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May 28
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The Post District: A New Culinary Hub in Salt Lake City

By Eat & Drink

The Post District is unique regarding new development in Salt Lake City. Where most new builds are somewhat homogeneous, often tearing down and replacing locally owned businesses with cookie-cutter chains, the Post District has gone about hand-selecting tenants who are small, locally owned operations. The developers have curated a list of complementary businesses. Walk around the district, and you will find fine dining, good coffee, quick bites, and even places to enjoy an alcoholic beverage. 

Dangerous Pretzel

You will find some classics on the menu: a good salty pretzel and a sweet cinnamon sugar pretzel. But you will also find pretzels that are a meal unto themselves. The Spicy Bee Pretzel has hot peppers buried in white cheddar topped with hot honey. The BBK, aka brush before kissing pretzel, is a blend of parmesan herbs and garlic butter for a true date night disaster that is truly delicious. The Bootlegger Pretzel is bourbon maple bacon. And the Devil’s Delight is a nod to pizza with pepper, jack cheese, pepperoni, and sliced salami. Mini pretzel “bombs” are the dangerous version of donut holes. 

When you go: 
Dangerous Pretzel
352 W. 600 South, Salt Lake City
dangerouspretzel.com

Melancholy is the new wine and cocktail lounge in the Post District. Photo courtesy of Post District.

Melancholy Wine and Cocktail Lounge

Melancholy is the new wine and cocktail lounge in the Post District. While most everything in the district is new construction, Melancholy is located in one of the original buildings on site. The location lends itself to an intimate atmosphere. There are only a few seats around the downstairs bar, and upstairs are table tops with seating. It feels like the type of place to go, read a book over a glass of wine solo or for an intimate tet-a-tet over cocktails. 

When you go: 
Melancholy Wine and Cocktail Lounge
556 S. Gale Street, SLC
melancholyslc.com

Level Crossing 

Setting up meeting places and gathering people together is why Mark Medura wanted to open up so much more than just a brewery, it was the passion that led him to open Level Crossing’s first location in South Salt Lake (2496 S. West Temple, South Salt Lake). When it came time to expand to a second location, the Post District was a natural choice. Mark valued being part of a local-focused development rather than a chain-heavy retail space. He loves the community partnerships with other local businesses like Urban Hill. 

When you go: 
Level Crossing 
550 S. 300 West, Suite 100, SLC
levelcrossingbrewing.com

Urban Hill’s dining room is centered around a vast open kitchen area. Photo courtesy of Post District.

Urban Hill

Owner Brooks Kirchheimer and his family have hired the best in the business, namely, Executive Chef Nick Zocco and a supporting cast of service standouts. The food on the plate is bold, the delivery is educated and efficient without being officious or pedantic and the wine glasses are always full of selections from a daring list.

When you go: 
Urban Hill
510 S 300 West, Suite 100, SLC
urban-hill.com  

(Up) and Coming (Soon) to the Post District

Open Now: Urban Sailor Coffee

Urban Sailor Coffee has multiple locations, including the Post District, Sugar House and their Marmalade Roastery. Photo courtesy of Post District.

Obsessed with specialty coffee, Urban Sailor Coffee roasts to order every single week. Well, they started as a small coffee truck, and they have moved on to have multiple locations, including the Post District, Sugar House, and their Marmalade Roastery.

When You Go:
Post District location:
70 South 300 West, Suite 100
urbansailorcoffee.com

Coming soon

Sunday’s Best

The Instagrammable-centric brunch place is set to open in the Post District at some point in the spring or summer. As of print, there was no ETA on the date. 

Mensho Ramen

Mensho Ramen is a concept that was founded in 2005 in Japan. As a multi-award winning franchise, Mensho is known for harmony and balance in the five main elements of ramen: the sauce, soup, noodles, oil and topping. We can’t wait to taste with dishes like lamb tonkatsu ramen, matcha ramen and wagyu ramen! 

Casa del Tamal

Another one of our local favorites, Casa del Tamal, just signed a lease for the Post District, bringing tamales, tacos, caldos and parilladas to the area. We can’t wait for them to join the club.  

The Post District has focused on hand-selecting tenants who are small, locally owned operations. Photo courtesy of Post District.

See more stories like this and all of our food and drink coverage. And while you’re here, why not subscribe and get six annual issues of Salt Lake magazine’s curated guide to the best life in Utah? 

May 27
Love0

Water Woes: The Future of the Colorado River

By City Watch

Upper and lower states in the Colorado River Basin have until next summer to decide how they will share the responsibility of managing a resource growing ever more scarce in the West: water. 

Colorado River Basin supplies 40 million people with drinking water. Photo Courtesy Colorado River Authority of Utah 

This impacts all of us. Of all water used in Utah, 27% of it comes from the Colorado River. The Colorado River supplies 40 million people with drinking water, generates hydroelectricity to power 2.3 million homes, and irrigates nearly 5.5 million acres of land. 

The Colorado River is the lifeblood of agriculture across the Western and Southwestern United States. Agriculture accounts for 70% of the river’s water usage, but the river’s flow continues to ebb, and money set aside to help conserve water from the Colorado might not make it to the farmers it’s supposed to help. The Biden administration set aside more than $4 billion as part of the Inflation Reduction Act in part to pay farmers to draw less water from the river, so there will be enough water to continue the flow downstream, but the new presidential administration halted those payments. 

At the time of this publication, some of the IRA funds have been released, which National Farmers Union President Rob Larew called “a welcome first step in ensuring USDA honors its commitments to farmers and rural communities.” He went on to say, “America’s family farmers and ranchers are facing a year of economic uncertainty, exacerbated by the uncertainty of the administration’s pause on federal funding and staff dismissals.” American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall testified before the U.S. Senate that tariffs could also exacerbate the economic plights of farmers. 

Hannah Freeze, UDAF’s Water Optimization Program Manager. Photo Courtesy of fogsl.org, Hermann/ Adobe Stock

Between the chaos in Washington, D.C., the inability for lower and upper basin states to come to an agreement, and the ever-present threat of drought and a climate in crisis, the future of the Colorado River has never felt more uncertain.

