Christie Porter has worked as a journalist for nearly a decade, writing about everything under the sun, but she really loves writing about nerdy things and the weird stuff. She recently published her first comic book short this year.
The group Save the Utah Pantages revealed their counter proposal to Salt Lake City’s plan to demolish a 100-year-old theater in downtown. Earlier this month, Save the Utah Pantages promised proof-of-concept of their vision for the Utah Pantages Theater, and Friday the group released its vision of a restored theater.
The decrepit lobby of the Utah Theater in 2020. Photo by Owen Butler, courtesy J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah via Pantages Theatre Archive.
But is it too late? The Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City, which owns the property, has an existing deal with The Hines Group and The LaSalle Group. The developers propose demolishing the existing theater and adjacent retail shops to build a 31-story high-rise apartment building. The RDA contract sells the property to the groups for the sum of $0 in exchange for a downtown public park, a public walkway and affordable housing.
To the RDA board, while they’re still hammering out some of the details, this is a done deal. When Save the Utah Pantages previously offered to buy the property to restore it, the city responded, “The RDA is under contract with another entity for the purchase of the property and is conducting due diligence accordingly, thus we will not answer any questions about our current agreement or obligations.”
The unassuming exterior of the Utah Theater in 2020. Photo by Libby Haslam, courtesy J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah via Pantages Theatre Archive.
Save the Utah Pantages hopes to thwart the high-rise deal by gathering enough signatures for a voter initiative. If the group succeeds, come election season, Salt Lake Residents could make the ultimate decision. But what’s to stop the redevelopment plan from moving forward, and demolishing the theater, in the meantime? It’s unclear exactly how the new proposition could impact the sale, if at all. Still, the effort persists.
On Thursday, Salt Lake City officially posted the Proposition Information Pamphlet—the first of Save the Utah Pantages’ initiative plans. However, the same day the required signatures (all 8,000 of them) would have been due to the city.
To push the deadline, Save the Utah Pantages decided to resubmit their proposition, which would give them another full year to solicit signatures (an April 15, 2022 deadline).
Save the Utah Pantages’ vision for a restored Utah Theater. Rendering by Bowen Studios.
“We’ve beefed up the initiative as well,” said Michael Valentine, founder of Save the Utah Pantages. This revised restoration plan includes not only bringing the building up to code and modern safety standards but creating a downtown historic theater district—along with the Capitol Theatre—to protect the sites from future demolition (unless they are “irreparably damaged by earthquake and/or catastrophic fire in addition to all other standards for demolition of a Landmark Site”).
Artist rendering of Hines’ 150 S. Main St. redevelopment plan to replace the Utah Pantages Theater
The RDA has continued with the plan to redevelop the property. The Salt Lake City RDA deal with Hines and LaSalle would add to the skyline one of the tallest buildings the city has ever seen. It would house 400 apartment units, including 40 affordable units.
You can read more about the current plan to redevelop the 150 S. block of Main St. and the history of the Utah Pantages Theater in Salt Lake magazine’s previous story on the deal, Is It Too Late to Stop Demolition of Historic Utah Theater?
The public comment period for the redevelopment project will remain open until April 26.
When 23-year-old Breana Landon woke up at the end of March with body aches and vomiting, she thought she had the flu. “I was very surprised when I went to the doctor,” she said. “The doctor came in, came right up and hugged me, and I just knew,” said Landon. She had tested positive for COVID-19.
Landon, a front-line healthcare worker, was fully vaccinated for COVID-19 at the time—it had been more than two weeks since her second shot of the vaccine. As an insurance coordinator at Copperview Medical Center, Landon was tapped early in the pandemic to assist in COVID-19 testing. She had already tested positive for the virus once before, back in October. “I was scared,” she said. “The first time hit me pretty hard. I got super sick, and it ended up developing into pneumonia.”
It’s rare for someone to test positive for COVID-19 after they were fully vaccinated. As of Wednesday, Utah has recorded 163 breakthrough cases out of 699,517 people who are fully vaccinated, according to the state health department. That makes the rate of breakthrough cases just 0.02%.
Dr. Emily Spivak, an infectious disease physician with University of Utah Health, takes some issue with the term “breakthrough” case. “Breakthrough implies we don’t expect it to happen,” she said. “But we do—just at a very, very low frequency.”
While people might be quick to infer the opposite, the rare possibility of breakthrough cases is all the more reason to get the vaccine. “These vaccines prevent severe disease and hospitalizations,” said Spivak. “To turn this pandemic from everyone scared for their life to… just the small possibility that you may get it, but, if you do, there’s almost zero chance you’ll get hospitalized. That’s really amazing.”
“We should look at the strengths of the vaccines. The vaccine still makes a deadly disease less serious.”
Dr. Emily Spivak, University of Utah Health
The mRNA vaccines have efficacy rates of about 95%. “You would expect, if you have a population who has been fully vaccinated, 5% could still get COVID” said Spivak, but the real-world data has put the effective rate of breakthrough cases much lower.
Data recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed the impact of early vaccination on healthcare workers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UTSW). According to the report, the launch of the vaccination effort on Dec. 15 came as the number of infections was rapidly escalating in Texas.
Between Dec. 15, 2020, and Jan. 28, 2021, 350 of the 23,234 (1.5%) employees who were eligible to receive the vaccine tested positive for COVID-19. The majority (234) of those people had not yet been vaccinated. 112 were partially vaccinated. Only four people who had been fully vaccinated tested positive for the virus, representing 0.05% of the fully vaccinated employees.
“Real-world experience with SARS-CoV-2 vaccination at UTSW has shown a marked reduction in the incidence of infections among employees,” said the authors of the report. “This decrease has preserved the workforce when it was most needed.”
Another report, also published in the New England Journal this past March, showed similar results at two university health systems in California. The University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) both started testing asymptomatic employees after they launched their respective vaccination programs in December. The area was also experiencing a surge in COVID cases at the time.
From Dec. 16, 2020, through Feb. 9, 2021, only eight health care workers tested positive eight to 14 days after the second vaccination, and seven tested positive 15 or more days after the second shot. Once again, this put the COVID-19 positivity rate among the fully vaccinated at 0.05%.
A few things could put someone more at risk of contracting COVID-19 even after they are fully vaccinated. “It’s often people who are immunocompromised,” said Dr. Spivak. “Older people also have less robust neutralizing antibody reactions to these vaccines, but we knew they can be less effective as we age.”
