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Benjamin Zitting is a veteran Utah Arts Festival performer. The drummer and sometimes vocalist played there Saturday for the fifth year in a row, this time with his progressive rock band, Emanon.

He's 15.

Emanon has only been around a couple of years — it was formed by members of the musicgarage.org youth program — but they rocked the arts festival on Saturday afternoon, covering two Tool songs and performing three originals. That there was hard-driving rock 'n' roll at the event might have surprised some; the bigger shock came when vocalist Courtney Spaulding told the audience the band members' ages.

She's 16; bassist Emmett Crofort is also 16; Zitting is 15; and guitarist Emil Welker, who just joined the band a couple of months ago, is 14.

Anybody who was just listening would never have guessed. They were that good.

"That's why we say our ages — because it's more impressive that we're younger," Spaulding said with a laugh.

They played with confidence and talent far beyond their years. The self-assurance of veteran performers — which Zitting recalled he did not possess the first time he climbed up on stage at the Utah Arts Festival, when he was just 11.

"I just remember that that was one of the most stressful things, the most anxious I've ever been in my entire life," he said."Because it was my first show ever. And it was here. And there was a ton of people.

"I just remember thinking — I've got to sing 'Eye of the Tiger' or I'm going to die."

On Saturday, it was Welker's turn to debut. It was his first time at the Utah Arts Festival, and just his second performance.

"I learned half the songs in the last week," he said.

"He's a fast learner," Spaulding said.

"This is pretty much all that we do," Welker said.

"Yeah, we don't do sports," Spaulding said.

Emanon was just one of dozens of acts to play the Utah Arts Festival, keeping the teeming crowds entertained.

Following their performance, Spaulding was determined to take advantage of the fact that she was at the arts festival.

"I'm going to go get some food," she said. And she certainly wasn't alone.

Utahns flocked to the Arts Festival on Saturday, taking advantage of a break in the weather on Saturday — temperatures in the 70s instead of the 90s (or higher) than usually accompany event. It was a chance to walk around, be entertained by the musical acts, check out the exhibits, do some shopping and grab a bite to eat.

The dining choices were positively international. Peruvian. Japanese. Greek. French. Indian. Vietnamese.

And Italian. Well, there was pizza over here and gelato over there.

It wasn't all exotic. You could get "ice-cold milk" and peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches in the kids art yard — for the children, presumably.

There was considerable conversation among passers-by about the booth selling fried Mormon funeral potatoes — more conversation than buyers, at one point.

The art exhibits were plentiful and diverse. In addition to lots of landscapes — lots and lots of landscapes — you could buy art to make you laugh (funny cat and dog paintings) and "Rockets, Robots and Rayguns" (paintings that are exactly what that title indicates.

And there was hats, jewelry, pottery, dresses, pillows, purses, metal sculptures, glass sculptures, caricatures, wooden spoons, pieces made from recycled wine barrels and more.

And, as you might expect when it comes to art, there was no lack of debate.

"Oh, I love that!" exclaimed one woman, pointing to a bright, rather impressionistic landscape.

"Really?" replied the gentleman accompanying her. "Really? That? It's awful."

Even when beauty is in the eye of both beholders, there's still room for disagreement.

"It's only $285," said one woman.

"Only $285?" exclaimed her male companion. "Are you kidding me?"

Twitter @ScottDPierce

Continues Sunday

The Utah Arts Festival continues Sunday at Library and Washington squares in downtown Salt Lake City — with music, familiar attractions like the Kids Art Yard, food vendors and a lot from artists that's fresh and new. For details, visit uaf.org.

Tickets

Adults • $12 per day

Seniors (65 and older) • $6 per day

Military • $6 per day, through Sunday; ID required

Children (12 and younger) • Free

Where to buy them • At the gates, or online at uaf.org. —

Continues Sunday

The Utah Arts Festival continues Sunday at Library and Washington squares in downtown Salt Lake City — with music, familiar attractions like the Kids Art Yard, food vendors and a lot from artists that's fresh and new. For details, visit uaf.org.

Tickets

Adults • $12 per day

Seniors (65 and older) • $6 per day

Military • $6 per day, through Sunday; ID required

Children (12 and younger) • Free

Where to buy them • At the gates, or online at uaf.org.