Pick Of The Week: CVCA Gallery Walk (Including Map and Recommendations), July 20, 2012 - Logan, Utah

How was your Cache Valley weekend? Mine was busy and fun. I hit the Cache Valley Gardeners' Market on Saturday morning in Logan before a matinee of Utah Festival Opera's "My Fair Lady". Then I headed down to Salt Lake for a family dinner featuring finds from the Downtown Farmers Market. The weekend ended with another family dinner at the south end of Cache Valley in Paradise. I'll fill you in on these events later this week (well, not the family dinners - that would be kind of weird-slash-boring?).

From the CVCA website, www.cachearts.org

Starting today I plan to write about my "Pick of the Week" each Monday. This will be the local event I personally plan to attend, or most want to attend. I'm doing this in lieu of providing a comprehensive calendar or a whole week of picks. If you'd like to know about more things to do during the week I encourage you to check out the Calendar page for links to lots of other event calendars for the area. This week my pick is the CVCA Gallery Walk. Read on for all the venues and artists, plus my picks. The painting featured on the poster below is "Snow Canyon" by Brooke Lambert, who will be exhibiting at Caffe Ibis. A Lisa Loves Logan reader recommended her last week!

What: CVCA Gallery Walk
When: Friday, July 20th, 2012, 6-9pm
Where: Various venues, downtown Logan, Utah
www.cachearts.com
http://www.facebook.com/cachearts

On Friday, July 20th, galleries and other businesses in downtown Logan will open their doors from 6pm to 9pm and host the works of local artists as part of the CVCA Gallery Walk. The Cache Valley Center for the Arts (CVCA) puts on the Gallery Walk about six times a year, and it's one of my favorite activities in Logan. It's so fun to see Main Street alive in the evening and to see the local artists' talents on display. A few venues have live music (see below) and some of the restaurants provide little samples of their fare. It's probably not the best activity for kids, but it makes a great and inexpensive (free) date, or a fun adventure with friends or solo. 

From the CVCA Facebook page

You can click on the map to enlarge it, but it still may be difficult to read. I've listed the venues alphabetically below. You can start at any venue and pick up the map of the rest of the Gallery Walk. If you want to start at one end or the other, Jack's Wood-Fired Oven is the northernmost venue and Gia's Italian Restaurant is the southernmost. You can also make a nice loop by parking near Federal Avenue and starting at Caffe Ibis.


CVCA Gallery Walk Venues

CACHE VALLEY VISITORS BUREAU, 199 N MAIN ST
The Photo Art of Mike Bullock Photography

CAFFE IBIS GALLERY DELI, 52 FEDERAL AVE
“Field and Fountain” by Brooke Lambert
Oil and pastel paintings
Music: Street Dance (Church & Federal)

CITRUS & SAGE and THE CREPERY, 131 N 100 E
The Fine Art of Michael Langenheim
Carvings and Paintings

CREATIVE THREADS and THE IMAGE FOUNDRY LOCATION, 55 N MAIN ST
“Transitions and Interplay” by Sam Capasso
Digital Printer Ink on canvas - abstract interpretations

THE DIAMOND GALLERY & SEGO EVENT PLANNING AND FLORAL DESIGN, 41 N MAIN ST
Pastels by Susan Dunker
Ceramics by Andrea Steffs

FUHRIMAN'S FRAMING & FINE ART, 75 S MAIN ST
“Wilderness Watercolors” and acrylics by Ernie Verdine

GIA’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT, 119 S MAIN ST
Pottery by Scott McClellan

GLOBAL VILLAGE GIFTS, 146 N 100 E
"Other Worlds – Other Art”
Visit www.globalvillagegifts.org for details.