With the current guidelines set to expire, Upper Basin states (Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico) and the Lower Basin states (California, Arizona, Nevada) must agree on how to manage the two biggest reservoirs in the U.S., Lake Powell and Lake Mead, as well as how to (and who should) shoulder the burden of reducing water usage. If they don’t reach an agreement, the federal government (or the Supreme Court) could make the decision for them. 

States and cities are taking some independent actions to conserve water in the meantime. “Water is scarce and it’s so very, very limited and continues to become more and more limited,” says Hannah Freeze, UDAF’s Water Optimization Program Manager. “And it’s not just Utah. It’s everywhere in the West.  And so to be able to be better with the very precious resource that we have, it is worthwhile to incentivize our producers.”

Utah’s Agriculture Water Optimization Program started off the 2019 legislative session with an allocation from legislators of $3 million to help agricultural producers optimize their water use. And so it was kind of a small program. The program has now received upwards of $276 million in funding from the legislature. In short, it’s a grant program that incentivizes farmers to upgrade their irrigation systems to more efficient water-wise systems. Freeze explains, “So we’ll pay for 50% of the irrigation system improvement to incentivize the producers to take advantage of new technology and new systems and have an opportunity to upgrade their irrigation.”

Farmland in Kane County near Kanab. Photo courtesy of Kane County Office of Tourism.

So far, the program is set to fund 542 projects across the state, to the tune of about $114 million, but already completed projects total just about $41 million to those producers, “So we have a lot of projects in the queue,” says Freeze, and she says they receive more requests every time the program opens to new applications. Thus far, “We’re able to award about roughly 50% of all the applications we receive,” she says. 

The Colorado River. Photo courtesy Hermann/ Adobe Stock.

At the time of this writing, a bill in the Utah State Legislature would only require that grant recipients pony up 25% of costs, rather than 50%. The bill would also allow funds from the Agricultural Water Optimization Account to be directed toward research as well as projects. Some have noted, however, that optimization projects might not always result in more water for bodies like the Colorado River. Some water saved through optimization projects could be used to expand farming operations or grow more thirsty crops. 

Saving water to save water is not the whole story. “As Utah continues to grow as projected, we have to have a vibrant agricultural community to feed those people,” says Freeze. “And so investing in agriculture is an investment in the future of Utah to be able to have the capacity to meet the demands of an increasing population.”  

See more stories like this and all of our City Watch coverage. And while you’re here, why not subscribe and get six annual issues of Salt Lake magazine’s curated guide to the best of life in Utah?

May 23
Love0

Your Summer Arts Lineup in Utah 

By Arts & Culture

It’s finally summer in the Beehive State—the perfect time to get outside and enjoy the arts! From fine art festivals to narrative art celebrations, there are plenty of events to fill your calendar this season. 

End of May 

Feathered Tides—A Wake the Great Salt Lake Public Art Project

Feathered Tides is the latest installment in Wake The Great Salt Lake—a public art initiative supported by the Salt Lake Arts Council and the SLC Mayor’s Office.  In a one-of-a-kind performance, internationally acclaimed artist Mitsu Salmon has woven together themes of dance, soundscape and storytelling. Intimate groups of nine will meander along the Miller Bird Refuge and Nature Park, guided by six dancers embodying the movements of migratory birds inherent to the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. Performances are free to attend but require an RSVP; do so here.
Performances on 5/24, 5/25, 5/30 and 5/31, 2025

Brigham City’s Art on Main 

During Memorial Day weekend, Brigham City’s historic downtown hosts a celebration of Veterans and Gold Star Families with a spirited artistic showcase. The weekend features visual art performers, local vendor booths, fine art exhibitions and even a chalk art contest.
May 23–24, 2025

Wizard of Oz at Tuacahn Theatre

Southern Utah’s Tuacahn Theatre celebrates 30 years with incredible performances all year long. Now through October 23, Tuacahn presents The Wizard of Oz, complete with special effects, flying maneuvers and dazzling pyrotechnics. Don’t miss more beloved shows throughout the summer, including Newsies (7/12–10/24) and The Little Mermaid (5/2–10/25). The amphitheater also hosts free year-round Saturday markets, featuring an abundance of local craftspeople and artisans.
Wizard of Oz performances throughout the week through 10/23/25)

Red Butte Concert Series 

Snuggled against the Foothills in the state’s botanical garden, the Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre offers the perfect outdoor concert experience. Generations of Salt Lakers continue to enjoy the stellar mountain and valley views, a lush setting and unparalleled sound, and an easygoing, picnic-with-friends energy. Music just feels better here. See their entire 30-concert lineup here!
May 19–Sept.16, 2025

Busker Fest

Have you ever wanted to witness a death-defying unicycler jump through hoops of fire? Or how about engage in a dance battle with a life-size robot DJ? The SLC Busker Fest has it all, with performers traveling in from all over the country to showcase their odd and wonderful talents. This year’s free festival takes place on multiple sidewalks and city blocks around Regent Street.
May 30–31, 2025

June 

Utah Arts Festival 

Get ready for one of Utah’s legacy events celebrating its 49th year: the Utah Arts Festival! Returning to Library Square in Salt Lake City, “The Great Utah Get-Together” is a community celebration of any artistic medium: visual, music, dance, film, literary, culinary arts, and more. The four-day event features 170 artist booths and over 125 performing arts shows, including headliners Leftover Salmon, Robert Randolph, Souls of Mischief and MV Caldera.
June 19–22, 2025

Utah Shakespeare Festival

Each year Cedar City welcomes over 100,000 global theater lovers to one of the oldest and largest Shakespeare festivals in North America. Spanning four months and three theaters, festival organizers have produced eight magnificent productions, including Shakespearean classics Macbeth and As You Like It.
June 16–Oct. 4, 2025

Blues and Brews at Snowbasin

Blues lovers of all ages, genders and species are welcome at this outdoor summer festival. The dog-friendly event takes place every Sunday through August 24, featuring acts like Canyon Lights, Andy Frasco, Hot Buttered Rum and Dog in a Pile. Don’t forget to enjoy a cold brewski from one of over 10 local breweries in attendance.
Sundays June 15–Aug. 24, 2025

Mt. Majestic Music Series at Brighton 

Mountain views and good tunes unite every Saturday and Sunday this summer at Brighton Resort. Catch bands like Swingin Lights, Ridgeliners, Elderblossoms, Nothin’ Good and more. The full lineup is available here.
June 15–Sept. 1, 2025

