Culture

A Sophisticated, Small Town

Here in Cedar City you will discover a unique small city complete with world-renowned theatricals, astounding beauty, and unbelievable outdoor recreation.

Cedar City adopted the nickname the Festival City in the late 1980s, chiefly as a tagline to underscore the stature of the Utah Shakespeare Festival, but also to incorporate the Utah Summer Games, the state's largest sports festival, as well as other festivals. In 2004, Cedar City became known as Festival City USA, due to its current offering of festivals throughout the year.

A community surrounded by national parks, Cedar City offers visitors, friends, and residents the opportunity to experience a wealth of variety. One can enjoy the Tony Award winning Utah Shakespeare Festival in the summer and fall, or ride the fresh powder of Brian Head Ski Resort during the winter months. The Frontier Homestead State Park is open year-round in the heart of Cedar City. The Heritage Center presents an assortment of plays, symphonies, ballets, art shows and multitude of cultural events and entertainment.

Adams Shakespearean Theatre: Experts say it is one of a few theaters that comes close to the design of the Globe Theatre in which Shakespeare's plays were originally produced.

The Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA) on the campus of Southern Utah University, features the artwork of regional artists known for their landscapes, faculty and student artists from the SUU Department of Art and Design, as well as emerging and distinguished artists from around the country. Strengths of the nearly 2,000-object permanent collection include the body of work by Jimmie Jones that exemplifies his notable career in the region, as well as a robust collection of prints featuring well-known artists such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Salvador Dalí, Katsushika Hokusai, Thomas Hart Benton, and others. SUMA is free and open to the public.


Orchestra of Southern Utah: The Orchestra of Southern Utah (OSU) is a semi-professional ensemble of dedicated professional and amateur musicians drawing its membership from throughout the southern Utah area. Providing classical and popular musical performances, OSU sponsors a Fall Recital Series and the annual “Messiah” production, in addition to a Children’s Jubilee, and evening concerts.   View OSU's Facebook page or OSU blog.

The Randall L. Jones Theatre was dedicated in 1989 to expand the Utah Shakespearean Festival's offerings, especially in the area of world classics.

The Spanish Trail Suite: The Spanish Trail Suite celebrates the three cultures which converge in Cedar City: Paiute, Hispanic, and Pioneer. The Orchestra of Southern Utah commissioned the work after the Spanish Trail was declared a national trail in 2002 with help from the National Endowment of the Arts and local foundations.

SUU Arts