JACKS WOOD-FIRED OVEN, 256 N MAIN
Cache Valley Cruise-In Photo Contest
The Cache Valley Photographers
On display through Aug 30
meetup.com/cvphotographers

JOYRIDE BIKES, 65 S MAIN ST
Mixed media prints by Vincent Cobb
Woodcut, intaglio, stamp and stencil

LOGAN DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE at INDIAN OVEN, 130 N MAIN ST
Landscape Photography by Logan Simmons

LOGAN FINE ART, 60 W 100 N
One Man & Women Shows by David Jackson & Kristi Grussendorf
Paintings by Barbara & Glen Edwards

MOUNTAIN PLACE GALLERY, 123 N MAIN ST (above The Sportsman)
Paintings by Russ Fjeldsted 

OASIS BOOKS, 25 W CENTER ST
David Holmes and Logan High School students and Mt. Logan Middle School students

SDESIGNS AT THE THATCHER-YOUNG MANSION, 35 W 100 S
Utah Watercolor Society – “Small Works Show” www.utahwatercolor.org

S.E. NEEDHAM JEWELERS, 141 N MAIN ST
Photography by Josh Munns

THE SPIRIT GOAT, 28 FEDERAL AVE
Mixed media – polymer clay by Sharon Ohlhorst

THE SPORTSMAN, 129 N MAIN ST
Oil collage by Haley Cliften

ST. JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH, 85 E 100 N
Paintings by Scott Bushman & watercolors by Neena Plant

UTAH PUBLIC RADIO, 43 S MAIN ST
Strata: Mixed Media Paintings by Holly Conger
Transfer collage, oil, & acrylic
Music: Celtic harp by Julie ni Hewkin

WINBORG MASTERPIECES ART GALLERY, 55 N MAIN ST, 208
Watercolors, oils & Gicleé Prints” by Jeremy & Larry Winborg

My Faves

Some of these venues are new additions since the last time I went to the Gallery Walk. Some are old favorites like Caffe Ibis (which usually has live music and some yummy treats) and St. John's Episcopal Church, a lovely church downtown that was first constructed in 1909. In addition to its striking Western-Romanesque-Gothic architecture, St. John's has one very interesting feature I intend to write about later this week.

From the website of St. John's Episcopal Church. Additional website here.

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I'd love it if you'd comment and share your weekend adventures, your own "Pick of the Week", or your past experiences with the CVCA gallery walk. Do tell!

Elote (Mexican Corn on the Cob) at the Cache Valley Garedeners' Market

I was first introduced to elote, or Mexican corn on the cob, at the Cache County Fair in Logan in about 2007. I've looked forward to it as a summer fair stand tradition ever since (along with my beloved mini donuts), and I have even taken to making it at home. I was happy to see that the Mexican food stand at the Cache Valley Gardener's Market (click the link for location and times) had elotes last Saturday.

Mmmmm. Now I'm not going to tell you this is healthy, but I am going to tell you it's delicious. Corn on the cob with mayo, lime, cheese, and seasonings. This version used parmesan cheese, which isn't traditional, but was still tasty.

I had pupusas (again), and also a Brazilian fresh limeade. My brother-in-law makes this for some of our family gatherings, and I really enjoyed an icy cupful at the market.

Head over to my other blog, A Farewell To Can't, if you would like my recipes for elotes and Brazilian limeade. I didn't manage to get any produce at the market on Saturday, but I'm excited to see what's new this weekend.

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Downtown Logan Sidewalk Sale

For anyone who hasn't heard, downtown Logan has a big sidewalk sale going on this weekend. Head down to Main & Center Streets to check out the great shops and prices in our historic downtown.

LLL

Chocolate for Cheap! Alvey's Chocolates Factory Sale, July 9-14, 2012 - Richmond, Utah

Local Cache Valley candy company Alvey's Chocolates (or Alvey's Candies, I've seen it both ways) has a factory sale going on through Saturday, July 14 at their factory store in Richmond, Utah. I hadn't realized Alvey's has a factory store, so I left Alvey's off my list of factory tours and stores in Cache Valley. I'll have to add it! Since the Pepperidge Farm factory and store is also in Richmond, you could go to both in one trip and stock up on lots of yummy goodies at great prices. Here are the details of the Alvey's sale.

Alvey's Chocolates Factory Sale

63 E. 300 S. Richmond, Utah

9am-4pm - July 9-14, 2012

Factory Seconds, regularly $7.50/lb., NOW $6.00/lb.

Milk Mint Wafers (seconds), 5 lb. bag for $25.00

Dark Mint Wafers (seconds), 5 lb. bag for $20.00

Overstock Firsts, regularly $16.50/lb., NOW $8.25/lb.

