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The Wasatch Range is about to shed its summer foliage in favor of a brilliant sunset hue, fall is here! Finally, we can enjoy the outdoors mid-afternoon and make the best of the fleeting season. To help you do so, we’ve compiled a list of events occurring this September and October in Utah. Happy fall y’all. 

September 

Astronomy Festival 
Sept. 15 – 17 
Hovenweep National Monument 

Hovenweep National Monument in southestern Utah is celebrating 100 years of its monument status this year! The International Dark Sky Park is hosting a special celebration featuring astronomy programs and events. 

9th and 9th Street Festival 
Sept. 16
Liberty Park 

Due to road construction in the 9th and 9th neighborhood, this year’s street festival will be held at Liberty Park. Enjoy kid-friendly activities, music, food, art and vendors at the one-day event starting at 10 a.m.

Utah State Fair 
Sept. 8 – 17
Utah State Fairpark 

The theme for this year’s State Fair  is Dream Makers. Inspired by the thousands of individuals who dream of taking home a blue ribbon for their handmade art, homegrown agricultural products and animals. 

Fan X Salt Lake
Sept. 21 – 23rd 
Salt Palace Convention Center 

The pop culture and comic convention returns to Salt Lake, and is expected to draw another hundred thousand visitors over three days. Find more information on booths, panels and experiences at their site. 

Oktoberfest 
Now through Oct. 15
Snowbird 

Oktoberfest features activities, live music, vendors, traditional Bavarian fare and of course over 50 varieties of beer. Enjoy the fresh mountain air with a brew in hand, what could be better? 

Festa Italiana 
Sept. 16 – 17 
The Gateway 

Hosted at the Gateway Plaza, the Festa Italiana offers a taste of authentic Italian cuisine and culture. Festival highlights include arts & crafts booths, historical displays, street performers, live Italian entertainment and food. 

Taste of Montage in Deer Valley 
Sept. 20
Montage Deer Valley 

Enjoy an evening of dining, live music and gallery pop ups overlooking the surrounding peaks of Deer Valley. 

Psychic Fair
Sept. 20 
Golden Braid Books 

Experience individual readings from a gifted psychic, shop metaphysical goods and mingle with the community. 

Gem Faire
Sept. 22 – 24 
Mountain America Exposition Center 

Browse hundreds of unique and rare gems at the traveling Gem Faire. Wire wrapping classes, jewelry repair and sizing are also available. 

Sugar High Sweet Expo 
Sept. 23
Mountain America Exposition Center 

Over 60 Utah dessert and sweet shops come together for this once a year expo. Discover fabulous bakers and talented decorators while you browse their interactive dessert displays. 

Flights n/ Bites at the Leo: Harvest 
Sept. 28
The Leonardo 

Guided by Wine Academy of Utah sommeliers, guests sip wine alongside goat cheese, grilled fish and other seasonal dishes. 

Zion Canyon Music Festival 
Sept. 29 – 30 
O.C. Tanner Amphitheater

The 13th annual Zion Canyon music festival features two stages, a vendor village and plenty of beer and wine. Musical performaners include The Brothers Comatose, Groove Session, Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band and more. 

Cornbelly’s at Spanish Fork 
September and October 

Cornbelly’s September Sunflower Fest features over a million blooming sunflowers and plenty of family-friendly activities. Once the sunflower season ends, visit in October for a pumpkin patch, illuminated sculptures, hay rides and more. 

October 

EMCO paranormal Con 
Oct. 13 – 14 
Museum of San Rafael

The 3rd annual Paranormal Con is back hosted by the Museum of San Rafael. The family-friendly convention has yet to announce its full lineup. 

Annular Eclipse Viewing 
Oct. 14 
Various Venues

On October 14th, a ‘ring-of-fire eclipse’ will sweep across North America. Many of Utah’s National Parks are expecting a wave of astronomy enthusiasts. Learn more of what to expect, and the full eclipse zone here.  

Fall on the Farm
Oct. 12, 13 – 14 
American West Heritage Center 

The American West Heritage Center transforms into Fall on the Farm starting Sept. 22. Visit Fridays and Saturdays in October for haunted hollow. The Fall Harvest festival occurs Oct. 13 and 14, and Barnyard Boo will take place on Oct. 12. 

Scarecrow Festival at Thanksgiving Point 
Oct. 16 – 21st 
Thanksgiving Point’s Ashton Gardens 

The 50-acre gardens will be adorned with imaginative scarecrows built and submitted by the community. Visit on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday for additional activities, vendors and food. 