Millcreek Summer Jam Concert Series

Enjoy more free tunes from a diverse range of bands at Canyon Rim Park. Produced by Millcreek Arts Council, the concert series take place in a shaded outdoor amphitheatre every Monday in June through August. Full lineup forthcoming.
Mondays, June 2–Aug. 11, 2025

Silent Films In Utah series

As part of Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre’s 2025 programming, the Buster Keaton Silent Film Series gives viewers a unique peek into cinema’s past. Each Monday, the Utah Theatre (18 West Center Street in Logan) will screen a silent film from American actor, comedian and filmmaker Buster Keaton. Tickets are $10. Mondays, June 9–Aug. 11, 2025 

Ogden Twilight

Summer nights in Ogden are marked by cheap beer, good friends and outdoor concerts. The beloved Ogden Twilight Series returns with a star-studded lineup of national acts Disclosure, Kaskade, Band of Horses, Modest Mouse and more. Season ticket packages are sold out but you can still find single-day tickets on their site. And if you need any more reason to make the trek up to Ogden this summer, check out our guide on riding the frontrunner from SLC to Ogden Station and all the magic that awaits you in Junction City!
June 1–Sept. 25, 2025

July

Deer Valley Concert Series 

Deer Valley is embracing the soundwaves this summer with a robust schedule of live music. Produced in partnership with The State Room and Utah Symphony, Deer Valley’s Snow Park Amphitheater is hosting an array of local and national acts for their summer concert series. More live tunes can be found across the resort at Silver Lake lawn, where live bands, food trucks and local brews pair perfectly with mountain views.
July–September, 2025

Urban Arts Festival

Utah’s largest free art festival returns to The Gateway with 90 artist booths, live mural paintings and a pop up skate park. One day only this year, the festival focuses on cultural arts, music and performances, culminating in a high-energy showcase of rap, breakdancing, graffiti art and DJ performances. Learn more!
Aug. 30, 2025

Forum Fest Park City Canyons Village 

Enjoy a free family-friendly festival over the fourth of July weekend in Park City Canyons Village. The festivities begin with music from Nik Parr and the Selfless Lovers, DJ Nate Wyatt and March Fourth Marching Band—ending with a dazzling firework show, naturally. More live music, drone shows and fourth of July frivolity to come throughout the weekend!
July 3–5, 2025

Ogden Arts Festival

The Ogden Downtown Alliance presents the 19th Annual Ogden Arts Festival, taking place at Ogden’s historic Union Station. Shop over 100 regional artist booths while enjoying entertainment from musicians, street buskers and live muralists.
July 19–20, 2025

SLC Twilight Concert Series 

For 38 years the Twilight Concert Series has offered a stage to acclaimed artists and up-and-coming performers, this year’s summer lineup promises another vibrant showcase. Earthgang, Sierra Ferrell, Big Thief and Japanese Breakfast are just a few names on the 2025 Twilight calendar, find the full lineup here.
July 12–Sept. 22, 2025 

August 

Kimball Arts Festival

Park City’s historic Main Street is a hub for fine art purveyors and craftsmanship every summer during the Kimball Arts Festival. The festival showcases a collection of jury-selected artists for a top-notch experience.
Aug. 1–3, 2025

Craft Lake City DIY Fest 

Utah’s largest local-centric art festival will take over the fairgrounds once again this August. The three-day festival brings 500 artisan vendors from all over the country, alongside talented musicians, local eats and DIY craft stations. Bring your fur babies, and your real babies, to the designated dog park and kids corner for maximum entertainment.
Aug. 8–9, 2025 

Das Energi 

Ravers unite! EDM vanguards V2 Productions have brought in another stellar DJ lineup with headliners Illenium, Svdden Death and Chris Lake. Good vibes, deep bass and a saltflats sunset—what more could a kandi kid want?
Aug. 8–9, 2025 

Grid City Music Fest

Grid City is a free three-day festival taking place at various venues in South Salt Lake dubbed “Creative Industries Zone.” Seven stages are popping up at Grid City Beer Works, Pat’s BBQ, Level Crossing Brewing, Commonwealth Room, Egg Break, Chappel Brewing and Salt Fire Brewing Co. Attendees can access all locations via a free ‘Fun Bus’ sponsored by the Salt Lake Arts Council, with a pick-up location at the Central Point trax station. Find 54 local acts here!
Aug. 23–25, 2025

Park City Song Summit

Utah’s only wellness-meets-music festival prioritizes mental health, recovery and inclusivity for both audience members and musicians. Along with live tunes from local and touring acts, the festival offers various wellness activities like guided meditation, sound baths and recovery hangs. Another festival cornerstone is the free-to-attend Summit Labs. These panel discussions feature industry leaders talking about the challenges faced by modern musicians, the social impact of songwriting, harmful stereotypes in the music world, and much, much more. Read about last year’s fest, here!
Aug. 14–16, 2025

September 

Timanogos Storytelling Festival

“A Gathering of the Best Yarn Spinners in the World,” the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival draws thousands of visitors to Thanksgiving Point’s Ashton Gardens. For two days and three nights, listeners of all ages gather to hear the magical tales of professional storytellers.
Sept. 4–6, 2025

Zion Canyon Music Festival

The last weekend of September, Bit & Spur Restaurant & Saloon in Springdale hosts a vibrant festival of music, food, arts, crafts and fun. This year’s musical lineup includes Whograss, Grovesession, Lacy Williams, Yesouisi, Shangalu and more.
Sept. 26–27, 2025

Read more of our music coverage and get the latest on the arts and culture scene in and around Utah. And while you’re here, subscribe and get six issues of Salt Lake magazine, your curated guide to the best of life in Utah.

May 22
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Grow Your Own Pollinator Garden in Utah

By Lifestyle

Want a garden that looks good and does good? When you plant, think of the bees.

What if our landscapes could be both eye-catching and support a biodiversity of local pollinators such as bees, butterflies, beetles and more? We don’t often think about pollinators as we plant, but they should be a consideration, especially the diverse species of native bees that are found only in the West. Intermountain West urbanization has diminished resources such as pollen and nectar, as well as habitat, which the bees rely on, but we can help! Here’s a few tips on planting your own pollinator garden in Utah:

‘BEE’ SUNNY. 