While supplies last!

Alvey's has been creating handmade chocolates and candies in Cache Valley since 1980. Alvey's has a retail store in Logan at the Cache Valley Mall, and its products are also available at a few grocery stores in the area. (I'm sure they're at Lee's Marketplace, because I sometimes succumb to buying an Alvey's treat in the check-out line).

The Alvey's website appears to be under construction, but it does have some information about the company. Watch the two-minute video below to learn more about Alvey's and to see the retail store and some of the yummy products. Warning! You might have a craving chocolate after you watch this!

How It's Made: Food Factory Tours in Logan & Cache Valley

Note: This post started out as Part 1 of a series of kid-friendly activities for a day trip to Logan with young kids. That's why it includes some references and recommendations that apply to children. However, I realized it is applicable to anyone who visits Cache Valley, and also to residents who are looking for things to do.

HOW IT'S MADE

Cache Valley and Logan are rich with food-making heritage, and many of our food production businesses offer tours and learning opportunities for visitors. Little chefs, engineers, and scientists will enjoy watching how some of their favorite foods are made...or at least they'll enjoy the samples! From cheese to honey to ice cream to, well, cheese again, you'll find a tasty way to start your Cache Valley day.

Gossner Foods Factory via

Gossner Foods Factory & Store - The Gossner Foods factory produces dairy products and has a large onsite store featuring homemade ice cream, UHT (shelf-stable) flavored milk, cheese curd (including flavored versions), and great deals on many varieties of cheese. There is no factory tour, but a large window into the production area allows the public to take a look at the cheese-making process. A generous sample table is filled with lots of cheeses and cheese curd in different flavors, plus samples of their UHT milk, in flavors like Vanilla, Root Beer, Mango, and Strawberry. The phrase "shelf-stable milk" might sound a little iffy at first, but it's actually really good -- and kids love it. Don't miss the smoked or garlic-flavored squeaky cheese curds!
Where: 1051 North 1000 West, Logan, Utah 84321, 435-752-9365, www.gossner.com
When: Monday-Saturday 8am-7pm
Cost: Free entry and samples. Items available for purchase.

Aggie Ice Cream & True Blue Aggie Cheese - Enjoying a cone of Aggie Ice Cream on the steps of Utah state University's Nutrition & Food Science Building is a Logan tradition. You can visit the Aggie Ice Cream store any time during the year, but on a few select days you can also tour the dairy production plant and watch how the ice cream is made. One summer tour date already passed on June 23, but additional tours will be held on July 14 and August 11. The tour consists of watching a short DVD, touring the production plant, and eating ice cream. You can also learn about how True Blue Aggie Cheese is made. A free learning experience is offered Monday-Thursday at 1:30pm may 29-August 16, 2012. Tour consists of a 10-minute DVD and a sampling of cheeses. The Aggie Ice Cream store offers True Blue Aggie Cheese, drinks and snacks, and sandwiches made to order.
Where: USU Nutrition & Food Science Building, 750 North 1200 East, Logan, Utah 84322; 435-797-2109 or toll free 1-888-586-2735,  http://aggieicecream.usu.edu/. Free parking for customers is available at the southwest corner of the building.
When: Tour dates are June 23, July 14 and Aug. 11. Tours are about 45 minutes and start at noon, 1, 2, 3 and 4pm. True Blue Aggie Cheese learning experience is offered Monday-Thursday at 1:30pm and take about 15 minutes. Regular summer business hours for the store are Monday-Friday 9am-10pm, Saturday 10am-10pm, closed Sunday
Cost: Ice cream tour is $3 per person, which includes a scoop of ice cream. True Blue Aggie Cheese tour is free, and includes samples.

