George First Friday Streetfest is the “Hottest” party in downtown St. George
Written by George Scott
Temperatures aside, George First Friday Streetfest truly is the hottest party around. With the inaugural event held on June 5, this second celebration on July 3 saw a doubling in attendance from the first, as approximately 5,000 people came out to celebrate the best of southern Utah at the downtown St. George party.
With all of the expansions and improvements, including 60 street vendors, a full food truck village, misting stations, water bottle refills, a parade float preview, a concert on Main, and a Jazz Garden makeover staying open until midnight, this festival is fast becoming renowned beyond the streets of downtown St. George. Even Juice Newton—who was in town for her Fourth of July concert in Springdale—made it to the Jazz Garden. She gave a big shout out to the event at her concert.
Rain, wind, and hail threatened the event with a torrential-style storm hitting the surrounding area within an hour of start time. However, it only served to cool things down a bit as it moved out as quickly as it came, stopping just in time to get the party started. As the crowd began to grow, the stage was being set for the concert on Main.
The stage was filled with continuous music and entertainment throughout the night. Music from Kaitlin Sevy; Morning, Pretty (Morning, Sexy); Golden Sun; and Sego brought a wide variety of music for the crowd to enjoy. In the Jazz Garden, the over-21 crowd was able to enjoy the sounds of Laura Lounsbury and the West Coast Jazz Players.
Finding something for attendees of all ages to enhance their enjoyment of the evening was easy at the second George First Friday Streetfest. In addition to the Jazz Garden and live music, there were games and interactive booths for the kids, delicious festival fare in the food truck village, and wonderful specials from Twisted Noodle, 25 Main, and other downtown restaurants. One of the favorite activities was the Streetfest passport which allowed participants to enter the Mayor’s drawing.
The next downtown George First Friday Streetfest happens Aug. 7 from 6-10 p.m. The concert stage will have live performances by Quiet Oaks, Brickwalker, and Holy Water Buffalo. Join the community for “Nightlife you can get excited about.”