Even so, Dr. Spivak emphasized breakthrough cases are still rare. This remains true despite the introduction of new variant strains of the virus. “Everything we have talked about with the efficacy of the vaccine has held true for what we’ve seen in Utah,” said Spivak. “Vaccinated people are still getting infected, but the rate is less than 1%.” If we do see an uptick in breakthrough cases, “It’s going to be a multitude of factors, not just the variants spreading more,” said Spivak. She said the removal of the mask mandate and an increase in COVID-19 cases overall could be potential factors.
“We should look at the strengths of the vaccines, not this very small weakness,” said Spivak of breakthrough cases. “And this weakness is not even a weakness. The vaccine still makes a deadly disease less serious.”
“I’m hopeful that people will get the vaccine and still continue to wear their masks. Without mass vaccination, this isn’t going to go away any time soon.”
Breana landon, front-line health care worker
When she tested positive for the virus after the vaccine, Landon said it was far less serious than the first time she had COVID, but she had to recover from the emotional side effects as well. “It was almost like a punch in the face,” she said. “All of the front-line workers are doing everything we can to get vaccines and run these tests for all these sick patients. It’s so discouraging—knowing I’m doing what I’m supposed to do and I still got it again.”
All that said, Landon does not see her experience—or any breakthrough case—as an excuse to stop doing “what we’re supposed to do.”
“I’m hopeful that people will get the vaccine and still continue to wear their masks because you can still catch the virus,” said Landon. “Without mass vaccination, this isn’t going to go away any time soon.”
Medical experts like Dr. Spivak have been saying that all along. “If everybody took them [vaccines], it would really halt community transmission to the point of going back to normal life,” said Dr. Spivak. “If not enough people take them, we’ll always have a vulnerable population and masks forever.”
It’s a message Landon has internalized through her experience. “I am still highly pro-vaccine,” said Landon “But I do think it has changed my outlook on it. It’s not ‘oh, you just get it and you’re good to go.’ It takes a lot of people getting the vaccine for it to work.”
Now, Landon is feeling much better. The Utah Health Department cleared her to return to work on Tuesday.
One of the first things I do when spring takes a firm hold on the weather is stroll into my favorite neighborhood bar, stake out a sunny spot on the patio and take my time with a cocktail. Patio dining (and drinking) is one of life’s simple pleasures that still feels like a luxury. It’s easy, accessible perfection. The only decision-making required is determining where to go and what to drink. I’ve taken care of that first part for you. Here are some of Salt Lake City’s bar and restaurant patios you can’t miss.
Campfire Lounge
This place is a Sugar House staple for a reason. Stop off in the evening while walking your dog, and don’t worry if there’s a chill in the air—that’s what the firepit’s for. The casual, outdoor space is meant for drinking beer to wash down a deep-fried treat from the snack menu. Patio: Heated, partial cover 21+ establishment 837 E. 2100 South, campfirelounge.com
The Cotton Bottom
After undergoing a remodel and revamp last year, the Cotton Bottom’s patio is open and ready for spring. Do yourself a favor and sit outside while one of their garlic burgers keeps you company. Patio: Uncovered, ~50 seating capacity 2820 E. 6200 South, thecottonbottom.com
Eva Restaurant
Photo courtesy of Eva Restaurant
When you get there, walk right through the interior to the hidden patio out back. It’s nestled right in between the surrounding buildings. The space is pretty hip and definitely cooler than us, and we can only hope some of that cool will rub off. Patio: Covered (covering removed around Mother’s Day) 317 S. Main St., evaslc.com
Handle Bar
Photo courtesy of Handle Bar
Despite the name, I have it on good authority they’ll let you in even without a bicycle. A good thing, too, because it’s a chill place to kick back with a beer after a long ride or no. Your dog can come, too! Patio: Covered, heated, open year-round, ~50 seating capacity 21+ establishment 751 N. 300 West, handlebarslc.com
Ice Haus
Photo courtesy of Ice Haus
You’ll make fast friends hanging out on Ice Haus’s patio with German Biergarten vibes. Share a beer and a bratwurst with your new bestie (vegan options available) or find a corner to yourself: there’s plenty of room. Patio: Covered, heated, open year-round, ~80 seating capacity plus plenty of standing room 21+ establishment 7 E. 4800 South, icehausbar.com
Kimi’s Chop Shop and Oyster House
One of Sugar House’s finest outdoor dining experiences is about to get even finer. This April, Kimi plans to open up an extended patio for large parties and events. You also can’t beat the original patio when it comes to people-watching along the bustling Highland Drive. Front Patio: Firepit, awnings, 30-40 seating capacity Extended Patio: shaded, 1,600 square feet, 60-80 seating capacity 2155 S. Highland Dr., kimishouse.com
Level Crossing Brewery
If you want to get away from downtown but still want some good food and brews, I have some good news for you: another dog-friendly patio that’s covered and heated in the winter but opens wide when it’s warm. They throw open the garage doors when the weather’s nice, basically turning the whole place into a patio. Patio: Covered, heated, ~70 seating capacity live music on Fridays and Saturday 2496 S. West Temple, levelcrossingbrewing.com
Two patios give you double the chance for primo seating. The flowers and foliage make for a lovely atmosphere, whether you’re drinking coffee, tea or a few glasses of wine. Oasis Cafe just opened up the second patio in early April, which is about half the size of the first. Patio: Covered, heated, open-year round Secondary Patio: Uncovered, weather permitting 151 S. 500 East, oasiscafeslc.com
Piper Down
Piper Down’s rooftop patio. Photo courtesy of Piper Down
Another establishment that has recently expanded its outdoor drinking and dining potential, Piper Down has two patios: one out back and one on the roof, with outdoor bars to boot. The raucous Irish pub is now the perfect place to take the party outside. Back Patio: Covered, heated, open year-round,~ 20 seating capacity Rooftop patio: Uncovered, weather-permitting, ~30 seating capacity 21+ establishment 1492 S. State St., piperdownpub.com
Sapa
Photo courtesy of Sapa Bar and Grill
A sophisticated Japanese restaurant with a beautiful courtyard and full bar. The traditional architecture is stunning and provides plenty of eye candy while sipping on a cocktail or enjoying some exceptional sushi. Restaurant Patio: Covered and uncovered tables, ~100 seating capacity, opens May 3 722 S. State St., sapabarandgrill.com
VENETO
A table in VENETO’s backyard patio. Courtesy VENETO
If you’re looking to elevate your patio experience, transport yourself to Northern Italy through the offering of authentic Italian wine and food at VENETO. The family-run establishment (and 2019 Dining Award winner), well-versed in curating personalized dining experiences, recently opened two outdoor spaces for you to enjoy: a small patio facing 900 South and a larger, more intimate backyard patio underneath a pergola strung with warm, twinkling lights. Patio: partially covered, heated 370 E. 900 South, venetoslc.com
For more than 100 years, the Utah Pantages Theatre has stood on Salt Lake City’s 100 South block of Main Street—no longer a city block, but a chopping block for the now “Utah Theater” and neighboring local businesses.
