Events for Poetry and Spoken Word

SPRINGVILLE, Utah — The 6th Annual Springville Art Festival returns September 11–12, bringing artists, performers, filmmakers, and community members together for two days of creativity throughout historic downtown Springville, Utah’s “Art City.” Held at Civic Center Park, Festival Street, and the Rivoli Theater, the annual festival features artist booths, live performances, food trucks, hands-on art activities, plein air painting and sculpting, chalk art, a community art project, a film showcase, and a talent show. ARTISTS AND ARTIST DEMONSTRATIONS More than 50 artists will participate in artist booths at Civic Center Park, offering original artwork in a variety of styles, mediums, and price points. Many artists will also demonstrate their creative processes or offer interactive activities throughout the festival. Artist booths will be open Friday, September 11, from 5:00–9:00 p.m. and Saturday, September 12, from 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. LIVE MUSIC AND PERFORMANCE Live entertainment will fill Civic Center Park throughout the festival, with performances at the Main Stage Gazebo and buskers performing throughout the park. Friday performances run from 5:00–9:00 p.m., with Saturday performances from 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. New this year, Festival Street will host headlining performances Saturday evening from 5:00–8:30 p.m., along with food trucks, extending the festival into downtown for an evening of music and entertainment. SPRINGVILLE’S GOT TALENT Local performers will take the stage Saturday at 6:00 p.m. for Springville’s Got Talent at the Main Stage Gazebo. The annual showcase celebrates the talent of the Springville community. PLEIN AIR PAINT-OUT AND SCULPT-OUT On Saturday morning, artists will take to the streets of historic downtown Springville for the Plein Air Paint-Out and Sculpt-Out. From 8:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m., artists of all ages and skill levels will paint and sculpt outdoors, drawing inspiration from the city and its surroundings. Completed works will be exhibited at the Springville Civic Center from 2:00–7:00 p.m., with Viewers’ Choice voting open until 4:00 p.m. Cash prizes will be awarded, awards will be announced at 5:00 p.m. at the Main Stage Gazebo. To participate, find more information at: www.smofa.org/art-festival. CHALK THE WALK MOVES TO THE SPLASH PAD This year, Chalk the Walk moves from the Springville Library to the Springville Splash Pad at Civic Center Park. On Saturday, starting at 8:00 am artists of all ages and skill levels will transform sidewalks into temporary chalk masterpieces. Visitors can watch artists work and participate in Viewers’ Choice voting, which closes at 4:00 p.m. Cash prizes will be awarded in various categories. Awards will be announced at 5:00 p.m. at the Main Stage Gazebo. To participate, find more information at: www.smofa.org/art-festival FILM SHOWCASE The festival weekend begins Friday evening with a Film Showcase at the Rivoli Theater. From 7:00–8:30 p.m., the showcase will feature family-friendly short films by local filmmakers. ART ACTIVITIES AND COMMUNITY ART Free art activities and projects for all ages will be offered at Civic Center Park Friday from 5:00–8:00 p.m. and Saturday from 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. A community art project led by Rebecca Pletsch, the current Teaching Artist Fellow for Youth (TAFY) Artist, will also invite festivalgoers to contribute to a shared creative experience. FESTIVAL SCHEDULE September 11–12, 2026 Friday, September 11 5:00–9:00 p.m. | Civic Center Park Artist booths, food trucks, community art project, live performances, and buskers 7:00–8:30 p.m. | Rivoli Theater Film Showcase Saturday, September 12 10:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. | Civic Center Park Artist booths, food trucks, performances, buskers, and art projects (until 5:00 pm) 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. | Civic Center Park Art activities 2:00–7:00 p.m. | Civic Center Park Plein Air and Chalk Art exhibitions Viewers’ Choice voting until 4:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. | Main Stage Gazebo at Civic Center Park Awards ceremony. 6:00–7:00 p.m. | Main Stage Gazebo at Civic Center Park Springville’s Got Talent 5:00–8:30 p.m. | Festival Street, 51 E. 200 S. Food trucks and headlining performances The Springville Art Festival brings art into the streets of Art City for a weekend of creativity, discovery, and community. For the complete festival schedule, artist lineup, participation information, and updates, visit www.smofa.org/2026-art-festival or www.instagram.com/springville_publicart The Springville Art Festival is an annual arts celebration in Utah’s “Art City,” presented by Springville Public Art, a program of the Springville Museum of Art and supported by Springville City and PAR.

Join us the first Tuesday of every month this fall for a mystical series of evenings celebrating Sufi Poetry. The Rumi Poetry Club was founded by Rasoul Shams in 2007, on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of Jalâluddin Rumi’s birth. Since then, they have celebrated the poetry, inspiration, and perennial teachings of Rumi and other poets of the heart, nature, and spiritual life from around the world. Rasoul Shams first learned of Rumi's poems in his Persian classes as a young boy in Iran. The works of Rumi and other Persian poets have been his spiritual companions for decades. He has studied and lived in India, Japan, and the USA. His books include Rumi: The Art of Loving, Rumi Essays: On the Life, Poetry, and Vision of the Greatest Persian Sufi Poet, The Words of Rumi, and Through Love Pain is Healed. 
https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/events/autumn-with-rumi-october-2026

Join us the first Tuesday of every month this fall for a mystical series of evenings celebrating Sufi Poetry. The Rumi Poetry Club was founded by Rasoul Shams in 2007, on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of Jalâluddin Rumi’s birth. Since then, they have celebrated the poetry, inspiration, and perennial teachings of Rumi and other poets of the heart, nature, and spiritual life from around the world. Rasoul Shams first learned of Rumi's poems in his Persian classes as a young boy in Iran. The works of Rumi and other Persian poets have been his spiritual companions for decades. He has studied and lived in India, Japan, and the USA. His books include Rumi: The Art of Loving, Rumi Essays: On the Life, Poetry, and Vision of the Greatest Persian Sufi Poet, The Words of Rumi, and Through Love Pain is Healed. 
https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/events/autumn-with-rumi-november-2026

A Workshop for Exploring (and Writing) Poetry Join us for an evening of inspiration and guidance to help you discover the poetry that is hiding inside you. This is a free community event open to all, no need to sign up in advance. Please bring a notebook and a pen (or pencil, or crayon, or anything your heart desires that will make the marks on the page). 
https://www.goldenbraidslc.com/events/writing-workshop-release-your-inner-poet-november-2026