Plants that produce blooms often need to be placed in a sunny location. Full sun equates to 6-8 hours of sunlight throughout the day. Part-sun and shade plants are available, but the resources available for pollinators are often diminished.

‘BEE’ ACCESSIBLE. 

Choose plants that are easy for pollinators to access. Flat, daisy-like blooms support bees, butterflies, flies and beetles. Blooms that are tubular in shape, such as honeysuckle, support pollinators with long mouthparts like hummingbirds and moths. Avoid difficult-to-access plants with multiple layers of petals.

‘BEE’ LOCAL. 

Incorporate native plants into the landscape when available. Native plants, such as Penstemon and Gaillardia, often support native pollinators best. See our plant list for more ideas.

‘BEE’ INVITING. 

A shallow dish filled with river rocks and topped off with water will attract thirsty pollinators. Provide nesting sites such as areas of bare ground without mulch and open cavities like those of a bee hotel. Waiting to cut back perennials in the spring instead of fall can provide needed overwintering habitat.

‘BEE’ ABUNDANT. 

Incorporate plants that bloom spring, summer and fall to provide resources year-round. Avoid planting a single plant, instead plant in groups of three to five to provide ample resources.

Garden Checklist

pollinator garden Utah
Sheriden Hansen,
USU Extension Associate Professor, Horticulture

Get your garden season-ready with these tips from the landscape and horticulture specialists at USU Extension. In May…

  • Plant warm-season vegetables and annual flowers after last frost. 

  • Plant tomatoes deep enough that they are able to form more roots along the stem.

  • Thin overcrowded seedlings using scissors. 

  • Plant summer-blooming bulbs (e.g.: gladiola, begonia, dahlia, canna).

  • Divide warm-season ornamental grasses when new growth begins to emerge.

  • Allow the foliage of spring blooming bulbs to die down before removing the leaves.

  • Control broadleaf weeds in the lawn when temps are between 60-80 F. 

See how it’s done 

Located in the USU Botanical Center in Kaysville, the Pollinator Garden was installed in 2021 by USU Master Gardener volunteers to showcase a variety of flowers that provide nectar, habitat and other resources to pollinators throughout the seasons. Unique planter boxes and art focus on bees and other pollinators. See more here.

Find more of our lifestyle coverage. And while you’re here, subscribe to Salt Lake magazine to receive six beautiful print issues a year!

May 21
Love0

Chris Peterson’s Wildlife Murals in Utah

By Arts & Culture

A Bonneville Cutthroat Trout, its massive dayglow-hued body painted over the length of The Neighborhood Hive building, was the first. Affectionately referred to as “The Bonnie Wall,” the 2022 mural began with the collaboration between Utah Wildlife Federation (UWF) and artist Chris Peterson. “The experience made us realize that there’s a lot of interest in this kind of project,” says Peterson. “When you do a mural, it sort of opens up a space in the public domain to have a conversation and to celebrate those animals.” Peterson and the UWF plan to bring a wildlife mural to each of Utah’s 29 counties. Right now, there are nine Wildlife Walls across the state. 

Future murals

A future mural at Antelope Island could potentially be the tenth Wildlife Wall and would especially demonstrate what art can accomplish where politics often fails. The mural would likely coincide with the grand reopening of the Antelope Island Visitor Center, which is getting a major renovation, including an additional 20,000 square feet to its footprint, the facilities to host events and field trips and a large-format theater. 

“It’s going to be the crown-jewel State Park Visitor Center in the West,” says Peterson. “I’m really excited that the mural is going to be a part of that.”

Murals in Utah
Mural Artist, Chris Peterson. Photo courtesy of Utah Wildlife Walls and chrispetersonstudio.com

The Antelope Island mural would feature three species found around the State Park, whose habitats have changed drastically in recent years, as the lake levels drop: bison, pronghorn and burrowing owl, but the mural can serve as a reminder to treasure our encounters with wildlife. 

“The Wildlife Walls are really about sharing some of the magic that I have experienced and showing other people that that’s where the magic is,” says Peterson. “Those encounters with wildlife are things that people don’t forget easily, sometimes holding onto them for their whole lives.” On a personal level, “These doses of wildlife encounters to me are high doses of therapeutic nature,” says Peterson. “I feel like it’s increasingly important in this age of anxiety for us to remember how blessed we are right now—how lucky we are right now—to have these experiences at our back door.”

As our actions as humans impact wildlife habitat, and those encounters could become increasingly rare, the Wildlife Walls provide an opportunity to not just celebrate what we have right now but, “At the same time, recognize the value that they bring to our lives and, therefore, the importance of the habitat they require,” says Peterson. 

Shared enjoyment of wildlife encounters, and art that captures those treasured experiences, has the power to unify. “People get in the weeds when they start talking about policies and my land and your land and whatever,” says Peterson. “But if can just talk about the experiences, it’s a shared value that allows us to stay out of the weeds. That’s my goal with this project.”

The Wildlife Wall endeavor would not be possible without community partners to help champion the cause. “The process of engaging Utahns across the state and figuring out which animal, which wall, what other partners would be interested in this, and each one sort of evolving in their own way has allowed us to put together some pretty spectacular projects,” says Peterson.   

The next phase

With nine Wildlife Walls now a reality and more on the way, Peterson and company are looking to launch The Celebrate Utah Wildlife Mural Trail. 

People will be able to start following the trail at the website, celebrateutahwildlife.org, where they can access the trail map and learn about each mural, the species involved and the community. “We’re going to be incentivizing that participation with some prizes, contests, social media and involving partners like The North Face and other companies,” explains Peterson. 

Peterson hopes the trail will also promote tourism to the towns where the murals are located. The trail will offer more than just views of murals, as well. 

They plan to overlay the mural trail map with a wildlife viewing map that will include places like our State Parks and DWR viewing opportunities. 

