Juried by professional artists and arts administrators, the Utah Arts Festival (uaf.org) showcases work of art from artists from all over the nation. The festival, which is typically held over a three-day period in the Salt Lake City suburb of Park City, traditionally takes place toward the end of each June. The festival features offerings from more than 150 visual artists, in addition to performances from over 100 performance arts groups. Culinary Arts are also displayed and judged according to creativity, taste and presentation.
Traditionally held for three days in the middle of March, the Scottsdale Arts Festival (scottsdaleperformingarts.org) is typically held in Arizona's Scottsdale Civic Center. The event features jury selected paintings, sculptures and drawings from more than 200 local, regional and national artists. The festival also features live musical performances from selected artists and fine food offerings from local culinary artists and chefs. An auction is held, in which art fans can bid to buy their favorite pieces.
Held in the streets of downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair (artfair.org) is traditionally held over a four-day period in late July. The festival hosts more than 1,000 artists exhibits, displaying classical and contemporary works of art. The festival has been held in Ann Arbor for more than 50 years. All works of art are judged by professional arts judges, and awards are presented to artists based on creativity and presentation. Food vendors, live music and street performers are also on hand.
Customarily held in the heart of downtown Des Moines, Iowa, the Des Moines Arts Festival (desmoinesartsfestival.org) is usually held toward the end of June. The three-day event features artists from all over the nation and is open to the public free of charge. In addition to paintings, sculptures and other visual arts presentations, the festival offers interactive art related activities, live musical performances and street performers. Food is also available for purchase, courtesy of local chefs and culinary artists.