Honeycomb Sampler from Cox Honeyland

Cox Honeyland & Gifts - The Cox family has been making honey in Cache Valley since 1929. Well, actually, it's the bees who make the honey, but the Cox family harvests it and transforms it into an array of products, including creamed honeys, flavored honeys, and honeybutter. These products and more are available at the Cox Honeyland gift store in south Logan. You can also take a self-paced tour of the honey farm, where you'll observe bees coming and going from a glass observation hive, watch a video presentation, view a bee nursery, and take a look at the manufacturing facility.
Where: 1780 South Hwy 89/91, Logan, Utah 84321, 435-752-3234, www.coxhoney.com
When: Store hours are Monday-Friday 10am-5:30pm, Saturday 10am-4:30pm
Cost: Entry is free, items available for purchase

Crumb Brothers building via

Crumb Brothers Artisan Bread & Cafe - This artisan bakery is a favorite on the farmers market circuit and supplies bread to some of the most popular and delicious restaurants in Salt Lake City, but they save some of the best for their hometown fans. Crumb Brothers operates out of a dramatic and artfully-designed building on the west side of Logan, all soaring ceilings and exposed beams. Windows provide a glimpse into the production area, which can be toured Monday-Thursday at 9:30am. In addition to Crumb Brothers' own breads, pastries, and sandwiches, the retail store features a nice selection of local Utah food products. Don't miss the Milbury & Hodge Ginger Preserves from Torrey, Utah. A table in the corner is always graced by samples of bread and spreads or dips, but the tiny tastes will just leave you wanting more. If you need to sate your appetite, allow me to personally vouch for the Salami & Cheese sandwich or the Lemon Scones. Mmmmmm!
Where: 291 South 300 West, Logan, Utah 84321, 435-792-6063, www.crumbbrothers.com
When: Tours are offered Monday-Thursday at 9:30am. Store hours are Monday-Friday 7am-2pm, Saturday 8am-2pm, closed Sunday
Cost: Entry and tour are free, items available for purchase

Rockhill Creamery farmstand via

Rockhill Creamery - Six brown Swiss cows furnish all the milk that becomes artisan cheese at this micro-dairy in Richmond. Rockhill Creamery produces 200 pounds of cheese per week in varieties such as Desert Red Feta and Snow Canyon Edam. You might remember I purchased a couple of their cheeses during my recent visit to the Cache Valley Gardeners' Market. You can sample the offerings for the day at the farmstand. The historic farm also hosts Richmond's Saturday farmers' market, the Richmond Harvest Market. Tours of the working farm are offered by appointment only, Monday thru Thursday. Call for an appointment.
Where: 563 South State Street, Richmond, Utah, 84333, 435-258-1278, www.rockhillcheese.com
When: The Rockhill Creamery farmstand is open Saturdays, 10am-2pm, June through October. The Richmond Harvest Market is occurs onsite on Saturdays from 10am-1pm. Tours are offered Monday-Thursday by appointment only.
Cost: Entry and tour are free, items available for purchase

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Many other regionally and nationally-known foods are produced in Cache Valley, including FatBoy ice cream sandwiches and Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies. These factories don't provide tours, but do have onsite outlet stores where products can be purchased, sometimes at a great discount.

Casper's Ice Cream Factory & Malt Shop - Makers of the FatBoy and Casco ice cream treats. The factory includes a retail malt shop and product sales. 11805 North 200 East, Richmond, Utah, 84333, 435-258-5219, www.fatboyicecream.com. Open Monday-Thursday noon-9pm, Friday-Saturday noon-10pm. Open one hour later during summer.

Pepperidge Farm Factory & Thrift Store - The Richmond production facility of this national cookie and cracker brand owned by the Campbell Soup Company is not open to the public, but it includes an outlet store that sells factory seconds. Believe me, a misaligned Mint Milano cookie tastes just as good as a perfectly formed one, and your kids won't be able to find a thing wrong with the Goldfish Crackers. Available products vary day to day. 1027 East 11600 North, Richmond, Utah, 84333, 435-258-3618



Whew! That's quite a list. Parts 2 and 3 of a kid-friendly day trip to follow.


LLL


Which one of these factories would you most like to visit? Which have you already been to? Are there any that I've missed? I'd be very interested in taking the Crumb Brothers tour and I also hope to make it out to Rockhill Creamery sometime soon.

Miniature Cherries? Yes, please! - Cache Valley Gardeners' Market Haul (June 16, 2012, Logan, Utah)

Looky what I got at the Cache Valley Gardeners' Market, our local farmers market here in Logan!