BOOTanical Fall Festival 
Oct. 18 – 30 
Red Butte Garden 

Red Butte Garden transforms in October into a fantastical Halloween world. This year’s theme is Oaklore Academy, an enchanting school of magic that welcomes visitors to attend classes in potions, spells, cryptozoology and more. Various Bootanical activities will be hosted throughout the week. 

Strut Your Mutt 
Oct. 21 
Liberty Park 

Support Best Friends Animal Society and raise funds for animals in need at the Strut Your Mutt in Salt Lake. Dress up your pup for added Halloween fun!  

There’s plenty more beer and wine festivals happening this fall, discover them here!

Promontory Club Summer Beach Club Re-Opening

June 22, 2023

Promontory Club, Park City’s most luxurious private club community, has completed a two-million-dollar renovation on its Beach Club this summer. Members gathering at a Grand Re-Opening celebration on June 22 loved the new upgrades and offerings of one of Promontory’s most popular and unique summer amenities.

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1. Janice Thoman and Bobbi Williams    
2. Katharine Lauer, Janice Thoman, Tori Trombley Williams, Kristin Bryson    
3. Sol Gasparik and BJ Christianson    
4. Deborah Edelstein, Natalie Greenwald, Bruce Greenwald, Philip Edelstein    
5. DJ Dolph   
6. Rendering of The Hills Clubhouse

Relative Space Premiere

June 22, 2023

Relative Space debuted to a full house and standing ovation at Liahona Theater for the Community in Pleasant Grove on June 22, 2023. The audience included notable Tony, Grammy, and Emmy award winners who traveled to Utah to get a first look at the rock musical developed by top-tier Utah theater talent. The show will now embark on the process to get on Broadway with industry readings this fall in New York. Relative Space’s Lead Producer Van Dean is a Broadway veteran of Grammy and Tony award winning musicals and President of Broadway Records. Music is composed by 16-year-old Warner Music Group recording artist Kjersti Long who is a new Utah resident.

1. The Relative Space team: Janine Sobeck Knighton (dramaturg), Melissa Leilani Larson (playwright), Joshua Long (co-director), Shelby Gist (co-director), Jeremy Long (producer) 
2. Relative Space actress Liz Golden and playwright Melissa Leilani Larson   
3. Salt Lake City-based influencers Carter Fish (@carterfish) and Morgan Rhodes (@morganclairerhodes)
4. Warner Music Recording Artist Kjersti Long and Grammy Award-winning songwriter and vocal coach Wendy Parr    
5. Courtney Dillmore and guests  
6. Tony and Grammy Award-winning producer and Relative Space Lead Producer Van Dean

Visit Salt Lake Bestows Second Annual SALT Awards

June, 2023
Photos by Visit Salt Lake/ Sean Buckley

Hospitality employees provide vital support for Salt Lake County’s visitor economy and Visit Salt Lake recognized the stars from the industry

1. Visit Salt Lake team: Tony Coppola, Director of Services and Events; Julie Rhoads, Vice President of Services and Events; Kaitlin Eskelson, President and CEO; Krista Parry, Chief Development Officer   
2. Ted and Faith Scheffler (for Casey Bard’s award for Log Haven)   
3. Clay Partain, Executive Director of Sports Salt Lake and Tyler Gosnell, Visit Salt Lake’s Chief Brand and Marketing Officer    
4. Mary Crafts, Emcee, Former Board Chair and Legacy Board

Ogden Contemporary Arts Opening of Artist Eric J. Garcia’s Aim High

May 5, 2023
Photos courtesy of Venessa Castagnoll, OCA

The show opened with Ogden’s First Friday Art Stroll and the unveiling of a community mural project at The Monarch in conjunction with the exhibition.

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CALL FOR PHOTOS

We welcome your photos of recent social events around Utah. Please send high-resolution photos (.jpg format) to jeremy@saltlakemagazine.com with the subject line “Social” and a package of images and event/caption information in a file transfer service we can access. Submissions must be accompanied by names and a description of the event (who, what, when, where, why).

When I was a kid, my dad would lie on the living room floor while we watched Utah Jazz games, his head propped up by a giant basketball-shaped pillow. The pillow was yellow and gold (not sure why green got the shaft) with the old Jazz logo embroidered on one section. 

“Laying on the floor is good for your back,” he’d say. 

“Okay,” we’d respond, my brother, laying sideways in the recliner while my body oozed slug-like into the contours of the couch. 