This particular axe will likely take the form of a deal between the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City, which owns the land, The Hines Group and The LaSalle Group. On the theater’s resting place, the developers propose building a 31-story glass monolith—another tower of high-rise apartments—which would cannibalize some of the theater’s historic remains for its design as a way of preserving them.
The deal is all but done, and those who wish to preserve the Utah Theater in its entirety are fighting for a stay of execution. The non-profit Save the Utah Pantages Cinematic Theatre, which has spearheaded the effort, said Wednesday that some high-profile Utah film groups and organizations will join the fight to save the theater and support the nonprofit’s working plan to renovate and reopen it as a functioning movie theater and film hub.
The unassuming exterior of the Utah Theater in 2020. Photo by Libby Haslam, courtesy J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah via Pantages Theatre Archive.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Salt Lake City was emphatic: the city can not entertain any offers on the property because the RDA is already under contract to sell it to Hines and LaSalle. The city’s statement said, “The RDA is under contract with another entity for the purchase of the property and is conducting due diligence accordingly, thus we will not answer any questions about our current agreement or obligations.”
The result is something of a skirmish for the soul of downtown Salt Lake City. The reality stands that Utah and its capital city must increase the supply of available units to stem an ever-worsening housing crisis, but what parts of our past are we willing to sacrifice for a few hundred more apartments? Or, is the infamous theater impossible to feasibly restore, as the RDA claims, and best left to history?
The Utah Theater’s Sordid History
With chipped paint, crumbling columns and collapsed ceilings, the Utah Theater wears every day of its 100 years. The stories and images of the historic building are digitally preserved in the Pantages Theatre Archive. It opened its doors in 1921, the brainchild of Alexander Pantages, a Greek immigrant and a mogul of the vaudeville theater circuit. Pantages built his theater in a style of Greek and Roman revival, and, much like the mythological figures of the civilizations that inspired it, the Pantages Theatre appeared doomed to tragedy.
An overall view of the gutted Utah Theater auditorium in 2020. Photo by Owen Butler, courtesy J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah via Pantages Theatre Archive.
After a decade of operation, the Pantages family reaped scandal upon scandal to rival the subject of any Greek tragedy. Pantages was charged in court for allegedly sexually assaulting a 17-year-old. A month later, Lois Pantages, his wife, killed a man in a drunk driving incident. Following the 1929 stock market crash, Pantages sold off his theaters. From there, the Utah Theater would change hands and names many times.
It became the Radio Keith-Orpheum Theatre then the Utah R.K.O. Pantages Theatre and underwent decades of closures and renovations and reopenings, eventually falling into disrepair, and finally closing around 1988, before it was acquired by the Redevelopment Agency of Salt Lake City (RDA) in early 2010.
The Utah Theater foyer in 2020. Photo by Ricci Anderson, courtesy J. Willard Marriott Library, University of Utah via Pantages Theatre Archive.
The RDA admits the original plan was to restore and reopen the theater. That seemed to remain the plan at least through 2016, when the city adopted its Downtown Master Plan, listing the intention to “repurpose the Utah Theater as a cultural facility and activity generator.”
The intrigue surrounding the theater only deepened in 2019, when the RDA voted to sell the parcel of land (and the theater and other buildings on it) for redevelopment to two companies for the sum of $0. “I was shocked,” said Michael Valentine, a local filmmaker and founder of Save the Utah Pantages Cinematic Theatre. “We always thought it was going to be restored.” Valentine has been trying to save the theater ever since.
In March of this year, the group launched an effort to get the fate of the Utah Theater on the ballot to “make sure the public has a say in what happens to a public building on public lands purchased with taxpayer money,” said Valentine.
The spokesperson for Salt Lake City said that the attempt to get the issue on the ballot is still in progress with some hurdles yet to clear, such as gathering the requisite number of signatures. “Utah law specifically gives the people co-equal power with the legislative body to initiate a law, and the next step for the proposers is to collect signatures by April 15,” said the statement from the City.
Members of the RDA argued that restoration of the theater was not feasible, citing a $60-million price tag and structural, seismic and code compliance issues. Valentine countered with the renovation of the Tacoma Pantages Theatre as a possible example to follow, which is currently an active, functioning venue. Alternatively, reporting by the Utah Investigative Journalism Project for Utah Stories suggests that some well-placed campaign donations may have influenced the decision to redevelop the land.
Save the Utah Pantages Cinematic Theatre has also offered to purchase the theater from the city and revitalize it themselves. The group has grown to include not just filmmakers and movie lovers but teams of architects, construction workers and lawyers—everything they need to make the theater “profitable, sustainable, and protected,” said Valentine.
150 S. Main St. redevelopment area in orange and existing Hines property in purple.
Their dream for the Utah Theater involves opening it as a 70mm film-viewing experience that would also become home to film educational resources and local film festivals. A “cinema paradise,” said Valentine, who promised proof of concept in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, the RDA continues to move forward with the plan to sell the property for redevelopment. The current plan requires the demolition of the Utah Theater and would also displace a handful of local businesses like Twisted Roots, which has been in its current location for ten years.
The Plan for the Utah Theater
Artist rendering of Hines’ 150 S. Main St. redevelopment plan
Should the Salt Lake City RDA finalize the deal with Hines and LaSalle, the two would add one of the tallest skyscrapers the city has ever seen to its rapidly changing skyline. The plan for the 392-foot, 31-story high-rise apartment building features:
400 apartment units
40 “affordable” apartment units
355 units at “market rate”
5 penthouse-level housing units
8,400 square feet of retail space on the ground floor
A mid-block walkway
A park on top of a separate parking structure in the rear
Incorporated architectural elements recovered from the Utah Theater
Rendering of Hines’ 150 S. Main St. redevelopment plan with public greenspace
In exchange for that $0 sale price, the city receives a promise of affordable units, public access and the companies’ maintaining the walkway and green space.