My Gardeners' Market selections. Prices and details included below.

We hit the Cache Valley Gardeners' Market at Merlin Olsen Central Park in Logan a little after 10 a.m. on Saturday morning. Several stands were offering fresh greens, herbs, and berries, as well as flowers and gardening starts. Cheeses, breads, salsas, honeys, and jams were also in abundance in addition to craft items like jewelry, decor, and soaps. Since it was Pollinator Day there were a few booths with information and displays about pollinators, mostly bees. My boys loved watching the bees in glass hive boxes and admiring the mounted bee specimens. I was amazed by the variety of bees, from tiny ant-size bees to very large ones. Beekeeping clothing was available to try on, and there was a plexiglass box one could put one's hand into, full of buzzing bees that were supposed to be of a "kind, fuzzy" variety. I didn't test it out.

I picked up some purple basil for $1, a huge bunch of beet greens for $1, and a container of miniature sour cherries for $3. I expressed my affinity for sour cherries in my other Gardeners' Market post, and wished some would be available in the coming weeks. I had never before seen this tiny, bush-grown type, which I couldn't resist. Tiny = cute + sour cherries = taste good = = must buy. They look like overgrown salmon roe and have the tiniest little pits. My two-year-old completely ignored the pits and just stuffed the baby cherries in his mouth by the handful, so I couldn't let him have them. Did you know eating (especially chewing) cherry pits and apple seeds can cause poisoning? (See article here: Yes, Apple Seeds and Cherry Pits are Poisonous)

My last take-home purchase was cheese from local dairy Rockhill Creamery. Their booth offered tiny samples of six or eight varieties of cheese, to be selected with toothpicks. My toddler got his hand on the toothpicks and soon it was like a game of miniature pick-up sticks up in there. Arg! I bought a small wedge of Snow Canyon Edam for $6 and a small wedge of Peppercorn Gouda for $4.50. We ate some of the Edam with slices of Braeburn apples yesterday. Delish!

One of the best parts of the Gardeners' Market is running into friends and acquaintances who are out enjoying Saturday morning at the market. I was able to meet some friends of my husband's and I ran into a dear college roommate whom I had been meaning to reconnect with since moving back to town. She was picking up her CSA half-share from Appenzell Farm. We set up a lunch date for later this week. Yay!

Just as we were about to choose items for lunch I got a text from my sister. She lives in Salt Lake City but had been camping in Logan Canyon with friends the night before. I knew the Gardeners' Market had been a weekly tradition for her and her husband when they lived in Logan, so I invited them to meet us for lunch. I had a $6 combo plate of vegetarian Ethiopian food, which was served with several pieces of a sour, spongy bread called injera. The rest of the adults had Mexican tacos, tamales, and tortas. We got a chicken and rice bowl from Pauni catering for the kids, but my husband ended up eating most of it because the boys couldn't be tempted away from the playground to come and eat. Other available prepared food options included a crepe station and a booth that served ebelskivers and Swedish pancakes topped with berries and whipped cream. I would have been greatly tempted if I hadn't been more in the mood for a savory lunch. My sister was disappointed the pupusa stand wasn't there, as that is her fave. Maybe later in the summer?

The Gardeners' Market is such a great Cache Valley and Logan, Utah event. I hope to make it a Saturday tradition throughout this summer and fall. Can't wait for the corn and tomatoes!

FYI, a few other communities in Cache Valley also have farmers' markets. I know Richmond and Paradise both do, and possibly also Providence. I will look into these and post more info at a later date.

LLL

P.S.: Did you hit the market? What did you buy? What do you like to do on Saturday mornings? Is it your cleaning day, or is it a fun day? Do you like to make a big breakfast at home, or go out, or just eat like a weekday? I love to go to yard sales on Saturdays and I also love going out for breakfast or brunch, though we don't do it too often.

Summerfest Arts Faire Recap - Logan, Utah

We made it out to Summerfest on Friday for lunch and shopping. We spent about three hours at the fair, during our two-year-old's naptime, so in the end he had a meltdown before we were able to look at about 25% of the booths. I wonder what we missed, but we did see a lot and have fun! Check out my photos (yes, my child thinks he's a pirate), then read on to learn more about what we saw and to find out what I chose to eat at the fair.

