to stroll from one exhibit to the next.
Many of the galleries stay open until 9 p.m. and offer the opportunity to meet the artists who created the works on display. Some provide live music and light refreshments.
Admission is free.
For more information about the stroll, call 801-393-3866.
* Gallery 51, inside Ogden's Union Station, is the place to see this year's "Traces of the West" art exhibit and get a sneak peek at the future Utah Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.
"The state of Utah gave Ogden Pioneer Days a grant to establish a Utah Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum," said Susie Van Hooser, chairwoman for the museum. "We're looking for funding for a permanent location, that we would hopefully be able to man year-round."
For now, a preview exhibit opens July 6 and continues through the month in conjunction with Ogden's Pioneer Days celebration. Many items on display are from past Pioneer Days events, such as Western vests and scarves, banners, posters and flags. Susan Merrill Agricola, the first Miss Rodeo America from Utah, is lending her saddle and tack.
The exhibit also includes a buggy currently owned by Weber County artist Jerry Hancock.
"It was originally owned, we understand, by a doctor in North Ogden who used it to make house calls," said Ginny Stout, director of Ogden City Art.
Stout is coordinating the "Traces of the West" art show. The exhibit of Western-themed art has everything from a modern collage by Steve Stones, to traditional Western landscapes and portraits by other local artists including Jerry Hancock, Keith Dagley, Kris Wilson and Roberta Glidden.
"Traces of the West" is a competitive exhibit; first prize in the master's division is $1,500. First place in "Paint Yer Cowboy Boot Boogie," a companion show featuring artistically painted footwear, is $500.
All of the exhibits open with a joint reception at 6 p.m. July 6. Awards for the art competitions will be announced during the reception, and the Utah Cowboy and Western Living Museum will present its first Hall of Fame inductees.
"We're honoring men and women whose lives have exemplified the independence and resilience of the people who settled Utah," said Van Hooser.
After the announcement of the Hall of Fame inductees, there will be a performance by country singer Charley Jenkins and his band Haywire. The reception and concert also mark the beginning of the annual Trail to Pioneer Days exhibit, with life-sized painted horse sculptures scattered around Ogden's downtown.
Reception, 6-8 p.m. Friday, July 6, at 2501 Wall Ave., Ogden. The exhibits continue 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, through July 31. 801-393-9890. Free.
* Gallery at the Station, also in Ogden's Union Station, is showing artwork by Susan Gallacher of Salt Lake City, and photos by Weber County residents Steven and Camille Cain. Gallacher is known best for painting Utah's landscape. The Cains take photos as they travel to exotic places around the world.
Reception, 6-8 p.m. Friday, July 6, at 2501 Wall Ave., Ogden. The exhibit continues 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, through July 31. 801-393-9890. Free.
* Ogden Arts is showing off the winning entry in this year's Historic 25th Street Farmers & Art Market poster contest.
Reception, 6-9 p.m. Friday, July 6, in the street-level suites at 2484 Washington Blvd., Ogden. The show continues 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, through July. 801-393-3866. Free.
* Eccles Community Art Center opens its 38th Annual Statewide Competition during the First Friday Art Stroll. The competition fills the historic home, while an exhibit by Ogden's Call family opens in the center's Carriage House Gallery.
The Annual Statewide Competition includes art in all mediums except photography.
Robert Call, who taught art in the Weber School District for 32 years, works primarily in oils and watercolors. He's sharing the gallery space with his sons, Brett and David Call.
Reception, 5-9 p.m. Friday, July 6. The show continues 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays, through Sept. 1, at 2580 Jefferson Ave., Ogden. 801-392-6935. Free.