While the deal recently cleared another hurdle at the last RDA board meeting in late March, the public comment period for the project will remain open until April 26. According to the RDA’s web page, the best way to submit comments or questions about the project is to “contact the staff planner via email or leave a voicemail.”
The RDA also has an upcoming public meeting on Tuesday, April 13 at 2 p.m. The RDA is holding all of its meetings electronically, and, if you wish to have a chance to speak, you need to register in advance.
Save the Utah Pantages Cinematic Theatre plans to attend the upcoming meeting. “The community is rallying around this,” said Valentine. “It’s not about politicians or Hines or LaSalle. It’s about saving the theater. It’s about the city and the future and making it a better place. We’re not going to give this up.”
While you’re here, check out our latest print issue of Salt Lake magazine.Click here to follow updates on Utah arts and entertainment.
One of Utah’s own Real Housewives is in real trouble. (And yes, it’s even more serious than a former friend saying you “smell like hospital.”) The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York has indicted Jennifer “Jen” Shah, best known for Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Shah (47) and her assistant, Stuart Smith (43), allegedly ran a nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme, in which they profited by generating lists of victims for co-conspirators to defraud. The “lead lists” contained names of “innocent individuals for other members of their scheme to repeatedly scam,” said Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss.
The alleged scheme began in 2012—spanning multiple states, including Arizona, Nevada, Utah and New York—and defrauded hundreds of people by selling those victims so-called “business services” for their purported online businesses. They allegedly sold the victims “tax preparation or website design services,” even though many of the victims were elderly and did not own a computer.
While Shah “portrays herself as a wealthy and successful businessperson on ‘reality’ television,” said Strauss, “in actual reality, the so-called business opportunities pushed on the victims by Shah, Smith and their co-conspirators were just fraudulent schemes, motivated by greed, to steal victims’ money.”
Even by Housewife standards, Shah lived a lavish lifestyle. On the show, she was known for decking herself out in designer brands, throwing decadent parties and her comically large roster of assistants, who ranged from life coaches to beauty consultants. Smith, who was featured in several episodes of the series and earned the nickname “Stu Chainz,” was frequently seen by Shah’s side. Despite her obvious wealth, the details of Shah’s businesses were often unclear, inspiring tongue-in-cheek speculation from many fans. Shah was even asked about her many assistants by host Andy Cohen during the first season’s reunion. With this indictment, we may finally understand what Jen’s job actually is.
Apparently, Shah’s business practices—and her opulent lifestyle—were allegedly built “at the expense of vulnerable, often elderly, working-class people,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent-in-Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh. Fitzhugh went on to say that multiple law enforcement and investigative bodies are working to “ensure that Shah and Smith will answer for their alleged crimes. As a result, their new ‘reality’ may very well turn out differently than they expected.”
Shah and Smith are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, targeting 10 or more persons over the age of 55. The charge comes with a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. They’re also charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. That has a maximum sentence of 20 years. The exact sentencing depends on conviction and will be determined by the judge.
Law enforcement arrested Shah and Smith in Utah on Tuesday, March 30, and the two were ordered to appear before a Salt Lake City federal court and United States Magistrate Judge Dustin Pead on the very same day. According to Shah’s Instagram stories, she was preparing for a vacation right before her arrest. Bravo is currently filming the second season of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, which means that the arrest may soon become a plot point on our reality television screens.
Restaurants and dining establishments everywhere are in a state of limbo, but many are taking a leap of faith and putting out “we’re hiring” and “help wanted” signs. More and more of us are scheduling our coronavirus vaccines and poking our heads out our front doors, making our own mid-transition plans for whatever post-pandemic life will look like. It’s no surprise the first new freedom many of us will gravitate toward is a good meal in our favorite fine-dining establishment.
“In the last month and a half, more people are feeling the need to get out of the house and go out to eat. Restaurants want to open up their plans and the patios and need more employees to do that,” says Michele Corigliano, executive director of the Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association.
While restaurants have seen a rise in business the last few months, she says, they’re struggling to find the staff to meet the increased demand. “If people stop into the restaurants near their homes and ask if they’re hiring, they’re going to find available positions,” says Corigliano.
Increased demand, without the necessary staffing, strains the quality of service a restaurant can provide. Even though they’re allowed to raise the number of available tables to their pre-COVID numbers, Corigliano says, many are choosing not to because they don’t have the cooks or servers to provide the level of service patrons expect.
“Taco Taco has been on limited hours, but we’re going to be opening back up, assuming we can find help,” says Joey Cannella, owner of Taco Taco and Cannella’s in Salt Lake City. “With just my current staff, everyone is working so hard, and we’re all hoping we can get other people in there just to make sure my staff isn’t going to burn out.”
Moudi Sbeity, the owner of Laziz Kitchen in Salt Lake City, says they plan on opening up their patio—that’s another 20 seats—in April, but right now, they are “In limbo.” He says, “We all panicked when COVID happened, but that wasn’t the scary part. I think, now, as the world comes back, we’re going to start realizing all the challenges that lay ahead of us.”
At the end of 2020, 110,000 U.S. dining and drinking establishments closed for business temporarily or for good, according to the National Restaurant Association. The industry closed out 2020 at nearly 2.5 million jobs below pre-COVID levels. And, at the peak of initial closures, the National Restaurant Association estimates up to 8 million employees were laid off or furloughed.
Restaurants now have the challenge of trying to get some of those employees back, and therein lies the rub. Some of those workers have simply moved on from the food service industry to explore other ventures. “Everyone in 2020 had an identity crisis, and we invested in ourselves. I did the same thing,” says Sbeity. “And now we’re like, ‘how do I put myself out there, I want to do something new?’ And the service industry took a large hit because many started their own companies or looked to other industries, and now we’re not left with enough people to meet the demand.”
Moudi Sbeity, owner of Laziz Kitchen
Another part of the problem—people looking for work might assume restaurants are not hiring, given the struggles they faced during the pandemic. “Not a lot of people know they can go out and get a job and that we are doing well,” says Sbeity.