Over the years, that pillow grew filthy and misshapen. My dad began pulling up the hood on his sweatshirt to protect his bald head from whatever grew in the pillow’s fibers. Meanwhile, everyone from Karl Malone and John Stockton to Bobby Hansen, David Benoit, and Antoine Carr graced us, and the pillow, with their televised presence. 

When I was in third grade, an upstart Jazz squad took the Los Angeles Lakers to the brink. I’m talking about the Lakers. The 1980s, short shorts, Pat Riley’s hair, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the monastic A.C. Green. While losing to L.A. stung, we assumed the Jazz would eventually have their moment. But Utah didn’t reach the NBA Finals until I graduated from high school. 

I spent my childhood waiting for that Jazz team to win a championship. As my dad’s face weathered and the weight of his head morphed the basketball pillow into a giant discus, a sinister thought emerged: What if the Jazz never win a championship? What if my dad dies without seeing Utah hoist the trophy? What if I never see it?     

It certainly didn’t happen under Michael Jordan’s watch. The man was so bloodthirsty he beat the Jazz in the NBA Finals twice, just for good measure. The Jazz only needed to get a little bit better, but they couldn’t. They tried trading for Ronnie Seikaly who refused to leave Miami for Salt Lake. They tried acquiring Derek Harper who told the New York media, “You go live in Utah.” So the door closed on Malone and Stockton with their 1998 loss to Chicago.  

The idea of replacing Utah’s two Hall of Famers felt impossible. I began thinking about how lifelong baseball fans in Boston and Chicago died without ever winning the World Series. The Red Sox went 86 years between titles. The Cubs went 108. Utah’s championship drought might outlive us.   

 After Malone and Stockton, the Jazz rebuilt around Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer. I spent most of those years living in faraway cities, but I’d watch Jazz games with my dad over Christmas. He’d still lay on the floor, though it took him longer to get up when he wanted popcorn. I’d still slouch in the recliner, watching Jerry Sloan stalk the referees. 

When I moved back to Salt Lake in 2010, my parents were in their 60s. A year later, my mom was diagnosed with cancer and my dad with Parkinson’s disease. The Jazz compounded our misery, missing the playoffs four straight years between 2013 and 2016.  

“These are the bad Jazz,” I explained to a friend who accompanied me to a game against the Houston Rockets. At one point that night, Utah trailed by 50.

When the Jazz finally reached the playoffs again, my mom wasn’t alive to see it. My dad and I still watched games together, as much to comfort one another as anything. Parkinson’s ended my Dad’s floor-laying days, so the pillow got stuffed into a closet. Yet we remained hopeful that Utah’s playoff return might spark a championship run before it was too late.

Utah fell to Golden State in 2017, and Gordon Hayward left for Boston. The thought of rebuilding again felt hopeless. My dad was running out of time. Then Donovan Mitchell appeared, seemingly out of thin air. Poised and absurdly talented, Mitchell provided the one thing fans need: hope. With Rudy Gobert defending and Quin Snyder coaching, Mitchell’s Jazz just needed shooting and a little luck. Hang in there, Dad.

The Jazz got better as my dad got worse. They traded for Jordan Clarkson, but no matter how often we discussed it, my dad couldn’t remember Clarkson’s name. His long-term memory remained, but Parkinson’s halted the learning of most new information. My dad still watched the Jazz on TV but had trouble following an entire game. It was easier for him to review the box score afterward. 

In 2021, we had to move my dad into a care facility that could better meet his needs. We sold the house—the place where I grew up, the home he’d worked his entire life to pay off, the house where my mom died. A lot of things got lost in the shuffle, the lopsided old Jazz pillow being one.

Not long after my dad’s move, the Jazz entered the 2021 playoffs with the NBA’s best record. This was their chance. Mitchell and Mike Conley got hurt, however, and Utah flamed out. After a disappointing 2022 campaign in which the players stopped playing for one another, Snyder resigned and management traded Mitchell and Gobert. Time to start over. Again.    

But building a winner in Utah is much more difficult than in, say, Los Angeles. The Lakers can squander draft picks and make ill-advised trades because free agents like Shaquille O’Neal or LeBron James will still come to L.A. The Jazz have no margin for error. Even when Utah drafts and develops good players, those players can opt to leave.  

My dad passed away last spring, never seeing his favorite team win it all. Perhaps the same fate awaits all who, by choice or inheritance, root for the Utah Jazz. If the Jazz do win a championship someday, I imagine I’ll laugh and scream and cry a few tears of joy. But then I’ll probably get real quiet and think of my dad with his head resting on a basketball pillow somewhere.  