Murals in Utah

Aguila del Fuego’

Installed June 2023 676 W. Center St., Midvale

HawkWatch International helped bring this mural to Midvale as part of the Los Muros on Main Mural festival. The 76-foot mural features two native Utah species: A golden eagle and a rattlesnake, inspired by the Mexican flag as well as Phoenix, a golden eagle rescued from wildfire by the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah. Photo courtesy of Utah Wildlife Walls and chrispetersonstudio.com

Murals in Utah

Razorback Sucker

Installed March 2024 and May 2024 25 E. Center St., Moab

Before Peterson completed the final mural in May of 2024, he painted a “placeholder” mural to get the community excited about the new art installation and raise awareness for a cause. He adds, “It was super cryptic on purpose, meant to make people driving by ask, ‘What is that?’” The prism depicted in the placeholder is a reference to the Razorback’s ability to communicate in the murky waters of the Colorado River by reflecting UV light by rolling its eyeballs. “That unique adaptation, once I started looking into the razorback, was like the coolest little superpower,” says Peterson. The final mural, the Razorback on a field of stars painted over the placeholder, also highlights The Nature Conservancy’s Scott and Norma Matheson Wetlands Preserve’s work on behalf of the endangered fish with its Razorback nursery. Due to flood damage, access to the preserve was closed, but the mural is ready for the future reopening. Photo courtesy of Utah Wildlife Walls and chrispetersonstudio.com

Murals in Utah

The Bonnie Wall

Installed Oct. 2022.  |  2065 E. 2100 South, SLC

The 120-foot Bonneville Cutthroat mural is the result of the support from partners The Neighborhood Hive, Trout Unlimited and the Utah Division of Wildlife. The partnership also brought a tank of live baby Bonneville Cutthroat Trout to the Neighborhood Hive market, where it is cared for by the community. Photo courtesy of Utah Wildlife Walls and chrispetersonstudio.com

Murals in Utah

Bear River Cutthroat    

Installed Oct. 2024 200 East Logan River Tunnel, Logan (Merlin Olsen Park)  

The 100-foot Bear River Cutthroat mural presented a logistical challenge, as it is installed along the wall of a tunnel over the Logan River. “The thing that I’m probably most proud of was the engineering feat that I puzzled over for a while,” says Peterson. He uses a commercial paint sprayer but needed to find a way to keep paint particles from falling in the river. Peterson rigged up a system with posts, parachute cord and a roll of plastic sheeting to catch any stray paint. It went off without a hitch “When you go there and the water is running, the light will come in the morning and the evening, and it will bounce off the water and illuminate the trout with these dancing ripple reflections that are mesmerizing,” says Peterson. The big project pictures more species than any other Wildlife Wall and had the support of the Bridgerland Audubon Society, Logan City, Western Native Trout Initiative and Cache Anglers. In addition to the Bear River Cutthroat, the mural features a White-Faced Ibis, Monarch Butterflies, fireflies (which you can see on the Logan River) and, of course, another Grizzly Bear. Photo courtesy of Utah Wildlife Walls and chrispetersonstudio.com

Murals in Utah

Desert Tortoise and Gila Monster  

Installed June 2024 142 N. Main Street, St. George

This mural on the side of Zion Brewery’s Station 2 Bar features two threatened Utah Species: the Mojave Desert Tortoise and the Gila Monster. The partners behind this mural also include the City of Saint George, Greater Zion and the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. Photo courtesy of Utah Wildlife Walls and chrispetersonstudio.com

Murals in Utah

Grizzly Bear  

Installed Nov. 2024  |  81 S. Main St., Heber

The third of Peterson’s Grizzly Bears, this mural is inspired by the animal film star, Bart the Bear, who made his home with wildlife animal trainers, Lynn and Doug Seus in Heber. Bart served as the model for the other mural Grizzlies as well. The mural installation lined up with the publishing of Lynn’s new book, The Grizzlies and Us. “I wanted to do something a little more,” says Peterson. “So we did a Bart film festival where we rented a bunch of his movies and tried and they told some stories and it was epic. It was like a highlight of my life, to be honest.” (For more on Bart the Bear, turn to p. 86) For this mural, Utah Wildlife Walls teamed up with Heber City TAPS and Vital Ground, the Seus’s foundation that works to restore and protect habitat for Grizzly Bears. “I feel like for me, as an artist, it’s time to explore what it means to be a bear,” reflects Peterson. “What can they teach us? How can we understand ourselves better by thinking.” Photo courtesy of Utah Wildlife Walls and chrispetersonstudio.com 

Murals in Utah

Moose, Bison, Native Bees and Grizzly Bear  

Installed July 2024  |  Edison Street between 200 South and 300 South, SLC

Peterson restored the Edison Street mural in 2024, but it was originally commissioned by BLOCKS SLC, Salt Lake Downtown Alliance and SLC Redevelopment Agency in 2019. When Peterson restored the mural, he painted over the original black bear with a grizzly bear, instead.

Read more stories like this and all of our Community coverage. And while you’re here, subscribe and get six issues of Salt Lake magazine, your curated guide to the best of life in Utah.

May 20
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Food Crush: Grilled Octopus Zarandeado from La Cevicheria

By Eat & Drink

A food crush is “a sudden, overwhelming appreciation for the flavors, textures, and culinary craftsmanship of a specific dish or ingredient, leading to a phase of repeated enjoyment and exploration of similar foods.” I am a sucker for octopus. If it is on the menu, I will order it. Guaranteed. It is a risk. Octopus, when poorly done, can be a textural disappointment. But when done right? Heavenly and food crushable. 

La Cevicheria
The octopus at La Cevicheria  comes out whole, on a wood platter, spread like a starfish. Photos by Adam Finkle

Doing octopus right is La Cevicheria in Downtown Salt Lake City. The owner, Manuel Ortega, focuses his cuisine on traditional beach food from his home, Nayarit, in Mexico. There is even a bright blue octopus on the outside of the building, hinting at the deliciousness inside.

In Nayarit, there’s a traditional dish called pescado zarandeado. Fresh-from-the-sea fish is split in half from head to tail, the bones are left intact, and the fish is marinated inside and out. The marinade contains achiote (which turns everything a beautiful burnt orange color), a dried chili paste, and lots of citrus. While the recipe and method are well over 500 years old, modern versions may even contain soy sauce due to a strong Asian influence in the area. The fish is grilled over hot coals in a wood-fired oven and sandwiched between grill plates for easy flipping to keep the fish whole and intact. 

