What do Elvis and Don Ho of the good old rock days have to do with modern music sensations Bruno Mars, Jason Mraz and Train? The answer is simple and small — they all played the ukulele, and they made it rock.

For those of you aspiring ukulele rock stars out there, you can join some of the greats, all while impressing your date this weekend at the 2013 Utah Uke Fest, where playing the ukulele is the coolest thing you can do.

The bulk of the day’s festivities takes place at the American Fork Historic City Hall, located at 51 E. Main St. in American Fork, and will include workshops, a picnic and an open-mic competition, culminating in the Grand Concert that evening, featuring ukulele virtuoso Craig Chee. As if that doesn’t make it cool enough, tickets to the concert are just $15 an individual, and will not only give you the opportunity to see a variety of talented uke players, but also will allow you the chance to show off your skills and strum along. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday, so visit ukuleleplay.com now to check out who’s playing and reserve your seats.

Craig Chee was born and raised in Hawai’i and grew up playing classical cello and piano. He took up the ukulele before leaving the islands, as a way to stay connected to home. He studied with Jake Shimabukuro and Troy Fernandez when he returned, and continues to seek new ways to experiment with the ukulele in settings that are not typically associated with the instrument.

Craig’s signature style is in high demand, and he has been well received at ukulele festivals throughout the U.S. and around the world. He has performed and has given workshops at festivals in  Seattle, the Gorge, Milwaukee, Eugene, Cairns and Australia among others. 

This year’s fest headliner with last year’s headliner: Craig Chee and Sarah Maisel.