When I was a kid, my dad would lie on the living room floor while we watched Utah Jazz games, his head propped up by a giant basketball-shaped pillow. The pillow was yellow and gold (not sure why green got the shaft) with the old Jazz logo embroidered on one section. 

“Laying on the floor is good for your back,” he’d say. 

“Okay,” we’d respond, my brother, laying sideways in the recliner while my body oozed slug-like into the contours of the couch. 

Over the years, that pillow grew filthy and misshapen. My dad began pulling up the hood on his sweatshirt to protect his bald head from whatever grew in the pillow’s fibers. Meanwhile, everyone from Karl Malone and John Stockton to Bobby Hansen, David Benoit, and Antoine Carr graced us, and the pillow, with their televised presence. 

When I was in third grade, an upstart Jazz squad took the Los Angeles Lakers to the brink. I’m talking about the Lakers. The 1980s, short shorts, Pat Riley’s hair, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the monastic A.C. Green. While losing to L.A. stung, we assumed the Jazz would eventually have their moment. But Utah didn’t reach the NBA Finals until I graduated from high school. 

I spent my childhood waiting for that Jazz team to win a championship. As my dad’s face weathered and the weight of his head morphed the basketball pillow into a giant discus, a sinister thought emerged: What if the Jazz never win a championship? What if my dad dies without seeing Utah hoist the trophy? What if I never see it?     

It certainly didn’t happen under Michael Jordan’s watch. The man was so bloodthirsty he beat the Jazz in the NBA Finals twice, just for good measure. The Jazz only needed to get a little bit better, but they couldn’t. They tried trading for Ronnie Seikaly who refused to leave Miami for Salt Lake. They tried acquiring Derek Harper who told the New York media, “You go live in Utah.” So the door closed on Malone and Stockton with their 1998 loss to Chicago.  

The idea of replacing Utah’s two Hall of Famers felt impossible. I began thinking about how lifelong baseball fans in Boston and Chicago died without ever winning the World Series. The Red Sox went 86 years between titles. The Cubs went 108. Utah’s championship drought might outlive us.   

 After Malone and Stockton, the Jazz rebuilt around Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer. I spent most of those years living in faraway cities, but I’d watch Jazz games with my dad over Christmas. He’d still lay on the floor, though it took him longer to get up when he wanted popcorn. I’d still slouch in the recliner, watching Jerry Sloan stalk the referees. 

When I moved back to Salt Lake in 2010, my parents were in their 60s. A year later, my mom was diagnosed with cancer and my dad with Parkinson’s disease. The Jazz compounded our misery, missing the playoffs four straight years between 2013 and 2016.  

“These are the bad Jazz,” I explained to a friend who accompanied me to a game against the Houston Rockets. At one point that night, Utah trailed by 50.

When the Jazz finally reached the playoffs again, my mom wasn’t alive to see it. My dad and I still watched games together, as much to comfort one another as anything. Parkinson’s ended my Dad’s floor-laying days, so the pillow got stuffed into a closet. Yet we remained hopeful that Utah’s playoff return might spark a championship run before it was too late.

Utah fell to Golden State in 2017, and Gordon Hayward left for Boston. The thought of rebuilding again felt hopeless. My dad was running out of time. Then Donovan Mitchell appeared, seemingly out of thin air. Poised and absurdly talented, Mitchell provided the one thing fans need: hope. With Rudy Gobert defending and Quin Snyder coaching, Mitchell’s Jazz just needed shooting and a little luck. Hang in there, Dad.

The Jazz got better as my dad got worse. They traded for Jordan Clarkson, but no matter how often we discussed it, my dad couldn’t remember Clarkson’s name. His long-term memory remained, but Parkinson’s halted the learning of most new information. My dad still watched the Jazz on TV but had trouble following an entire game. It was easier for him to review the box score afterward. 

In 2021, we had to move my dad into a care facility that could better meet his needs. We sold the house—the place where I grew up, the home he’d worked his entire life to pay off, the house where my mom died. A lot of things got lost in the shuffle, the lopsided old Jazz pillow being one.

Not long after my dad’s move, the Jazz entered the 2021 playoffs with the NBA’s best record. This was their chance. Mitchell and Mike Conley got hurt, however, and Utah flamed out. After a disappointing 2022 campaign in which the players stopped playing for one another, Snyder resigned and management traded Mitchell and Gobert. Time to start over. Again.    