Manuel took the concept of pescado zarandeado and made it with pulpo or octopus instead. In keeping with the tradition of whole fish, the octopus at La Cevicheria comes out whole, on a wood platter, spread like a starfish in all its glory. Most places that serve octopus will grill a tentacle or two, which feels suddenly stingy once you’ve had all eight tentacles (and then some) presented for devouring. 

La Cevicheria
Manuel Ortega, focuses his cuisine on traditional beach food from his home, Nayarit, in Mexico. Photos by Adam Finkle

The Pulpo Zarandeado is a dish that you order for the entire table. There’s enough for two to four people to enjoy and share. The center of the octopus is tender and sweet, and the tentacles progress from tender to crispy at the end for a textural montage. I’m unsure how the chef navigates crispy to tender while keeping the octopus intact. It is an impressive feat. While the dish is full of flavor, it is not overpoweringly spicy in any way despite the chilies. If you care to add some heat, the salsa that accompanies it is more than enough to enhance each bite. 

The octopus is served with fresh orange wedges, which should be squeezed liberally over every bite. Fresh avocado and simple rice round out the plate. Ask for some freshly made tortillas, and you will have all the ingredients for improvised tacos. 

La Cevicheria is perfect for visiting with a couple of friends and ordering several plates to share. Pair the pulpo with the ceviche tuna tropical, the housemaid guacamole, and the chicharron de pescado (a whole fried fish) and you will leave entirely happy. Get any of their 13 ceviches, and you will be satisfied, especially if you add on a tamarindo michelada.

When You Go

La Cevicheria, 123 E. 200 South, SLC, Instagram: @lacevicheriautah

May 19
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Kilby Block Party 2025: Day Four Recap

By Kilby Block Party

Sunday marked the fourth and final day of the Kilby Block Party festival (May 18, 2025). While it was the coldest (at times) and definitely the wettest day of the rest — there were soaked attendees and large puddles to navigate around and/or splash through as constant proof — the diehards showed up early. It was not unlike rubbing shoulders with a crowd of sturdy and determined birdwatchers — wide-eyed, smiling, staring, slack jawed — only this one came with a more varied soundtrack, no binoculars required.

Nation of Language. Photo by Natalie Simpson | Beehive Photo

Suki Waterhouse. Photo by Natalie Simpson | Beehive Photo

Tennis. Photo by Natalie Simpson | Beehive Photo

The sun started peeking out as The Pains of Being Pure At Heart played, and the shot of warmth was added cause for celebration. Their breezy set was a preview for the rest of the day, too, as it delved heavily into indie music territory with sets by Real Estate, Tennis (taking its final lap and on their last tour ever), Jay Som, Suki Waterhouse, Nation of Language, among a few scattered others. It felt like the dial of time got turned back a decade or two, as elements of the ‘80s and ‘90s were on full and vibrant display in most behind the microphones. In most (if not all) ways, the masterminds behind Kilby gave attendees/customers what they most wanted to hear and experience. If there were any complaints, they were drowned out by those doing all the cheering.


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Photography by Natalie Simpson | Beehive Photo

The most anticipated band of the day easily belonged to TV On The Radio, currently enjoying a welcome resurgence in popularity. As they gave an electric performance (complete with stunning visuals and political messages, reminding us that all the music they played was anti-fascist in nature), the sunset even played its own part. It dropped out of the sky for good shortly before “Staring at the Sun” paved the way for Justice as the final band of the night.

TV on the Radio. Photo by Natalie Simpson | Beehive Photo

A festival rarely gets it so right, but Kilby regularly did so. What started as a little festival competing with the more prominent ones is becoming a growing replacement. It is a thinking man’s fest that challenges itself to think outside the box and “festival better” than others. A favorite part personally was getting to ride the train to and from the festival every day, and leaving parking woes behind. Ticket prices included public transportation for all days; if it’s not something other festivals are doing throughout the country already, it’s a great idea to absorb. 

Justice. Photo by Natalie Simpson | Beehive Photo

Read our all our daily recaps:

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May 18
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Kilby Block Party Day Three Recap

By Kilby Block Party

As I reached the halfway point of Day Three of Kilby 2025, I assumed the line of the day would go to the electronic musician George Clanton, who said about Kilby, “This is the new Coachella; Coachella’s dead.” But ultimately, that honor goes to Hugo Burnham, drummer for Gang of Four, who emerged from behind his kit for the first and only time just as his band finished its explosive set. Using a crutch, Burnham walked to the front of the stage to leave us with two directives, of which few in the crowd would contest: “Be the resistance. Support live music.” And with that mic-drop moment, the best show I’d seen at Kilby so far came to a conclusion.

George Clanton. Photo by Natalie Simpson | Beehive Photo
Gang of Four. Photo by Natalie Simpson | Beehive Photo

The appearance was part of a farewell tour for Gang of Four, the post-punk pioneers whose combination of angular rhythms, mutant-disco grooves and leftist politics galvanized a movement in late ‘70s England that still reverberates today—and, it must be said, influenced just about every band that has taken a Kilby stage, directly or indirectly.

Their show was exhilarating for every second, and I hadn’t left a Kilby set so sweaty or energized. Jon King is only the latest of this festival’s riveting, instrument-free frontmen, a theme this year following memorable sets from Future Islands and Perfume Genius. Whether crouching down, hands on his knees, and crab walking (crab hopping?) across the stage or lassoing his microphone cord in reckless bombast, King was an irrepressible force in a pale-pink button-down shirt. At one point, a member of Gang of Four’s crew lugged a heavy microwave oven onto a platform, and King proceeded to crush it into bits with a baseball bat, in time with the music, sending small pieces of shrapnel into the front section—a Gang of Four gambit dating back decades that never ceases to thrill.

Photogarphy by Natalie Simpson | Beehive Photo

Not to be outdone, recent addition Ted Leo’s guitar work, so pivotal to master, left a searing imprint on the audience, which started up a mosh pit just from one of his solos. Bassist Gail Greenwood, on loan from L7 and Belly, laid down notes thicker than motor oil, and shared King’s flair for performance. If this really is Gang of Four’s final tour, I can’t imagine a more marvelous send-off.

