Salt Lake City residents can kick off the summer season with all-American activities like auto racing, a rodeo and a crawfish boil this weekend, and also remember fallen soldiers with commemoration ceremonies at cemeteries in West Jordan and Herriman. Whatever you do this holiday weekend, take time to fly the flag and remember the sacrifices of our country's military. Happy Memorial Day, SLC!

SLC Memorial Day Events

SLC May Events

Things to Do With Kids

Photo by Diane Macdonald

Do you know any little Williams, Emmas, Liams, Olivias, Masons or Sophias born in Utah last year? These were the most popular Utah baby names in 2012, according to statistics updated every May by the US Social Security Administration. Nationally, Jacob was the number one boy's name for the 14th year in a row, and Sophia was the most popular girl's name for the second year.

With its high birth rate and relatively young parents, Utah has a reputation for being a baby naming trend setter, and this held true for the names Liam and Elizabeth. In 2011, Elizabeth was #7 and Liam #8 in Utah, but neither appeared in the national top ten. In 2012, Elizabeth reached #10 and Liam #6 nationwide.

I had some fun playing around with the SSA baby naming data - for example I found out that my name, Marsha, was ranked #232 the year I was born, but if it had been combined with #215 Marcia its ranking would have been higher. I grew up with a lot of Michaels and Lisas, the most popular names in my birth year. SSA offers baby name rankings by year, decade or century, and you can also see how a name's popularity has changed over time.

Most Popular Baby Names - Utah and USA

Photo by Siri Stafford.

"Drawing Lab," a new hands-on, interactive exhibition opening Friday, May 17 at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts (UMFA), invites visitors not just to look at artwork but to participate in its creation. Visitors can add to a chalkboard drawing, draw directly on a coffee table, draw from objects in the Museum's permanent collection, create drawings with tape and paper, or contribute to a "metamorphosis" scroll drawing.

"Drawing Lab" is inspired by the idea that mark-making is a fundamental human impulse, and there is no wrong way to do it. Museum visitors of all ages and artistic abilities are welcome. "I think the desire to make a mark grows out of the same impulse that drove prehistoric people to make cave drawings or that inspires people now to lie in the snow and make impressions of their bodies," says Kerry O'Grady, UMFA director of public programs and an artist who devotes her own practice to drawing. "It's all about saying: 'I am here.' The drawing happening in this show will create a bit of a portrait of our visitors. I urge them to boldly be themselves when they come."

The exhibit also features a collaborative, experimental drawing called "I See the Fish, Finally," created by eight students from the University of Utah art department. A time-lapse video of the installation is available on YouTube:

"I See the Fish, Finally" Time Lapse Video

Salt Lake City's Top Attractions

Photo courtesy Utah Museum of Fine Arts

Farmers Markets are popular events throughout the Salt Lake Valley, and it's no wonder - a great farmers market offers not just fresh produce and local food products but also a connection to the land and the community. The People's Market at Jordan Park kicked off on Mother's Day, and the Wasatch Front Farmers Market will celebrate Farm Fest at Wheeler Farm this Saturday, May 18. The Downtown Farmers Market starts its summer season June 8 at Pioneer Park, and this year they will feature live local bands from noon-2 p.m.

I can't wait for the start of summer produce season, the best time of year to eat in SLC! Browse the list to find a farmers market near you. I've also included a link to some tasty Utah farmers market recipes, from the Utah State University Cooperative Extension.

Salt Lake Area Farmers Markets

Utah Farmers Market Recipes

Image by Digital Vision