OCR Text |
Show Never too grown-up for a festival . j -r photo by NAN CHALAT - - SYOUCANSEE by the cranes and catwalks, Park City , is growing up. But there are some Li Vl things it hasn't SiHMMi grown out of, and we hope it never does. It is still a place where locals yell hello at each other across Main Street, where visitors come to share the small town atmosphere and where the City Council can close Main Street for the weekend so everyone can have a good time. When we get too grown up for Art Festivals we'll know we are in trouble. The Park City Art Festival is like a two-day mardi gras. Everything else in town is beside the point. There is an attempt at-tempt by some at business-as-usual and some residents try to pretend it is a great inconvenience to their normal routines. But by Saturday afternoon everyone is swept into the spirit. Residents swagger down Main Street as if the Art Festival was a private party and they were the hosts. Merchants welcome the crowds with open arms. The musicians get stoked on the size of the crowd and the artists know it is really a show in their honor. By late Saturday afternoon it is almost overwhelming. Festival first-timers wonder where to begin and even old hands shake their heads in wonderment before plunging into the celebration. With good reason. There is a lot to see, and never enough time to feel that you've seen it all. Oh well, a person does his best and at the Art Festival it's hard to go wrong. First, map out a strategy for taking in the artists' booths, fabricate a motive (the search for a birthday present for a distant relative is good enough) then pick one side of the street or the other and head uphill. Don't be afraid of the crowd, they are part of the show, too. The proximity of all that art seems to bring out original flourishes in everyone and they are fun to watch. Next, prepare to abandon the plan whenever something catches your eye. Stop frequently for lemonade, talk to the artists and listen to the music. Don't be shy. And don't be reasonable. When considering a purchase never ask yourself your-self "Do I really need this?" The answer is obviously no. But this isn't the grocery store. The appropriate question is: "Will I hate myself forever if I don't buy this?" I think you know the answer. Go for it. -NC |