People of all ages, squinting in the sun, swarmed outside entrances to the 31st annual Utah Arts Festival for its grand opening Thursday afternoon in the downtown Library Square.

Families, school groups and community members were greeted by "Welcome to the arts festival!" booming from a loudspeaker.

And with that the fun began.

Whether enjoying a piece of artwork, discussing the composition of a photograph or cooling off by starting an impulsive water fight, visitors could be seen smiling and laughing despite the 90-degree heat.

Heather Witkamp braved the heat and brought her two children, 8-year-old Ren and 6-year-old Malia, who were busily affixing ripped pieces of old magazines to a 5-foot-tall three-dimensional papier-mache giraffe in the Target Art Yard.

"This is really fun for kids; they get to do hands-on art, which is how they learn," Witkamp said.

She credits son Ren's bold move of creating paintings and then selling them instead of lemonade outside the family's home to confidence he gained by participating in the creative process of making art.

"Kids start learning they can create, and it's valuable," Witkamp said. "Art is expression, and they will do it and aren't afraid to try anything."

But not all of the hands-on art is geared toward children.

Lisa Sewell, executive director of the festival, said this year they are making a bigger effort to involve patrons not only in witnessing artists in the process of creating artworks but by encouraging visitors to engage in the process themselves.

To promote creativity at the festival, patrons can make their own hats, design and paint their own clothing and even create videos.

"We want to get people involved in the creative process and not just watch," Sewell said.

Visitors also have the opportunity to see a variety of art from all over the country — paintings, purses, clothing, light switches, puppets, sculpture, jewelry, china, footwear, games and furniture are just a sampling of what the 130 art vendors have to offer.

And while revenue is an enticement to these artists, it isn't the only driving factor that brings them here.

Photographer Adrienne Adam has been participating in the Utah festival for four years now. She sees it as an opportunity to raise awareness of the subjects her photos feature and inspire others to do the same.

"If I can introduce people to things all around us in a unique way so they will be more active in protecting it — then my purpose as a photographer has been served," Adam said.

Seventeen years of participating in outdoor arts festivals across the country has made Adam picky. This year she decided to participate in only three festivals and chose Utah's because "not only does the community support the arts here," but also "the Utah Arts Festival is really meticulous and makes every effort to provide a pleasant environment for the artists."

The festival features dance, music, food and film in addition to the visual arts. Patrons are encouraged to use public transportation to get to the festival.

The entrance fee is $8 for adults and $5 for seniors — kids 12 and under are free. On Friday, patrons can enter for $5 from 1 to 3 p.m. Credit cards and checks are generally not accepted, but ATMs are available. The festival runs through Sunday from noon to 11 p.m. at the Salt Lake's downtown Library Square, 210 E. 400 South.