Fans of the Ogden Arts Festival can have more fun this year.
"We've had a lot of requests from artists to have a multiple-day festival," rather than the usual one-day affair, said Suzy Dailey, director of the event.
Those requests have been granted, on a part-time, experimental basis.
"We're going to have artists for a half-day on Friday," said Dailey. "We're testing it out this year."
Artist booths open at 3 p.m. Friday, June 8, at Ogden's Union Station, with paintings, photos, sculptures and other works on display until 9 p.m. that day. The festival continues 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 9, with additional booths, live music and activities spreading east from Union Station along Historic 25th Street.
Most activities are free.
More than 60 visual artists participate in the festival; 20 will be on Union Station's plaza the first day of the event, showing their work in booths.
"Taste of Downtown," offering samples from local restaurants, runs from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. June 8 in Union Station. Tickets cost $10; last year's event sold out.
"We've added 100 tickets to Taste of Downtown," said Dailey, although she still recommends buying tickets in advance. Tickets can be purchased through the Ogden Arts Festival website, www.ogdenartsfestival.com, or at Union Station.
Participating Ogden restaurants include Rovali's Ristorante Italiano, Tona Sushi Bar and Grill, Two Bit Street Cafe, Roosters, Union Grill, MacCool's Public House, Jasoh! and Crowley Gallery and Cafe.
While tasting the town, festival-goers can check out the Plein Air Exhibit and Silent Auction. The featured works are paintings of outdoor scenes in Ogden, created between June 1, and Tuesday, June 5.
The Art Truck, with a traveling exhibit from the Utah Museum of Contemporary Art in Salt Lake City, will be parked at the station during the evening.
The main event
Art booths reopen at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 9, at Union Station and along Historic 25th Street.
"We have a lot of new entries this year, which is exciting," said Dailey. "We have tried to continually up the level of workmanship and quality."
Many of the artists are from Utah, but others come from as far away as the West Coast to sell everything from handmade jewelry to furniture made from old wine barrels.
The Art Truck returns for the second day of the festival, as does the plein-air exhibit and auction, a quick-draw exhibition and sale, live music on two stages, films from the Foursite Film Festival and kids activities.
The festival has a food court, and a beer and wine garden, with offerings from local restaurants.
The festival will be held rain or shine, with everyone moving into Union Station if the weather's bad.
For more information, visit www.ogdenartsfestival.com.