Things to Do in Payson

Expose your pupils and ear canals to an impressive 10-hour lineup of mainstream country acts performing across multiple stages. Headlined by the platinum-album-selling, award-winning Montgomery Gentry, Country Throwdown also plays host to up-and-coming acts such as Ashley Ray, an ex-cheerleader with a guitar pick in one hand and a beer in the other, on the Blue Bird Café Stage. To pregame for the festival, view the full stage-by-stage set list here and enjoy a free seven-song Country Throwdown Tour digital sampler here. To fully immerse yourself, check out the Country Throwdown iPhone app.

In his final appearance as associate conductor of the Utah Symphony, David Cho joins 2010 Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition silver medalist Serhiy Salov in the acoustically pleasing confines of Abravanel Hall. Together, the note-channeling duo performs Sibelius' Third Symphony and Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 before breaking into a superbly amusing Laurel and Hardy impersonation. While descending the stage of his farewell performance, David Cho will step into the orchestra pit and, like a classically trained butterfly, emerge as the musical director of the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. The architecturally impressive Abravanel Hall is worth the trip in and of itself, as its luscious acoustics allow symphony-goers to pinpoint staccato eighth notes and falsetto pin drops.

At any given time, Momentum Indoor Climbing probably has more visitors clung to its walls than standing on its floor. With 20,000 square feet of climbable terrain, the indoor climbing gym challenges sportspeople of all ability levels. During lead climbs, routes up to 50 feet high guide climbers over verticals, slabs, overhangs, and arêtes. Visitors can also develop skills in a safe environment at top-roping stations, as well as a bouldering area outfitted with foam and vinyl padding for soft landings. Crack climbing challenges the most seasoned of mountaineers, recreating the fissures found in desert sandstone and the crows' feet on the faces of Mount Rushmore’s presidents.

Momentum's team members also lead skill-building classes and youth programs, and help clients stay in shape with fitness training that incorporates yoga and Pilates, cardio conditioning, and strength training. Additional amenities range from locker rooms to daycare to companion pet rocks.

With multiple performance areas set up throughout the picturesque park, this year's Salt Lake City Jazz Festival trumpets in an impressive lineup of jazz acts tuned to a variety of tastes. Sheila E. and The E Family take to the stage Friday night, plucking their signature sound from a family tree dripping with virtuosos. Performers such as Pete Christlieb and Linda Small tickle ears without invading personal space, and The Orbit Group mingles jazz, hip-hop, and the unique sound of a snowflake hitting the earth to form its inimitable style.

Four-time Tony winner and current Private Practice actor Audra McDonald and Tony nominee Will Swenson star in a contemporary musical adaptation of N. Richard Nash's 1954 classic play The Rainmaker. The story, set in a rural, drought-ridden town in the American Southwest, tells the tale of aging spinster Lizzie Curry (McDonald) as she considers two suitors: a respectable, upright citizen, and a charismatic drifter and con man, Bill Starbuck (Swenson), who promises the moisture-desperate townsfolk that he can make it rain.

Walking into Creativity Art Studio is like walking into a sunset. Eyes fill with the golden and maroon hues of the walls, which foster tranquility in the mind so that students can explore their thoughts and express their dreams. Amid the colors, shelves of ceramics and painting supplies equip artists-in-training before they sit and let their imaginations travel across their chosen canvas with the guidance of a creative and adept staff.

Experienced creators can spread their wings solo, while those dipping their toes into artistic waters for the first time can use a stock of stencils. After each masterpiece has been touched up with its final details, staff experts guide patrons through the finishing process, whether that be waiting for the paint to dry or determining the best way to sneak sculptures into a museum display. Ceramic pieces stay behind for a glaze and stint in the studio's kiln, to ensure a lustrous piece that can be picked up roughly a week later.