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One of the world's greatest DJs and a party-loving dance-music collective will be headlining this year's Urban Arts Festival.
The seventh annual festival, billed as the largest free community art event in Utah, happens Sept. 16 and 17 at the Gallivan Center, 239 S. Main in downtown Salt Lake City. Festival organizers announced the headliners and other features at a news conference Friday.
Headlining Saturday night, Sept. 16, is Mix Master Mike, the "turntablist extraordinare" of the legendary hip-hop act, the Beastie Boys.
Born Michael Schwartz, Mix Master Mike is a three-time holder of the DMC World title, and was the first west-coast DJ to win the title of world champion at the New Music Seminar DJ Battle in 1992. This August, he's performing on Metallica's arena tour.
The Sunday headliner, on Sept. 17, is Afrolicious, a dance-fusion collective from San Francisco. Founded by DJ brothers Joe McGuire (aka Pleasure Maker) and Oz McGuire (aka Señor Oz), the group started as a weekly dance party, and now boasts a performance band with percussionists, MCs and horn players.
The festival, put on by the Utah Arts Alliance, will have two stages for music, dance and performance, with more than 30 acts already booked.
One of the highlights, a fixture in the festival since it started, is Salt Lake City's BBoy Federation, performing breakdancing demos and a dance battle.
Joshua Perkins, director of BBoy Federation, wouldn't give details about this year's dance battle. "We try to keep it fresh, so it's not the same thing year after year," he said.
Other features of the festival are:
• The return of the Hard N Paint Street Basketball League, with a tournament, a shoot-out and a slam-dunk contest.
• More than 200 artists and vendors, displaying paintings, photography, jewelry, clothing and sculpture.
• The Custom Culture Automotive Arts area, with more than 40 cars and motorcycles.
• A "digital grafitti" projection art area and a virtual-reality section.
• An IndieWalk urban fashion show, featuring a dozen urban and underground fashion designers.
• Live painting demonstrations from Utah street artists, and a community wall for anyone to paint.
• Members of the Utah Food Truck League, selling their goodies.
Twitter: @moviecricket Urban Arts Festival
The seventh annual Urban Arts Festival, put on by the Utah Arts Alliance:
Where • Gallivan Center, 239 S. Main, Salt Lake City.
When • Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 16-17
Admission • Free