The Davis Arts Council, or DAC, is a community-based, art-focused nonprofit organization serving art and music to Davis County. 80% of their programming is free to the public! Not only do they offer free concerts throughout the entire year, but they offer a free film series every summer. Each year June through August you can enjoy their programming at the outdoor amphitheater, “The Kenley” located within Layton Commons Park. The popular outdoor stage can accommodate audiences of up to 1,800 people and is affectionately known by Layton-ites as the “front porch” of Layton City.

Davis Arts Council Events

Summer Nights with the Stars

Summer Nights with the Stars is the DAC’s biggest paid programming and brings in some big names and big talent each summer. They typically welcome 15-18 artists each year to The Kenley Amphitheater and feature both local acts and national musicians. Some of the biggest names in entertainment have graced The Kenley stage and this year will be no different! We recommend purchasing tickets in advance to guarantee a ticket because shows tend to sell out quickly!

2023 Summer Nights with the Stars Lineup

• June 17 | Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives
• June 21 | The Kings of Queen
• June 24 | Six One Five Collective
• June 28 | The Guess Who
• July 5 | Little River Band
• July 12 | Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
• July 17 | Mat and Savanna Shaw
• July 26 | Uptown
• August 5 | Tito Puente, Jr. and His Latin Orchestra
• August 10 | Tower of Power
• August 17 | Frontiers: The World’s Number One Tribute to Journey
• August 23 | Dee-Dee Darby-Duffin
• August 30 | Grand Funk Railroad
• September 5 | Splish Splash: The Music of Bobby Darin Starring Ron Gartner

Free Friday Film Series

This free programming occurs every Friday night, which makes your planning so easy! Bring your friends and family to The Kenley at 6:30 pm for a pre-movie activity and then enjoy the movie starting at 7:00 pm. Movies are shown on a very bright LED screen so there is no need to wait until dark for the movies to start. 

2023 Friday Film Series Lineup

• June 2 | Captain Marvel
• June 9 | Luca
• June 16 | McFarland USA
• June 23 | The Music Man
• June 30 | Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
• July 7 | Sleepless in Seattle
• July 14 | The Muppet Christmas Carol
• July 21 | Devotion
• July 28 | The Little Rascals
• August 4 | The Book of Life
• August 11 | The Princess Diaries
• August 18 | Shazam!
• August 25 | School of Rock

Free Sunday Night Concert Series

This is the longest-running free outdoor concert series in the state of Utah! The DAC gets to showcase Utah’s most talented musicians every single week throughout the summer. Come enjoy an hour of incredible music, ranging from show tunes to classic rock and everything in between. Concerts begin at 7:00 pm.

2023 Sunday Night Concert Series Lineup

• June 4 | Pompe N’ Honey
• June 11 | Beck Brothers
• June 18 | The Ginger Bess Band
• June 25 | Cori Conners
• July 2 | Voices of Liberty
• July 9 | Clayton Smalley
• July 16 | Basin and Grange
• July 23 | Vocalocity
• July 30 | Guy Richey Gibbons
• August 6 | Halau Ku Pono 
• August 13 | The Distractions
• August 20 | Benny C Quartet
• August 27 | Chrome Street Quartet

Small Stage Series

Every 1st and 3rd Friday of every month from October through April, you can join the DAC for a night of free music at their Small Stage Theater (map). These are free events but seating is limited since it takes place indoors and is based on a first-come, first-served basis. There will be two shows each night at 6:00 pm and 8:00 pm to accommodate for the lack of seating.

• March 3 | The Reel Folk
• March 17 | Dylan Clough (CANCELLED)
• April 7 | Wi-Fi(ve) Woodwind Quintet

DAC the Halls

This paid programming has become a wonderful Christmas tradition, DAC the Halls is a favorite program among patrons. Featuring artists like Davis Archuleta, Nathan Pacheco, and Collin Raye, this concert is perfect for the entire family. This program occurs every Christmas season at Layton High School which is located directly across from Layton Commons Park.

Active Pages

Active Pages is the DAC’s most popular event, featuring a storytelling walk through Layton Commons Park in October and December. They’ve adapted multiple pieces of classic literature including Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Rovert Louis Stevenson for their Halloween Active Pages and A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg for their Christmas Active Pages program. These programs are free but tickets are required.

The Kenley Amphitheater

The Kenley Amphitheater was built in 1995 and since then has accumulated quite an array of big names and talent. The outdoor stage has seen the likes of Chicago, The Doobie Brothers, Styx, The Beach Boys, and REO Speedwagon to name a few. The Kenley is in the heart of Layton Commons Park and can hold 1800 people at capacity. They offer reserved seating and general admission or “lawn” seating where patrons can bring their own standard lawn/fold-up camping chairs. Patrons are allowed to bring in their own food and non-alcoholic beverages in a personal-sized cooler (which must be stowed under chairs). Or, patrons can grab food from the onsite vendor, Nacho Mamas, which offers several options including hamburgers, hot dogs, Phillies, nachos, water, soda, popcorn, candy, ice cream and chips. All major credit cards are accepted.

Read more about the amphitheater, its talented history, accessibility, FAQs, and rules here. 

What else can I do nearby?

The Davis Arts Council and The Kenley are located within Layton Commons Park. This is a great spot to simply enjoy the park, get a picture with their duck statues (they get dressed up differently throughout the year), walk over to the Vietnam Memorial Wall Replica and K9 Memorial, or walk through the Layton Heritage Museum. Depending on the time of year, you can walk through their Christmas light display “Lights Before Christmas” or you can enjoy Layton FEST in the summertime.

There is so much fun to be had in Layton! It is the heart of Davis County for a reason. You can fill your day by hiking a nearby trail that you can find with our Wander map. Pick one the whole family can enjoy like the Kay’s Creek Trail within Layton Commons Park, or a more difficult one depending on your ability. Adams Canyon is a moderately challenging route but can be done with older kids. If you’d like to cool off, rent some watercraft and float around Andy Adams Reservoir. Play a round of golf at the beautiful Valley View Golf Course. If you’d rather escape the heat of summer or you’re wondering what to do in the wintertime, plan an excursion at Layton Hills Mall and take the whole family to SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium or The Colosseum.

Our favorite nearby food options:

• Nielsen’s Frozen Custard
• Ramblin’ Roads
• Weller’s Bistro
• Salt City Pizza Co.
• Tony’s Grill and Sushi Bar
• Sill’s Cafe
• Twisted Sugar
• The Coop
• Rooster’s Brewing Co.
• Blue Fin
• Red Fort Indian Cuisine

Make it a date

With 80% of the DAC’s programming being free, that makes for a budget-friendly date option! Whether you plan for a movie night on Friday or a concert night on Sunday, you’re bound to have a lovely time. Grab dinner beforehand at Weller’s Bistro or if you’d rather keep it budget-friendly, bring in a small cooler for a picnic for the Friday night movie. Once the evening ends you can grab a drink at Stockman’s Bar or Bout Time Pub and Grub, both are open late.

Discover more in Davis

Whether you’re just here for the day, the weekend, or temporarily stationed at HAFB, you can find monthly events to plan ahead and more indoor and outdoor amusement options to maximize your experience in Utah’s Amusement Capital!

Fun All Month Long

There is always more to do in Davis! Check out our events blog to find out what’s happening this month!

Plan

Every Type of Fun

Indoors, outdoors….either way, amusement is calling and we have options for everyone!

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Find a Place to Stay

Want to stay longer? We don’t blame you! Find a nice hotel or the perfect camp or RV spot for your stay.

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