Corigliano agrees there is an issue with visibility. Currently, there is not one reliable place to go and see all of the Salt Lake area restaurants that are hiring. Corigliano says they are trying to fix that by making the SLARA website “a central place just for restaurant employees,” and she expects to pack it with job listings in the next week.
Cannella says some of the businesses downtown have not seen the same kind of resurgence experienced in other Salt Lake City neighborhoods. “Downtown has definitely been hit way harder than anywhere else in the suburbs,” he says. “The City-County building is still closed, people haven’t been going to the library or the Leonardo…it’s been like a zombie apocalypse for the last year.”
“Before the pandemic, there were always people looking for an opportunity. We were in a good spot, building a really great staff, and a lot of those people were super sad to have us close down,” says Cannella. Now, he says he gets “ghosted” by potential employees more often than not. “They set up an interview and then I never hear from them again.”
Sbeity has experienced this trend as well. “And if you do post a job,” he says, “people are just not showing up. I had nobody show yesterday.”
“We’re just trying to find people to work in the kitchen:just to work anywhere, really.” Cannella points to a couple of possible reasons as to why hiring has been a slog: expanded unemployment benefits and fear of in-person work. “I don’t think anyone wants to work right now,” he says. He also worries that fear will persist longer as the statewide mask mandate is lifted on April 10, before the state can achieve widespread vaccination.
Corigliano, on the other hand, says the increased unemployment benefits are not necessarily part of the problem. Along with stimulus checks, they have spurred spending and some of the additional patronage restaurants and other businesses are seeing. “I think the solution is getting the word out for people looking for part-time work,” says Corigliano. “This is a great industry to be in. The skills you learn working in a restaurant are invaluable. You learn customer service, to think outside the box and think on your feet, and you learn to take care of people in a way that no other job can teach you.”
No matter what factors are causing the dearth of available workers, the general consensus seems to be that things in the dining biz cannot, and most likely will not, remain as they have always been.
Lebanese Bowl with Chicken Skewers from Laziz Kitchen
“Locally-owned restaurants have had a sort of identity crisis,” says Sbeity. “We need to rediscover our place in the community, and, in order to do that, we need support—not just with dollars but with hours.” Regaining that support might mean the industry significantly transforms the way it operates.
Restaurants are already dedicating more resources dedicated to takeout rather than dining in.
“During COVID, people got into the habit of getting takeout, and the takeout numbers are staying constant,” says Corigliano. “Before, it wasn’t a thing; now, you could see Salt Lake City transform into a place like New York City, where takeout is commonplace.”
Cannella’s, too, changed up its model to suit the times. The restaurant had to shut down its dining area last year, but for the last six months or so, they’ve served family meals for 8-10 people available for pick-up and takeout. Moving forward, Joey Cannella says, “I’m trying to work with other chefs and possibly do pop-ups and rent the space for weddings. We’ve got to change the business model for sure.”
“We’ll have to start rethinking how we treat our food service workers,” says Sbeity. “Where in the past, you could live on an hourly wage, maybe we need to have a radical shift in how we pay cooks or servers.” With fewer people dining in during the pandemic, Sbeity’s servers received fewer tips. To compensate, he says he raised their pay to $7.25/hour plus tips. (The minimum wage for tipped employees in Utah is $2.13/hour.) He’s considering setting servers’ base pay for $3.25/hour plus tips, but if they don’t make $15/hour that pay period, the restaurant covers the difference. “We know what we’re worth now,” says Sbeity.
Before the pandemic, Laziz Kitchen was renovating its backroom, but COVID halted that construction. In the future, Sbeity says, they’re hoping to finish the project and use it to expand their dining options and capacity.
In addition to opening up their Cannella’s space for events sometime around October, Joey Cannella hopes to get the hours at Taco Taco back to normal sooner rather than later. He says he is hopeful for things to start turning around in April and May. “We’re ready to help feed some folks.”
Until restaurants can settle into the “new normal” and fill open staff positions, patrons should expect a different dining experience as well. Sbeity asks people to “release your expectations. A lot of restaurants are understaffed. Your food might be a little late. They might forget some things. Be a bit more kind. Be compassionate.” And, if you can, “encourage your friends to go out and apply. You can walk into any restaurant and ask. They’re hiring.”
Taco Taco 208 East 500 South, SLC 801-428-2704 tacotacoslc.com
Cannella’s 801-355-8518
Laziz Kitchen 912 S. Jefferson St. SLC 801-441-1228 lazizkitchen.com
Symbolic odes to the honey bee are all over Utah. It’s on the state flag. Honey bees are the State Insect. It’s even in “Deseret,” a heavily saturated word that means “honey bee,” according to the doctrine of the state’s dominant religion, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Utah beekeeping associations are thousands of members strong. Utah’s obsessed with the honey bee.
Meanwhile, Utah suffered greater honey beehive losses in winter than any other state, according to the latest data (winter 2019–2020). Looking at the big picture, beekeepers across the United States lost 43.7% of their honey bee colonies from April 2019 to April 2020, according to surveys by the non-profit Bee Informed Partnership (BIP). This is the second-highest loss since the survey began in 2006. With losses up, and fewer productive hives, honey production was down in 2020. Oh also, a new report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) found honey production dropped 6% in 2020 from 2019.
Deseret Hive Supply sells flavored honey and honey-based products
“Our winters are not consistent—some have no snow, some see a ton of moisture—and that can make it hard to prepare,” said beekeeper Kyla Bachman, who helps run the family business Deseret Hive Supply in Ogden. “So Utah colony loss isn’t necessarily due to mites or poor management or anything like that. It can be due to the moisture and food availability and fluctuating winters.”
Utah beekeepers might also be reporting more than any other states, adds Kyla’s father-in-law Vic. “It might look somewhat artificially high compared to other states because every registered beekeeper here is really good about reporting,” he says. He started beekeeping before it was cool—popularized by various “save the bees” campaigns. (He flipped the messaging for his beekeeping supply store with the motto “save the humans.”)
Honey bee hive at Deseret Hive Supply, Ogden
Winter isn’t the only threat wiping out honey bee colonies. Beekeepers dread the varroa mite. “It’s actually the biggest threat that honey bees have ever had,” says Vic. “It’s what basically caused colony collapse disorder. [Varorra mites] appeared in about 2006 and started wiping out colonies worldwide.”
2019–2020 also saw the highest summer losses ever reported by the BIP survey, and the varroa mite is likely a big part of what’s driving that summertime colony loss.