We parked a couple of blocks north of the fair and upon our arrival at Tabernacle Square we made a lap around the food vendor area to assess our options. I ordered a Spicy Vietnamese Pork Wrap from Culinary Concepts, which was thinly-sliced pork surrounded by lime-scented carrots and other veggies, as well as herbs and a savory sauce. I added some Sriracha hot sauce, one of my favorite condiments, for the perfect finishing touch. Boy it was a mighty fine sandwich! Probably the freshest, "cleanest" fair food I have ever tasted. It was reasonably priced (as far as fair food goes, which is a notoriously expensive) at $5. The Korean Spicy BBQ Beef Taco I had anticipated based on the information on the Summerfest website was not on the menu,  but I was very happy with my choice.

Tyson chose a Gyro, which he said was good. It looked filling. Choosing food for our boys proved to be difficult. I think they would have eaten corn dogs, but they cost $5 apiece! Ouch! My kids like to eat healthy foods at home, but the wraps and sandwiches at Culinary Concepts were the only healthy items available, and my son turned down that option and asked for peanut butter and jelly. The only PB&J available was at the Navajo taco stand, so it was made on fry bread. We bought one for $3.00, as well as a fry bread "pizza" (ordered with cheese and sauce only) for $3.25. I don't know if I could have given them anything messier! A substantial disk of fried bread, slathered with jelly and a huge amount of chunky peanut butter. The bread was right out of the fryer, and was very hot when the toppings were applied, so the jelly and peanut butter melted and ran everywhere. It wasn't much to look at, but it tasted great! Completely decadent and something you know you shouldn't eat often, but worth having in the moment. My older son loved it and managed it pretty well once I tore pieces of and folded them so the jelly and peanut butter stayed where they  were meant to. The pizza wasn't as good, but you really can't go wrong with fry bread. Because I ate a significant portion of the fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I forwent my beloved mini donuts. Don't doubt I will get some at the Cache County Fair in August!

After lunch we browsed the artists' booths and took a breather in a statue area on the west side of the Tabernacle. One of my favorite booths was that of glass artist Nikki Root. She created decorative stained-glass pieces using vintage bottles, vases, plates, etc. I also liked the work of an artist who did very detailed scenes in wood inlay. And of course we loved visiting Tyson's cousin Josh's booth, where we bought a few pieces.

Anyone else head to Summerfest? What did you eat? What did you buy?

Cache Valley Gardeners' Market (Ongoing) - June 16, 2012 - Logan, Utah

What: Cache Valley Gardeners' Market, featuring fresh local produce and other food items, artisans, prepared foods, and live music
Where: Southwest corner of Merlin Olsen Park, at the intersection of 100 South and 200 East, Logan, Utah
When: Saturdays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., May 12 - October 20, 2012
Cost: Admission is free. Items available for purchase.
FYI: Parking is available in the neighborhoods surrounding the market. Consider biking, walking, or riding a bus to the market. The musical act on June 16 is Hot Flashes. June 16 is also a special event day, Pollinator Day, and will feature presentations and booths about pollinators (bees, birds, bats).
More: Visit the Cache Valley Gardeners' Market website, and like the Market on Facebook

Strawberries, lettuces, and many other delicious foods are now in season! Stop by the Cache Valley Gardeners' Market to pick up the makings for a delicious meal.

The Gardeners' Market is one of my favorite Cache Valley traditions. It has been happening for 20 years now, but I hear it has grown a lot since I was last able to visit in 2009. (I moved out of state for a few years.) I am excited to see the changes, so I hope I can make it tomorrow. A leisurely stroll through the shady market is the perfect Saturday morning. Park between the Market and Tabernacle Square and you can easily walk to Summerfest, too.

See you there!

LLL

P.S.: What is your favorite thing to buy at a farmers' market? Personally I can't stay away from arugula and fresh herbs. I also hope someone will have sour pie cherries at the market this year (maybe in a week or two?). I love to eat them out of hand, so they never even make it into jam or pie around here!