But building a winner in Utah is much more difficult than in, say, Los Angeles. The Lakers can squander draft picks and make ill-advised trades because free agents like Shaquille O’Neal or LeBron James will still come to L.A. The Jazz have no margin for error. Even when Utah drafts and develops good players, those players can opt to leave.  

My dad passed away last spring, never seeing his favorite team win it all. Perhaps the same fate awaits all who, by choice or inheritance, root for the Utah Jazz. If the Jazz do win a championship someday, I imagine I’ll laugh and scream and cry a few tears of joy. But then I’ll probably get real quiet and think of my dad with his head resting on a basketball pillow somewhere.  

Some 340 million people around the country are celebrating Labor Day this weekend, but in Park City things are slightly different. Well, it’s not wildly different. There’s still the barbecues, the delightful lack of work and the jovial vibes that come with a well-earned day off, but it’s called Miners Day in an homage to the miners who carved a lifestyle right out of the ground here in the Wasatch Mountains. The centerpiece of Miners Day weekend is the annual Running of the Balls—which bears little resemblance to the perilous event in Pamplona to which its name alludes—during which attendees vie for victory as a chaotic cascade of golf balls races down Main Street. 

At 10:30 a.m. on Monday September 4, just before the Miners Day Parade begins, 15,000 golf balls will be set loose upon a specially made track running down Main Street from Java Cow to the Post Office. That’s a lot of golf balls, and as any hack who’s cracked a few down the cart path knows things can get pretty wild when golf balls pick up steam on pavement. Each golf ball is assigned to a person who—fancying fortune and triumph—purchases balls in the hopes of winning one of several significant prizes including season passes to Park City Mountain and Deer Valley, a set of Rossignol skis, and a host of gift certificates for dining, lodging and spa sessions. 

Balls can be purchased for $10 each, in packs of 3 for $20, eight for $50, and 20 for $100 by visiting buyballs.org. Proceeds from the ball run benefit the Park City Rotary’s Community Grants and Scholarship programs. New for this year’s edition, Park City Rotary is partnering with Manscaped, a men’s grooming company, to double down on those double entendres and contribute to a good cause. Manscaped is selling 150 purple balls for the event, which put people in contention to win one of two $1,000-valued prize packages. Park City Rotary will be donating $1,000 to the Testicular Cancer Society on behalf of Manscaped. 

There’s a whole lot more to Miners Day than just the Running of the Balls. The Miner’s Day Bark City 5K run—which dogs are welcome at, hence the name—starts at 8:00 a.m. The crowd favorite mucking and drilling demonstration will take place throughout the day at City Park near the skatepark, where attendees can witness the techniques that people used to get at all that silver ore back in the day

For a complete schedule of events and to purchase balls, visit the Miners Day website.  

Here’s A quiz. In the early ’90s, I was a student at Utah State University, working at the student newspaper. Our advisor, the great Jay Wamsley, knew someone at the Utah Jazz. And, once in a while, I’d get a pass to sit on the baseline with actual photographers. (Meaning: The guys who called me “kid” and told me to stay out of the way.) I still have a file of negatives from my Minolta of Karl Malone dunking over Hakeem Olajuwon, John Stockton’s no-look dish to Karl and, then, Clyde “The Glide” Drexler shutting it down. (Sorry, Karl, it happened, kind of a lot.)

QUESTION: Where was I?

Ding. Ding. Ding. You are correct!

And now, the Delta Center is back—at least name-wise. But, in the decades among the slow-mo head-fakes of naming rights, things sure have changed up here on Walton Mountain. This issue is a celebration of and (a worry about) all that change in Salt Lake.

First, we present a comprehensive guide to the stalwarts of our arts community who are coming out emphatically with bold fall seasons, as evidenced by the dancer on our cover, Ursula Perry of Repertory Dance Theater. (“Brava! Encore! The Fall Arts Preview,” page 64).

Next, we once again, emphatically (and a bit wearily) refute the statement “You can’t get a drink in Utah.” This statement is fiction. And we have 20 of Utah’s best bartenders who will Slap. Those. Words. Out. Your. Mouth. And offer you a glass of something you’ve never tasted, in ways you’ve never tasted it. These are the entrants to our 2023 Farm-to-Glass Cocktail Contest (page 81). We invite you to help us judge their efforts and help us decide the “One Cocktail to Rule Them All.” It’s a heavy burden but one that we expect you will shoulder gladly. 

Now we come full circle. 