“Basically, the varroa mite is to a honey bee what a tick is to us. It gets underneath their glands and eats the fat of the stomach of the honey bees,” says Kyla. The Bachmans keep a varroa mite model in their Ogden shop. The mites look like tiny red spots on the body of an otherwise healthy-looking honey bee. The varroa mite also spreads diseases and weakens the honey bee’s immune system.
Luckily, honey bees can bounce back even after heavy losses, as long as the keeper is left with one strong, healthy hive. “We can rebuild and build back up by splitting,” says Kyla. To split a hive, keepers take a portion of bees from one hive and put them in a new hive with a new queen bee. “We split one hive into two then three, and they propagate pretty quickly.”
In an effort to bolster local bee populations, the Utah State Legislature recently passed a bill that creates a three-year pollinator pilot program to support public education and outreach and fund the propagation of pollinator-friendly native plants.
Local honey bee populations also got a boost from the pandemic. “People were at home, didn’t have things to do, and they want to be self-sufficient,” says Vic. “And hobbyists help (the bee population) because they usually keep them in the backyard. They’re not shipping them all over the country to pollinate them.” Commercial beekeepers often ship colonies out of state to pollinate crops elsewhere.
In addition to licensed professional and commercial beekeepers, Vic says Utah is home to roughly 800 registered beekeeping hobbyists.
You Too Can Keep the Bees
Kyla started keeping her own honey bee hives six years ago. She started by taking the beekeeping classes Vic and his wife Anessa offer at their store. The introductory class breaks down all of the knowledge and supplies you’ll need to become a fledgling beekeeper. They also offer classes on managing the hives during winter and on harvesting honey—which is the goal, right?
Assortment of hive boxes at Deseret Hive Supply
That year, the store had an extra package leftover and gave it to Kyla. A package contains a few pounds of bees—about 10,000 of them—and a single mated queen bee. Those bees are then installed in a hive. Beginning beekeepers can get started with a single nucleus hive—a cardboard box with five frames inside that can be transferred to a permanent hive. There are also other ways of getting your first hive…
Kyla says she started small, but her operation didn’t stay that way for long. “I had one hive, and then we got a call from this house that was for sale, and they needed the bees removed from the house.” Kyla cut out the hive that had integrated into the home’s balcony and removed it, and it became her second hive.
That method isn’t recommended for beginners. “Cutouts are pretty difficult,” says Vic, who’s had to cut out hives as long as 12 feet. “We’ve had people cut through powerlines, water lines; when you’re cutting into people’s houses, you need to know what you’re doing.”
After those first two hives, Kyla couldn’t stop. This past year, she was up to 25 hives. “It’s addictive,” she says.
While some hobbyists have up to 100 hives, it’s not for everyone.
“You got to figure out whether it’s a hobby or it’s a job, you know?” says Vic. “So, I tell people to start out with a couple of hives. Don’t get to the point where it’s too busy and you don’t enjoy it anymore. Some people can handle five. Some people can handle two. Some can handle 20 or 30.”
A hobby is exactly how it started for Vic, as well. “I bought a couple of hives. I had no clue how to be a beekeeper. I just bought them, and I just basically fell in love with bees. I mean, they’re just amazing.”
But even in the Beehive State, he says there are still a lot of misconceptions people have about honey bees. One common misunderstanding is the idea that taking honey from the hive hurts the bees. “If you’re a good beekeeper, your hives should have an excess amount of honey,” says Kyla. A medium-sized hive could have more than 100 pounds of extra honey come October when keepers “put their bees to bed” for winter, leaving the bees plenty to eat until spring.
While people outside the beekeeping world worry about stings, Kyla considers beekeeping a safe enough hobby to introduce to her 4-year-old daughter. “She has a full beekeeping suit,” says Kyla. “She helps me hold the frames and helps me find the queens. She enjoys it. She’ll last about 20 minutes before she gets distracted.” (Pretty good for a 4-year-old.)
Beekeeping 4-year-old helps with mom’s Honey bee hives (Photo courtesy: Kyla Bachman, Deseret Hive Supply)
“We have a lot of young beekeepers,” says Vic. The youngest person to get started with their classes and their own hive was just 7 years old.
For aspiring beekeepers, now is the time to get started. “The bees arrive in April,” says Vic. “Just in time to take a few classes first.” But, be careful, it could become more than a hobby. “They’re easy to fall in love with.”
St. Patrick’s Day events were some of the first casualties of the pandemic—a wave of cancellations and optimistic postponements that bore the painful realization of our new reality. This year, The Hibernian Society of Utah announced it would have its annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade…in September. If you can’t wait that long to lose yourself in a frenzy of pipe music and beer (and who can fault you after this past year?), why not embrace the idea of celebrating two St. Patrick’s Days? One now and one on Sept. 25.
There is no shortage of places where you can get your fill of Irish fare and fete, from institutions of the Salt Lake City pub scene to the comfort of your own home (or somewhere in between).
The management of Piper Down Olde World Pub flies Irish flags year-round and keeps a countdown clock to St. Patrick’s Day, if that’s any indication of just how seriously the establishment takes this particular holiday. The celebration is usually a delightedly raucous affair, but this year the pub is promising the “CDC version” of its St. Patrick’s Day party. It’s usually one of the hottest tickets in town for would-be revelers, and the live music is scheduled to start at noon, so arrive promptly to stake your seats on the rooftop patio. Expect a selection of Irish whiskey, stout and comfort food—it’s hard to go wrong with anything prepared in Guinness. Masks are required for everyone. Cover: $10 per seat after Noon, $20 per seat after 5 p.m.
When the pandemic hit, Bewilder Brewing had only been open for three months and had to shut down before its first St. Patrick’s Day. This year, the brewery is hoping for redemption by promising an “authentic Irish food experience” featuring house-made black and white puddings, Irish sausage, stew, soda bread and, of course, a corned beef and cabbage sandwich (Bewilder’s recommended drink pairing: Golden Glitter Irish Lager or Barley Stout).
Shades Brewing released a new beer especially for St. Patrick’s Day. And, yes, it is green. The Shamrock Shake Cream Ale is brewed with “mint, cotton candy, vanilla and lactose.” They’re also serving up drink specials like the “Shamrock Shooter.” Shades’ taproom and to-go options open at 3 p.m., where they’ll be slinging the aforementioned green beers and $5 bowls of Irish stew.
