The 57th Park City Kimball Arts Festival is a few weeks away, and volunteer opportunities are now open. This year’s festival runs Aug. 7-9 on Main Street, and those who want to volunteer can register by visiting kimballartsfestival.org/volunteer. “It usually takes upwards of 300 volunteer s to make sure things run smoothly,” said Volunteer Coordinator Natalie Hall. “We have over 500 shifts that need to be filled, and a lot of our volunteers help out with two, three or four shifts. Then we have rockstars who are there for most of the weekend, which is amazing. And we have people who pop in for one or two shifts and head out.” Shifts vary in length, depending on the station, Hall said. “The average is from three to four hours, and on the long end, we have shifts that run five hours,” she said. “I try to keep them less than that.” Almost every shift is suitable for every age, according to Hall. “The only one that does have (age guidelines) is our VIP lounge that serves alcohol,” she said. “So those volunteers have to be ages 21 and older, and they need to be TIPS certified to have an extra level of expertise for selling and serving alcohol.” TIPS stands for Training for Intervention Procedures and is offered through state-sanctioned programs. Still, other volunteer opportunities abound, Hall said. “A big one is manning entry gates,” she said. “We have 11 or 12 different points where you can enter the festival, and people are going in and out all weekend long at all times of the day.” Volunteers will work directly with Kimball Art Center staff at the gates, Hall said. “Our staff has been trained with (entrance-gate) technology, but we also rely on volunteers to help check people in, make sure they have wristbands, welcome them and give them overviews of the festival,” she said. “We have tens of thousands of visitors over that weekend.” Artist relations is another big volunteer opportunity, Hall said. “We have around 200 artists that will participate this year, and we need a crew of seven to 10 people per shift,” she said. “Their whole job is to walk up and down Main Street and check on our artists to see if they need anything — snacks, water or booth sitting while they go on break.” The artist-relations volunteers are the eyes and ears of the festival, Hall said. “They can jump in whenever they are needed, and I think that is one volunteer experience that sets us apart from other festivals,” she said. “There aren’t a lot of festivals that offer those types of services for the artists.” There are other opportunities that can be explored while registering, Hall said. “We have groups like the National Charity League and the Young Men’s Service League who volunteer for us, and we have mothers and daughters and whole families who help, too,” she said. “We also have a lot of Kimball Art Center art class students who will hop in and help with our art projects.” Volunteer registration is open until the festival begins.  “Even then, if you show up, we’ll find a place for you,” Hall said. Since the arts festival has been up and running for nearly 60 years, Hall, who began coordinating volunteers two years ago, sees many returning volunteers. “Some people have been doing this for more than 20 years, which is amazing,” she said. “These returning volunteers know the festival like the back of their hands and have helped make it go so much smoother. It truly is a family and an amazing community.” Volunteers are also eligible for an array of benefits, Hall said. “Folks who volunteer 20 hours or more for the Kimball Art Center over the course of one year will get a complimentary Kimball Art Center membership,” she said. “There are some people who hit that 20-hour mark just during arts festival weekend, which is crazy.” Kimball Art Center members get discounts on arts classes, and they can enjoy perks during the nonprofit’s exhibition openings, Hall said.  “At the festival itself, volunteers get free admission all weekend long,” she said. “Some folks like to volunteer early on and spend the rest of the time with their families and friends. Even if your shift is later, you can still get your credential, enjoy the festival and do your shift.” Other benefits include a free arts festival T-shirt and items such as, but not limited to, sunscreen and lip balm, from festival sponsors, Hall said. “One of our sponsors is Coca-Cola this year, so we’ll have some things from them,” she said. All volunteers will be entered into an opportunity drawing, according to Hall. “You get one ticket for every shift you sign up for, and we’ll have five to 10 prizes that include gift cards to local restaurants and business discounts,” she said. Then there’s the volunteer lounge, which is open during the festival.  “It’s a nice, air-conditioned space where you can stash your stuff and take a break from the heat,” she said. “We’ll have complimentary snacks and cold drinks so you can come hang out with your new volunteer friends.” Hall looks forward to seeing some old friends and meeting new ones as she coordinates the volunteer shifts. “We’re excited for another awesome year, and we want people to know this whole thing wouldn’t be possible without our awesome volunteers,” she said. For information about the Park City Kimball Arts Festival, visit kimballartsfestival.org. To sign up for a volunteer shift, visit kimballartsfestival.org/volunteer. The post Park City Kimball Arts Festival seeks volunteers appeared first on Park Record. ...read more read less