Summerfest Arts Faire - June 14-16, 2012 - Logan, Utah

What: Logan Summerfest Arts Faire, featuring artists, food, music, and children's art yard
Where: Tabernacle Square, Logan, Utah (between Main Street and 100 East, Center Street and 100 North)
When: Thursday June 14, noon to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday June 15 - 16, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Cost: Admission is free. Artworks and food available for purchase. Art yard costs $3.00 per child per two-hour block.
FYI: Pets are not allowed. Parking is limited, but bus service is provided. Art yard hours are noon to 6 p.m.

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One of Cache Valley's favorite yearly events, the Logan Summerfest Arts Faire, is already in full swing at Tabernacle Square. The festival started Thursday, June 14 and continues through Saturday, June 16. This year Summerfest features over 130 artists, 25 food vendors, and a packed schedule of musical performers including headliners Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband, who will be playing on Saturday night.

Pictured below is a piece by this year's featured artist, Lucy Peterson Watkins. The piece depicts Summerfest itself. Look closely and you can see the stitching in the sky -- this is actually a piece of fabric art! Watkins quilts using a standard sewing machine, and also uses photography and paint to create her works. I hope to see this work in person at Summerfest!

via

Over 130 artists are participating this year. Mediums include oil and watercolor painting, fiber art, acrylics, sculpture, pottery, photography, jewelry and more. Summerfest is the perfect opportunity to buy unique. personal Christmas and birthday gifts for friends and family. One year I bought my mom a silk-screened print of a mother and father quail with their three baby quailings. My mother loves watching quails, and the little family looked like a quail version of her own family of three daughters. It now hangs in her stairway landing. Perfect gift! And don't forget to gift yourself. I think I'd like to look for a pair of earrings. Prices at Summerfest range from very affordable $5 items on up to works that cost in the thousands of dollars.

It looks like my husband's cousin, Joshua Bostwick, will be one of the artists exhibiting at the Faire this year. Maybe I can pick up something like this cute "Octo Pie" for the boys' room.

via

Summerfest also includes an Art Yard where children ages 2 - 14 can participate in creative and educational art projects. Children's Art Yard hours are from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Cost is $3.00 per child per two hour block. Children under five must accompanied by a parent, authorized adult, or responsible older sibling.

No discussion of a fair (or faire, if you're fancye like that) is complete without talking about fair food. With 25 food vendors, there will be something for everyone. One item that caught my eye was Mini Donuts from Grandma's Minis. I can't resist those piping hot, melt-in-your-mouth goodies, and it's been three years since I last had some at the 2009 Cache County Fair. Watching the machine make them is mesmerizing; eating them is sugar coma inducing. Bliss!

via

As for savory items, I will have a hard time deciding between Spicy Korean Beef Tacos by Culinary Concepts, the Margherita Pizza from Jack's Wood Fired Pizza, a Shredded Pork BBQ Sandwich from Norma Jean's BBQ, or Kahlua Pork from Pauni Catering. I can just hear my kids begging me for a Fry Bread PB&J from Laura's Navajo Tacos, not to mention cotton candy. Anything for them as long as they keep their little mitts off my mini donuts! If none of these foods are up your alley there are still 20 more vendors I haven't mentioned! Yes, you can get a burger or chicken strips or a turkey leg.

Summerfest hours are Thursday, June 14 from noon to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday June 15, 16 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tabernacle Square is the block between Main Street and 100 East and Center Street and 100 North in Logan. Free parking and bus service are available at the CVTD Transit Center at 150 East 500 North, with buses running every ten minutes. Parking is also available in lots and neighborhoods surrounding Tabernacle Square, but please be aware of safety, signs, and restrictions.

Further details, including a list of artists, music performers, and food vendors, can be found at the Summerfest Arts Faire website.

Summerfest is just one of many wonderful yearly events in Logan and Cache Valley, but it is certainly one of the most popular ones. It's so fun to peruse the booths, run into friends and acquaintances, and enjoy the lovely early-summer weather Cache Valley is blessed with this time of year.

See you there!

LLL

P.S..: Comment and let me know your favorite fair food and any memorable fair purchases. I'd love to hear!