Social innovators, local farmers and a musical variety of more than 60 bands will culminate in downtown Salt Lake City at the Green City Music Festival on Sept. 26 and 27.
More than 700 people attended the event last year, a test run to bring the Green City Festival to Utah. The numbers are expected to double this year with an increased variety of entertainment and a two-day extension.
“Fantasy Con is coming to do green scenery and provide Ewoks and Jabba the Hutt characters for a photo booth,” event coordinator Pablo Blaqk said. “The 2,000 people we expect could be exceeded because of how big Fantasy Con’s name is.”
However, the large amount of musical talent at the event will perhaps draw the majority of the crowd. Some Provo locals, like Luna Lune, Coral Bones and Kenzi Hall will be found among the vast selection of bands showcased. Bands will have the chance to interact and make contacts, progressing within the music world.
“I am excited to get my music in their minds and get feedback,” Hall said.
International designer Shelly Huyn will also put on a runway show consisting completely of couture floral dresses and accompanied by the music of Coral Bones. As Huyn struggled to find a sound to match her show, she found Coral Bones’ song “Weathervane” and contacted the band to play at the festival.
“She fell in love with it,” said Chris Bennion, lead singer of Coral Bones. “She said it perfectly represented what she was trying to say in the show.”
Other bands playing throughout the night will be split onto two stages and playing at the same time in the Impact Hub pop-up venue. Amid the local talent, there will be creative innovation projects like solar cell phone chargers and a self-sustaining greenhouse housed inside of a school bus. The musical artists will be broken up with aerial art and keynote speakers discussing modern issues like social justice and clean air. Altogether this mishmash of activity will pull in most of the Salt Lake community, but the purpose of the event is not to draw people in.
“It’s all about diversity,” Blaqk said.
Blaqk said the last music festival held in Utah was five years ago and was shut down by the city. The festival gives innovators a chance to share progressive ideas and people from all backgrounds the opportunity to come together and learn from one another.
“People don’t have to agree on other aspects of life to agree that music is beautiful,” Bennion said.
The opening night and sponsor private party will be held Friday Sept. 26, from 4 p.m. to 2 p.m., and the main event will dominate the bulk of Saturday from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Tickets cost $13.00 for a day pass and $22.00 for a two-day pass but will bump to $15.00 and $25.00 the week before the event.