Of course, the day had plenty of other highlights as well, starting with Panda Bear, the solo project from the Animal Collective singer-songwriter, whose Day-Glo psychedelia really hit home, adding vibrancy to the overcast afternoon. The songs flowed together without breaks, functioning like an endless groove or a multipart symphony, and manifested as perhaps Kilby’s most cohesive merger of the analog and digital, the human and the synthetic. Panda Bear’s guitar fused with electronic squiggles reminiscent of vintage video games, samples of breaking glass and other quirky sound collages, while the hectic animations shuffling behind the band proved at once distracting and appropriate to Panda Bear’s avant-pop, which felt like surf music for a five-dimensional future.

Black Country New Road. Photo by Natalie Simpson | Beehive Photo

Black Country, New Road (BCNR), which followed Panda Bear on the Kilby Stage, entered their set to a recording of the Band’s “The Weight,” an Americana classic and the first indication that their show would be an outlier among the festival’s most common genres. Indeed, it’s difficult to classify this outfit at all. I can think of no obvious antecedent, at least for this version of BCNR, which shifted some of its gears for their 2025 release Forever Howlong following the departure of their original lead singer, Isaac Wood. This version of BCNR, at least, jettisons typical song structures, and earworms are not their forte. It’s difficult music to dance to, and seems more tailored for cerebral venues—art museums, botanical gardens—than even a big-tent music festival like Kilby.

But the result, once you clued into its wavelength, was enchanting, and patient listeners were rewarded with more instrumental color than anywhere else in the lineup, from banjo and mandolin and bowed bass to accordion, flute, recorder and saxophone—and even whistling. If headliners Weezer are a dog of a band—cuddly, eager to please, easy to love—BCNR are a bunch of cats for whose affection you need to win. By the end, I certainly felt the purr.

Ovlov. Photo by Natalie Simpson | Beehive Photo

I spent a minute or two with Ovlov over on the Desert Stage and was taken with the Connecticut-based band’s infectious enthusiasm for being on the Kilby lineup, which singer Steve Hartlett called “surreal as f***,” adding “we are not professionals. We shouldn’t be here.” Even when Hartlett’s guitar cable malfunctioned, leading to a delay in the set, he was quick on his feet with a rejoinder: “We wanted to drop a song anyway.” Ovlov’s sludgy post-punk hit home with many—slam-dancers moshed to nearly everything, and there were so many crowd surfers that they collided while aloft—but it was the only set I encountered that was certifiably too loud, and having neglected to bring earplugs, I ducked out of it early.

Without further ado, the aforementioned Weezer constitute the biggest “name” on the Kilby lineup this year, and their goofy, high-concept “Voyage to the Blue Planet” tour did not disappoint. The show opened with a faux news report, projected on video, that introduced the plot: The members of Weezer have been called upon to embark on an interstellar voyage to a blue plant dozens of light years away. Another video followed, this one a five-minute countdown accompanied by borrowed sounds of a rocket preparing to launch, which led to yet another video, this one showing the Weezer guys dressed as NASA astronauts and striding toward the spacecraft. One impatient wag behind me, ready for the blessed beginning of live music, joked, “skip intro, skip intro!”

Weezer. Photo by Natalie Simpson | Beehive Photo
Weezer. Photo by Natalie Simpson | Beehive Photo

He wasn’t wrong: This was much ado for a rock ‘n’ roll show. Weezer finally emerged, space suits and all, opening with newer material while projected animations progressed the story. Yes, we were expected to follow the narrative as well as the music, as Weezer’s craft soared above clouds, planted a “W” flag on the moon, traversed the planets and exited the Milky Way for the final frontier, en route to what Rivers Cuomo referred to as “an important and dangerous planet,” where only the music from their debut LP, colloquially called The Blue Album, can revive its barren topography.

“Hash Pipe” saw our boys arrive at a neon space station; “Island in the Sun” was, literally, an island in the sun. At one point, an alien called Bokkus, Weezer’s green-skinned nemesis, flew in front of them in a UFO and pelted them with desserts, which damaged the ship and forced it to crash-land on the “Pinkerton Asteroid Belt,” leaving Weezer to salvage components from a desolate wasteland in order to complete their flight. It’s only fitting that material from Weezer’s most angst-ridden album was the soundtrack for their existential crisis.

Weezer. Photo by Natalie Simpson | Beehive Photo

By the time the set list finally arrived at a full-album run-through of Blue—and the band had landed at its destination, with Cuomo now dressed as Captain Kirk—I all but abandoned any concept of following this kitschy nonsense and gave in completely to the music. Our group reward was the unalloyed joy of belting “Buddy Holly,” “Surf Wax America,” “My Name is Jonas” and, of course, the greatest of all modern rock singalongs, “Say It Ain’t So,” in unison with several thousand fellow devotees. The band occasionally made reference to Salt Lake City during their set, name-dropping the famous Red Iguana in the spoken-word intro to “The Sweater Song,” after which the locals in the audience went expectedly bananas. But otherwise, the band didn’t tinker with perfection, playing the songs as they appeared on the landmark album, which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. And if we needed to go to outer space to get there, so be it.

Read our Day One and Day Two recaps of Kilby!

Read more of our music coverage and find all our Kilby Block Party reviews. And while you’re here, subscribe and get six issues of Salt Lake magazine, your curated guide to the best of life in Utah.

May 17
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Kilby Block Party 2025: Day Two Recap

By Uncategorized

In keeping with the tradition of our Day One recap, the line of the night during day two of Kilby Block Party 2025 goes to Michael Alden Hadreas, the singer and chief creative force of Perfume Genius. Gesturing to a black chair on the stage, he said, “It’s a new chair, but I feel like I’ve developed a relationship with it. … It knows my pubic mound.”

He wasn’t kidding. A couple of songs prior, Hadreas, clad in an undersized Guess Jeans T-shirt that exposed his midriff, had straddled the chair, took it for a full-body whirl, and dipped backward, his head nearly touching the stage. It was an acting performance straight out of “Anora,” a work of sensual showmanship that found an edgy purchase amid the largely ethereal instrumentation around him.

Kilby Block Party
Perfume Genius frontman Michael Alden Hadreas. Photo by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography.

