Roy, Utah Community

A new public artwork that appears to challenge gravity is coming to downtown Ogden, Utah, bringing an internationally recognized sculptor’s distinctive style to the United States for the first time.

La Vrille, a large-scale installation by Paris-based artist elparo, will open Thursday, October 29, 2026, at Dumke Arts Plaza.

The artwork is constructed using wood and repurposed materials, reflecting the artist’s approach to creating dramatic sculptures that interact with their surroundings.

Weber State University is organizing the presentation through its arts programming.

The installation will remain on public display through April 9, 2027.

Admission is free.

An Artist Known for Unusual Wooden Sculptures

Elparo has developed an international reputation for creating large-scale public artwork using wood and reclaimed materials.

His sculptures often feature unexpected curves, twists, and arrangements that challenge conventional expectations about how wooden structures should look.

Rather than creating objects intended only for traditional galleries, the artist frequently develops installations that respond to the environments where they are displayed.

These projects encourage viewers to consider the relationship between a sculpture and the surrounding architecture.

Elparo has previously created public artwork in numerous countries, including Belgium, Canada, England, Germany, Japan, Italy, New Zealand, and South Africa.

The upcoming Ogden installation represents his first public art installation in the United States.

For local arts audiences, that makes the project an unusual opportunity to experience the artist’s work without traveling internationally.

What Makes La Vrille Different?

The new installation is designed specifically for Dumke Arts Plaza.

According to Weber State University’s announcement, elparo’s work uses familiar materials in unexpected ways.

Wooden elements are arranged to create forms that appear to resist ordinary expectations about balance and gravity.

The sculpture’s design encourages visitors to reconsider how they experience the surrounding space.

Because the installation is site-responsive, its relationship with the plaza is part of the artwork itself.

Rather than functioning as an isolated object, the sculpture is intended to interact visually with the architecture and public environment around it.

The use of repurposed materials also connects the project with broader artistic approaches involving reuse and sustainability.

Visitors will be able to experience the completed work beginning October 29.

An Outdoor Art Destination in Ogden

Dumke Arts Plaza is located at 445 25th Street in downtown Ogden.

The public space is associated with Weber State University’s Mary Elizabeth Dee Shaw Gallery and supports temporary art installations, performances, film screenings, and community activities.

Its programming brings contemporary artwork into an outdoor setting where visitors can encounter it outside a conventional museum.

Earlier installations have explored subjects including ecology, technology, and the relationship between humans and the natural environment.

The plaza also hosts public film screenings and other cultural events.

The arrival of La Vrille introduces another international perspective to the venue’s programming.

Opening Reception Scheduled for October 29

Weber State University will celebrate the installation with a public opening reception Thursday, October 29, at 6 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public.

Visitors will have an opportunity to experience the sculpture during its debut presentation.

The artwork will remain on display for more than five months, allowing residents and travelers to explore it throughout the autumn, winter, and early spring.

The extended exhibition period also gives people an opportunity to return and observe how the sculpture appears under different lighting and seasonal conditions.

Planning a Visit

Exhibition: La Vrille by elparo

Opening date: Thursday, October 29, 2026

Opening reception: 6 p.m.

Location: Dumke Arts Plaza, 445 25th Street, Ogden, Utah

Exhibition dates: October 29, 2026, through April 9, 2027

Admission: Free

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Visitors can now reach Bryce Point using a newly completed 2.7-mile section of paved shared-use path, the National Park Service announced October 15.

The extension completes a 24-mile route between Bryce Point and Red Canyon in Dixie National Forest. Construction began in May 2025 and finished in September 2026.

The path accommodates pedestrians, cyclists, wheelchair users and leashed pets. Within the park, it connects destinations including the visitor center, campgrounds, lodge and several major viewpoints.

Visitors can also combine a ride with the park’s seasonal shuttle, whose front racks hold two bicycles. Bicycles must stay off the Rim Trail and viewpoint overlooks.

Halloweentown Movies:
Halloweentown (1998) – Filmed in St. Helens and Scappoose, Oregon.
Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge (2001) – Filmed in British Columbia, Canada, including Richmond and Vancouver.
Halloweentown High (2004) – Filmed in Utah, including Draper and the Salt Lake City area.
Return to Halloweentown (2006) – Filmed in Utah, including Salt Lake City, Ogden and Provo.

Remember when Marnie Piper first discovered that witches, ghosts, goblins and monsters lived in a magical place called Halloweentown?

By the fourth movie, she was all grown up and ready for college.

Released on Disney Channel on October 20, 2006, Return to Halloweentown takes the Cromwell family story in a new direction, sending Marnie to Witch University, a mysterious college where magical students learn about their extraordinary heritage.

But here’s something you might not know.

Although the story takes place in the fictional world of Halloweentown, the movie was actually filmed in Utah, including Salt Lake City, Ogden and Provo.

And just like the previous movie, Halloweentown High, Disney used real Utah locations to create its supernatural world.

Welcome to Witch University

Return to Halloweentown follows Marnie Piper as she receives a scholarship to the prestigious Witch University.

After spending years discovering her magical abilities, Marnie is finally heading somewhere she can study witchcraft alongside other supernatural students.

There’s just one rather inconvenient problem.

Students aren’t allowed to use magic!

As Marnie settles into college life, she begins uncovering secrets about her family’s history and a mysterious prophecy involving the Cromwell witches.

The movie also introduces a different actress in the leading role. Sara Paxton replaces Kimberly J. Brown as Marnie, while Lucas Grabeel returns as her brother Dylan and Debbie Reynolds reprises her role as Aggie Cromwell.

It’s the final installment of Disney’s original four-movie Halloweentown series.

Utah – Where Return to Halloweentown Was Filmed

Real-World Filming Locations

• Downtown Salt Lake City – Witch University and Other Scenes

One of the movie’s documented filming areas is downtown Salt Lake City, Utah.

The city’s historic architecture and government buildings provided a backdrop for portions of the production, helping transform ordinary Utah surroundings into the supernatural world of Witch University.

While Witch University is entirely fictional, some of the exterior scenery seen in the movie came from real locations in downtown Salt Lake City.

The city remains one of the most recognizable geographic connections to the production.

• Juan Diego Catholic High School, Draper – School Scenes

Juan Diego Catholic High School, located in Draper just south of Salt Lake City, is another documented filming location.

The school had already appeared in Halloweentown High (2004), where it helped represent the ordinary high school attended by Marnie and her supernatural classmates.

For Return to Halloweentown, the production returned to the campus for additional school-related filming.

It’s a particularly interesting connection between the third and fourth movies because both productions used the same real Utah school despite telling very different stories.

Juan Diego remains an active educational institution, so visitors should respect campus access restrictions.

• Ogden, Utah – Additional Filming

The city of Ogden, located north of Salt Lake City, is also listed among the movie’s filming locations.

Ogden has a long history of appearing in movies and television productions, with its historic buildings and distinctive architecture offering filmmakers a variety of settings.

Although its involvement in Return to Halloweentown is documented, publicly available filming records do not consistently identify the individual buildings or scenes filmed there.

• Provo, Utah – Additional Filming

Provo, south of Salt ...