This last weekend we sold soap at the Helper Art and Music Festival. If you have never been to this event and live in Utah, it's worth the 2-3 hour drive to little ole' Helper to check it out (if you like art that is). Helper is a little town outside of Price. It was settled by coal miners and railroad workers. At one time was on it's way to becoming a good size town, since a train depot is located there. With the closing of so many mines, it is practically a ghost town now, and it is surround by honest to goodness ghost towns. Helper main street consists of a few antique shops, a coal and train museum, 2 little diners, a gas station, a bank, and a state liquor store. Most of the other downtown buildings are empty, or they were until a few artists began buying them up. During the art festival, these buildings become art galleries for well known artists in Utah. You can walk in and out of them, looking at and buying art. Along the road, other artists display their art under canopies. Further down the road you come to the crafts, and then the food booths. I am sure the Park City and Salt Lake Art Festivals are larger, with more variety, but they can't compete with old Helper Main Street. It's so quaint and quirky with the huge statue of a coal miner, and the cute little Town Hall.
They have a little section reserved for kids to create artwork of their own, and of couse had a train to ride. They also had a children's gallery and gave awards. Actually, I think they gave awards for the other arts work as well. The added bonus is Spring Canyon being so close. That is where the "White Lady" haunts the ruined buildings. Rumor has it that a mine blew up and killed hundreds of men including the husband and son of the woman who is now called "White Lady". I think every teenager in Carbon County has driven up the canyon to have their socks scared off. I can't say I really ever saw the White Lady, but I have been scared enough to pee my pants up there.My family was great to help us out this weekend. Miriam was in heaven playing with her cousins. Especially Madison who played endless hours of dress up with her, and Sarah who delt with all the kids for the majority of the time. Miriam has been very discontented now that we are home. I am simply not as much fun as "Hulkman Marcus" and "My Mudder Madison".