Lucky 13 Bar and Grill, best-known for massive, mouth-watering burgers, is getting into the St. Patty’s Day spirit with the Lucky Irishman burger (paired with an Irish stout, of course) and specialty cocktails like the Irish Rose (a sweet pink whiskey drink), or go for brunch before 1 p.m. and get the corned beef hash.
Pat’s BBQ, likewise well-known for setting a high standard for BBQ, is serving up a St. Patrick’s Day special of smoked corned beef, cabbage, red potatoes and soda bread.
Yes, Feldman’s Deli is a Jewish deli, but, according to management, both “the Irish and Jews love their corned beef!” For St. Patrick’s Day, the deli’s corned beef and cabbage are available for lunch and dinner, and they’re taking pre-paid pick-up orders in advance.
Finally, if you don’t want to takeout your Irish feast or subject yourself to green-clad crowds, there is another option: prepare your own St. Patrick’s Day feast at home. Harmons’ Chef Lesli Sommerdorf releases at least one new Irish-inspired recipe every March. This year, it’s Corned Beef and Colcannon, a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes with, you guessed it, cabbage. You can shop for the grocery items you need in-store or order online and pick them up.
Now for another dose of reality. The CDC is recommending people “avoid crowds and gather virtually, outside or with people who live with you” this St. Patrick’s Day. (But, the CDC also once recommended we celebrate St. Patty’s Day by “eating green fruits or vegetables,” and I am not confident anyone followed that piece of advice.) For those who do decide to get their Irish on outside the home, you know the drill: social distance and mask up. If it makes you feel better, make it a green mask. Sláinte!
“How have you never been to Blue Plate?” When I first moved to Salt Lake City as a freshman at Westminster College, Blue Plate Diner was the restaurant that my peers shamed me the most for having never tried. Now, that Blue Plate’s owners have announced they’re shutting down, after two decades in business, I’m not sure if anything can replace it as the east side’s how-have-you-not-eaten-here place.
Blue Plate Diner’s popularity with college students—and really anyone seeking a hearty breakfast in Salt Lake City—makes sense, even if it’s not apparent from the jukebox playing Johnny Cash, retro vibes and tiled license plates and other ephemera on the walls. It was easy enough to get to by bike or bus, and bottomless hot coffee and a mountain of home fries were the only way to start the weekend after a long night of “studying.” Like many 18-year-olds, I was experimenting with going vegetarian or vegan (depending on the day) and Blue Plate never skimped on their veggie-friendly menu. And, it came without a side of preening pretentiousness when I eventually gave up the pretense and ordered the Chile Verde or Corned Beef Hash.
Blue Plate Diner’s Club Sandwich and Blue Plate Benedict
There are a lot of little things that went into making a place like Blue Plate Diner special. “We must have done something right, cause you guys kept coming back,” read the announcement of Blue Plate Diner’s impending closure on Instagram, which now includes hundreds of comments from distraught patrons.
Blue Plate Diner has been a perpetual entry on Salt Lake Magazine’s Dining Guide, along with its “comfort food classics like pancakes, patty melts and chicken-fried steak in sausage gravy and burgers.” You’ve probably lost count of how many times the diner has been honored as the “best breakfast” in the city. It’s an institution, at the risk of being cliche, and many of us grew up there—like the owners’ (now adult) kid who also took to Instagram, saying, “We all worked there. We all had one hell of a time there. The Blue Plate family will be one forever. You made Salt Lake whole and will be a forever staple in everyone’s memories.”
While the announcement wasn’t clear whether the pandemic contributed to the decision to close Blue Plate Diner, it’s no secret that restaurants are suffering right now. Salt Lake Magazine’s recent Blue Plate Awards raised a glass to an incomplete and sadly still growing list of COVID casualties:
Howdy Ice Cream
Alamexo
Cannella’s
Pallet
Mazza (locations at 9th and 9th and in Sandy. Its original location at 15th and 15th remains open, thankfully.)
Creek Tea
George
Bar George
Porcupine Pub & Grille (location on 1300 East)
Red Butte Cafe
Koko Kitchen
The Olive Bistro
Zucca Trattoria
Tinwell
Shogun
Sundays are always busy at Blue Plate Diner
The Salt Lake Tribune reports a longtime-coming development project near the 2100 East 2100 South block will take its place after the owners sold the Blue Plate property to the developer six months ago.
That said, it’s not too late to make the most of the time Blue Plate Diner has left. The restaurant’s official expiration date is May 4, 2021. So, this Sunday, sidle up to the counter and order your favorite Benedict for old time’s sake and wax nostalgic about the “hungover hipster” hub. And, if it’s your first time ask yourself, “How have I never been to Blue Plate?”
Blue Plate Diner 2041 S. 2100 East, SLC 801-463-1151 @blueplatedinerslc.
More than a year after the pandemic shut down normal life, we’re all pulling back our window curtains and searching for any signs of hope on the horizon. There are now three available COVID-19 vaccines with emergency-use authorization from the FDA. While the CDC has put out cautious guidelines for the fully vaccinated, governors are lifting dining restrictions in states like Texas and Arizona, and Utah’s statewide mask mandate is set to expire April 10.
The (tentative) return of some of the state’s most popular summertime events gives us something to look forward to, even if they will look a little different this year. The only groups more excited than the general public for 2021 summer events might be the artists and performers.
Living Traditions Festival: May 15-June 26, 2021
Rather than holding one large event, this year, the 2021 Living Traditions Festival will consist of a series of events, at various outdoor locations, peppered throughout May and June. The modified festival will kick off May 15 at Washington Square. Events are free to the public to attend.
While some portions of the festival will move online, you can expect the signature pieces of the event to remain intact, including artists demonstrating their unique cultural heritage through traditional song and dance and the food. The festival’s food market will return, with COVID-19 restrictions, and feature more than “a dozen culinary artists who present their unique and varied cultural delicacies.”
Some the other items on the schedule for the 2021 Living Traditions Festival:
The Chase Home Museum: Liberty Park (May 22), The Gateway (May 23) and the International Peace Gardens at Jordan Park (May 29)
A Taste of Living Traditions: Washington Square (June 26)
“There’s a vibrancy the live events bring to the city and community throughout the summer.”
