THE ESSENTIAL A&E PICKS FOR AUG 1 - 7 

• Courtesy Photo

Demetri Martin
Maybe it's the Prince Valiant haircut, or his sartorial style consisting of jeans and T-shirts, but just by looking at Demetri Martin, you might not think that he's been working at this comedy business for more than 25 years. The cerebral sensibility that he's brought to his entertainment career—in stand-up performances, his early TV appearances on The Daily Show and his short-lived Comedy Central series Important Things with Demetri Martin—might hint at his background as a Yale graduate who attended Harvard Law School, yet there's never been anything inaccessible about his comedic sensibility. This is, after all, a guy who has made it a central part of his performances to present oddball cartoons on a large pad of paper.

That sensibility is on full display in his most recent recorded special, 2024's Netflix offering Demetri Deconstructed, in which he continues his love of wordplay. "If you want to escalate a threat, you turn it into a promise. 'Is that a threat?' 'No, that's a promise.' 'Whoah, shit, I better watch out, this guy's reliable.' ... But it doesn't work the other way. You can't downgrade a promise by turning it into a threat: 'I'm gonna take out the trash.' 'Is that a promise?' 'No ... that's a threat, sweetie. You better watch your ass, I might clean the kitchen, too.'"

Demetri Martin's "The Joke Machine" tour visits the Sandy Amphitheatre (1245 E. 9400 South, Sandy) on Saturday, Aug. 3 at 7 p.m. Tickets are $39.50 - $59.50; VIP meet & greet is also available. Visit sandyamp.com for tickets and additional event information. (Scott Renshaw)

• Shawn Bagley

Salt Lake Open Tabletop Gaming Tournament
For a third year, tabletop gaming enthusiasts will be gathering for a weekend of tournaments and demonstrations at the Salt Lake Open. But as the event has grown, the founders have seen the benefits of combining the wargaming and fantasy gaming sides of the event into a single venue at the Utah State Fairpark.

"We just felt the Grand Building at the fairgrounds was perfect, some of the legacy of it as far as housing U.S. Army Air Force pilots in World War II," says Salt Lake Open co-founder and COO Shawn Bagley. "The historian in me felt kind of drawn to it."

Over the course of three days, players will participate in a wide array of tabletop games—distinct from board games and card games in their use of elaborate terrain components, painted miniatures and tactical gameplay. Many of the competitions for games like Flames of War, Warhammer, Bolt Action and more serve as sanctioned tournaments, with winners receiving cash prizes and, in some cases, invitations to regional and world championships.

"These are all grand tournaments that qualify players ... as one of the stepping stones to other competitions," Bagley says. Yet it's also a great spectator event, both for a chance to learn how the games are played, and "just for a chance to see $40,000 - $50,000 worth of terrain," Bagley adds—and admission is free for non-competitors.

The 2024 Salt Lake Open comes to the Utah State Fairpark Grand Building (155 N. 1000 West) on Aug. 2 – 4, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily. Visit utahwargaming.com for registration and additional event information. (SR)

• via Facebook

Park City Kimball Arts Festival
Each summer, Summit County and the Kimball Arts Center prepare for one of the top-ranked art festivals in the country. The Park City Kimball Arts Festival showcases the work of more than 200 jury-selected artists from all over the world. Diversity is a vital facet of the festival, featuring 12 mediums: ceramics, digital art, drawing, fiber, glass, jewelry, metalwork, mixed media painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and wood.

Now in its 55th year, the three-day, open-air celebration is one of Park City's signature events. The impressive and lively event is located on Main Street in Old Town. This year features a lineup of experiences including: Studio On Main, with two locations offering interactive art education activities inspired by the Kimball Art Center; Creation Station, focusing on youth-based projects and activities that tie into the current Kimball Art Center exhibition; Student Murals, showcasing the creativity and talent of young artists from the Park City Summer School Enrichment Program and the National Ability Center; and Young Artist Academy (YAA), featuring works by teenagers dedicated to the study and practice of the visual arts and creative thinking. There's also festival merchandise, highlighting designs by former YAA student, Park City native and current art student Sadie Abuhaidar, and plenty of music, food and drink.

The festival begins Friday, Aug. 2, 5 p.m. – 9 p.m., continues all day Saturday, Aug. 3, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., and concludes Sunday, Aug. 4, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. For more information, daily and full festival ticket pricing and a festival map, visit kimballartsfestival.org/festival-details. (Brandi Christofferson)