 Singing in a vulnerable falsetto not unlike Thom Yorke’s, Hadreas’ vocals lay atop twinkly, slow-building compositions for much of the set, with its angelic textures suited for cathedrals and caverns. But just when you think you could define Perfume Genius, the art-pop project adopted a more rocking intensity for the final three songs on the afternoon set on the Kilby Stage—from the viscous bass groove and soaring guitar of “Eye in the Wall” to the ritualistic heaviness of “My Body,” which approached the delirium of latter-day Swans, all while Hadreas’ animalistic crouches and gymnastic contortionism compelled our gaze. Having been only casually familiar with Perfume Genius’ work, I left the set a fan.


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Photography by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography.

The same could be said for the first act I caught on Friday, the Lemon Twigs, a retro quartet that falls decidedly outside what might be termed the “Kilby sound”—i.e., shoegazy dream-pop occupying a liminal musical space between electronic and indie rock music. The Lemon Twigs were nothing like this. From their hair—mop-topped, in the case of singer-guitarist Michael D’Addario; curly and long, in drummer Reza Matin’s style—to their preppy clothes, the Lemon Twigs are trend-buckers who look to the past, rooting their sound in the Beatles, Beach Boys, Big Star and the Everly Brothers. Like the latter, the Lemon Twigs are primarily the work of brothers Michael and Brian D’Addario, and their sibling rivalry—at least in comedic form—presented itself on the Kilby Stage more than once. Anchored by classic three-part harmony, their music is, dare I say, wholesome. And in a scene in which irony and detachment are de rigueur, their unguardedness is counterintuitively punk.

This second day at Kilby was probably better attended than the first—no surprise here, given that it falls on a weekend night—and the enormity of people moving through the Fairpark increased the difficulty of seeing every act on my wish list. I quickly (re)learned that to have a reasonable vantage point of any act at Kilby, one must show up 30 minutes in advance of the start time, and thereby forgo the second half of another artist’s set list. It’s a balancing act and a judgment call, and it prompted me to miss a couple of the buzzier bands on the lineup: Momma, who has become one of the hottest bands on the scene in the time since Kilby scheduled them, and who was sadly sequestered on the smallest stage at the festival; and Car Seat Headrest, whose turnout was even more massive.

Built to Spill.

Kilby Block Party
The Lemon Twigs

Kilby Block Party
The Lemon Twigs.

Photography by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography.

But I did catch the entirety of Built to Spill, the best thing to emerge from Idaho since potatoes, and a band as reliably tasty as ice cream. The avuncular guitar god Doug Martsch reminded us once again why he’s the GOAT of modern indie rock, whether on chunky pop nuggets like “Big Dipper” or spacious, extended jams “I Would Hurt a Fly” and “Broken Chairs.” Martsch even gifted us with a deep cut in the form of “Virginia Reel Around the Fountain,” from his Halo Benders side project. Martsch, the only remaining original member of Built to Spill, has been touring as a trio since 2019, playing stripped-down versions of tunes originally composed for up to three guitars. This allowed bassist Melanie Radford to play her instrument as more of a co-lead guitar than a rhythm section. Six years into her tenure, she performed like someone who was still thrilled to be playing in Built to Spill, and her exuberance spread into the audience far and wide.

I caught most of Slowdive’s set, and would have been tempted to stay longer if I hadn’t attended their full show in my home state of Florida last November. The shoegaze legends, conceived amid the genre’s turn-of-the-‘90s heyday and resurrected in the 2010s, performed a lush set divided between both periods of the band’s evolution. The breathy vocals of Rachel Goswell and Neil Halstead arguably served a secondary function to their bandmates’ cascading maelstroms of sound. The group brought along some of the most potent video projections of any Kilby act, nearly all of them as abstract as the music itself, from pointy shapes bouncing amid the frame like vintage screen savers to spirals traveling toward an infinite void. I particularly enjoyed the tunnel leading toward an elusive pyramid inside a cube, a symbolically laden trip that would have made Stanley Kubrick proud.

Saving the best for last, I departed Slowdive early to stake out a decent position for Rilo Kiley and was rewarded with the best show of Kilby so far. It was the beloved Los Angeles quartet’s seventh performance since reuniting after 17 years of dormancy, but you wouldn’t know it from the tightness of the set. You might know it, however, from the unfettered enthusiasm emanating from the performers—the still-newness of it all, amid a level of fame the group never achieved in its original run. Having last seen Rilo Kiley in a mid-sized club on the tour for what would become their then-final studio album, I was frankly astonished at how bigger the band has grown in absentia. Now they’re playing giant stadiums and amphitheaters, and essentially served as co-headliners of Kilby’s second night; they were the only artist outside of Beach House to play against no competition.

Kilby Block Party
Rilo Kily. Photography by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography.

Rilo Kiley. Photography by Natalie Simpson, Beehive Photography.

Singer-songwriter Jenny Lewis, captivating as always in a polka-dot dress, black pumps and a well-earned tiara, led the band through material from every era. Lewis, who maintained a successful solo career after Rilo Kiley’s initial breakup, has refashioned the band into one that is ready for arenas. “Moneymaker” proved it can convulse multitudes, while this version of “I Never” was a belty anthem fit for Broadway. During the trifecta of “Silver Lining,” “With Arms Outstretched” and “A Better Son/Daughter,” I teared up during each song, surprised at the emotional wallop these songs pack now, and should have packed back when they were released, when I probably just took Rilo Kiley for granted. Never anymore.

In a rare moment of stage banter in a fast and fluidly moving set, Lewis mentioned her fondness for Kilby Court, referring to the venue as a “destination” and “sanctuary.” The days of this band playing a venue this small are evidently long gone, and I couldn’t be happier for their success.

Beach House ended the night by doing their thing of playing in the shadows of a smoky stage, and it sounded record-perfect. But after the rousing, fist-bumping, arms-outstretched euphoria of Rilo Kiley, the headliners—like the previous night’s top biller—couldn’t help but feel anticlimactic. Plus, my feet were killing me. There are many miles to go before Kilby sleeps, and our coverage continues tomorrow.

Read more of our music coverage and find all our Kilby Block Party reviews. And while you’re here, subscribe and get six issues of Salt Lake magazine, your curated guide to the best of life in Utah.