Aimee Dunsmore, Utah Arts festival director
Pride Week 2021: June 1-7
The Utah Pride Center has the challenge of generating the sort of electric celebration of love we expect from Pride Week without the ability to throw massive, crowded events like the Festival and Parade that take over downtown Salt Lake City (at least with where current guidelines stand).
Utah Pride Week will not have a parade in 2021. Photo by Christie Porter
Assuming those guidelines do not radically change prior to the first week of June, here’s the COVID-safe line-up for Pride Week 2021:
Pride Story Garden–Our History, Our Stories, Our Communities: The Pride Story Garden is an interactive outdoor exhibit on Washington Square that will continuously grow over a five-day period. To keep crowds safely distanced, the Story Garden will employ maze-like barriers and tickets will be date- and time-specific. The Utah Pride Center called on LGBTQ+ and BIPOC artists and creators and LGBTQ+ Restaurants and Bars to apply to be part of the Story Garden experience. Organizers also invited community members to submit tributes to people who are making a difference in LGBTQ+ lives.
Pride in the Sky: A “loud and proud” nighttime fireworks display for all ages and communities.
Rainbow March & Rally—Raise Our Voices: The rally will start at the Capitol and proceed down State Street and Harvey Milk Boulevard
Pride Month Proclamations and Flag raisings: Community leaders and legislators will come together to recognize June 1 as the start of Pride Month.
Interfaith Service: A collaboration of different faith groups to bring a variety of spiritual communities together and connect with and celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.
“This incredible event will probably never happen again in this form and on this scale,” said Rob Moolman, Executive Director at the Utah Pride Center.
“It has been a nightmare to plan something through COVID,” he adds, “but we want to make sure our community stays safe as we bring them into the space as restrictions allow—which may or may not change.”
Given this time of unprecedented isolation, Moolman wants LGBTQ+ people to know there is a community out there for them, and Pride Week embodies that. “The Pride Festival allows for LGBTQ individuals to come out and present themselves and to see themselves represented and to see themselves period.”
All of the proceeds from the Pride Week Celebration support the Utah Pride Center’s outreach, mental health, educational and other programs.
The center expects to release more information about the events come April. Of course, all planned events are subject to current COVID-19 restrictions, so stay up-to-date on any changes to Pride Week events by following the Utah Pride Center on social media.
Utah Blues Festival: June 10-12
“The artists all want to play. They are 100% good to go,” says Tripp Hopkins, the organizer of the Utah Blues Festival, another perennial summer event in downtown Salt Lake City suffering from the same uncertainty.
The 2021 Utah Blues Festival hopes to return to the Gallivan Center this summer as in previous years.
That said, the Utah Blues Society has written down the date in pencil, assuming the opening of vaccinations to all adults on April 1 allows for more freedom for outdoor public events by the first couple weeks of June. “It really comes down to people’s comfort levels and what the city and state health requirements are going to be,” explains Hopkins.
In a normal year, the Utah Blues Festival attracts an all-ages crowd of 3,500 toe-tapping people to the Gallivan Center for three days. Hopkins says other blues festivals around the country have had to postpone indeterminately, but he, blues musicians and fans hope Utah won’t have to go the same way. “We have great partners and a great thing going, but our hands are tied,” he says.
Hopkins appraises the coming summer with the sort of down-to-earth prescience that immediately strikes to the heart of the issue: “There’s a powder keg of people looking to get out and do something, but what if there’s nothing to do?”
Utah Arts Festival: Aug. 27-29
The premier gathering of local and regional artists and creators looked like it might not happen again this year, but after a groundswell of outreach and support, the dates have been set.
Live performances will return with the Utah Arts Festival this summer.
Organizers had to take a long, hard look at how they could hold a safe, in-person event in summer 2021. They conducted multiple surveys and the feedback they received from artists, partners, staff and the community was clear: people were enthusiastic about the possibility of a live, in-person event. Especially the artists. “The results were fairly consistent,” said Utah Arts Festival Director Aimee Dunsmore. “Artists have been shuttered for months. For a year now. They’re ready to get out and get back to normal.”
The surveys found 70% of the respondents would feel comfortable attending an in-person event in August, so they moved the dates of the Festival back to a time when we are more likely to have some certainty in regards to the pandemic. In addition to the later date, the Festival may look a little different than years past to follow the State Health Department’s recommendations.
Once again, we don’t have all of the details yet, but Dunsmore expects to have a smaller footprint this year and to limit the number of artists’ booths, allowing for more social distancing at Library and Washington Squares.
The Utah Arts Festival will still provide an opportunity for a hands-on art experience, similar to the Children’s Art Yard of previous years. This year, participating groups will be smaller and people will have to make reservations in advance.
“There’s nothing that replaces the in-person experience of our festival.”
Aimee Dunsmore, Utah Arts Festival Director
The 2021 Fear No Film screenings will also return to in-person this year at the Festival, but theater audiences will be smaller and more spread out.
For those who might not feel comfortable attending an in-person event by August, the Festival will have a virtual element as well, including an online marketplace to view and purchase art.
“There’s nothing that replaces the in-person experience of our festival—walking around, seeing a piece of art or performance and making a connection,” Dunsmore explains. “For an artist, it’s the same thing, getting to connect to an audience.”
The city and surrounding community have not been the same without live summer events like Utah Arts Festival. “There’s a vibrancy the live events bring to the city and community throughout the summer,” says Dunsmore. They’re also an economic driver, bringing business to downtown, hotel revenue and tax money to the state and city.
“I think we’re all missing in-person events, and we all want to bring those back safely,” Dunsmore says. “The Utah Arts Festival is just one of the first in a line of summer events that happen in Salt Lake City.”
The void left by summertime events has only heightened the feelings of isolation throughout this past year. For many, their tentative return symbolizes something more than the sum of its parts, and it could provide the opportunity to reforge the connections to the community we lost.
“So far we’ve received very positive feedback to our announcement,” Dunsmore says. “We appreciate the support and love we feel from this community and we just want to honor that and keep that going.”
2021 Twilight Concert Series
While the Salt Lake Arts Council is planning on a summer concert series, the exact shape it will take hasn’t been hammered out just yet. Felicia Baca, Executive Director Salt Lake City Arts Council released a statement saying, “we are extremely hopeful that we can return to gathering with another incredible lineup for the Twilight Concert Series this fall. We’ll be closely monitoring the health guidelines in our community and keeping the public safety of our touring musicians and fans in mind as we move forward with our plans.”