Our story “The Great Salt Lake: From a Bird’s Eye View” found its way into these pages because Utah State University graduate, Clarissa Casper, at the urging of her professor, the great Matthew LaPlante, persistently sent it our way. It’s a beautiful love song to the birds that rely on the lake and the danger its disappearance will mean for these creatures. 

Go Aggies. 

School might be back in session but there is still time to make some last-minute summer memories with your family this Labor Day weekend!

Snowbird has a myriad of family-friendly outdoor activities such as the Alpine slide, a mountain coaster, and scenic gondola rides. All-day activity passes start at $18 for toddlers and go up to $70 for adults during peak days of operation. Buy passes here.

Drive-Ins aren’t extinct yet! Redwood Drive-In is open every Friday and Saturday through the fall. Share the nostalgia with your kids and watch popular new releases such as ‘Barbie’. Kids between the ages of 5-9 get in for just a dollar and adult tickets are only 10$!

Spring City Arts is hosting its annual Plein Air Competition. Plein Air is the practice of painting outside in the open, generally done with the intention of capturing the surrounding landscape. The competition takes place between August 26th – September 1st. While the art show and sale will be held on Saturday, September 2nd between 10 am and 5 pm. Spring City Arts Gallery, 779 South Main Street, Spring City, Utah 84662, United States.

Midway Swiss Days will be returning Friday, September 1st and Saturday, September 2nd. This festival was originally a harvest festival intended to celebrate the community farmers but has quickly evolved into a different type of cultural celebration influenced by the Swiss pioneers who came to Midway and the Heber Valley. For a complete schedule of events click here.

Payson City’s Golden Onion Days is taking place on August 31st- September 4th. This annual celebration started in 1929 and honors the city’s history as an agricultural district known for its outstanding production of onions. For a full schedule of events click here.

The Iron County Fair is taking place between August 31st- September 4th. Events include a demolition derby, a junior rodeo, Mud Bog Races, and a carnival that runs for the entirety of the fair. For tickets and more information click here.

Labor Day Luau in Lehi. Take a break and escape the desert at the Labor Day Luau! Bring a picnic blanket, chairs, and your Ohana for this festive celebration. Start your evening off with some Kalua pork, POG, and other ‘ono (delicious) beverages and eats. When you’re full, watch authentic performances that showcase Hawaiian and Polynesian culture, transporting you back to the beaches of ancient kings and queens. Ticket prices vary from 27$-40$. Discounts are applied to tickets bought in advance. Buy your tickets here.

Sunday Live Music Series at Solitude. Artist Meghan Blue will be performing at the Village Green in Solitude. This outdoor concert is free and starts at 5 pm on Sept.3rd. Village Green, Solitude Mountain Resort, 12000 Big Cottonwood Canyon Rd, Solitude, UT 84121

Husband and wife Country Duo Thompson Square will be performing on Sept.4 at 8 pm at the SCERA Outdoor Theatre. Tickets start at 30$. 600 S 400 E, Orem, UT 84058

Take the kids to the iconic Heber Valley Train. The Hot Summer Night Train is a fun and family-friendly 90-minute evening train ride through the Heber Valley and along the shores of Deer Creek Reservoir. This ride includes sing-a-longs, fiddlers, and other fun! A great date night or family group activity. Be sure and arrive by 6:30 to enjoy the Old West gunfight show prior to boarding. Prices start at 10$ for individuals, family passes include up to 6 people and cost 48$.

Labor Day Specials in Park City

Close out summer and enjoy the long weekend with members of the Park City Area Restaurant Association (PCARA). Labor Day weekend specials, some of which are already available, include:

Alpine Distilling

 The Alpine Lounge will be open Labor Day weekend for cocktails, light bites and retail spirit bottle sales Friday, Sept. 1 & Saturday, Sept. 2, from 4 – 10 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 3, from noon – 5 p.m.

Collie’s BBQ

Bring in a new or used blanket or towel donation for the Humane Society of Utah and receive a free appetizer with the purchase of at least one entrée (excluding wings). Guests can also make a donation via the Amazon link, and dog or cat food in original containers, doggie poop bags, and soft training treats will also be accepted. Donations for this special will be accepted now through Monday, Sept. 4.

Cuisine Unlimited

Book your Labor Day event by August 31, and receive up to 10% off. Offer is valid for events with 5% off up to $3,000 or 10% off above $3,000 total food and beverage. The promotion is applicable to food and beverage items only (excluding alcoholic beverages, rentals, staffing, service charges, and service staff.) Mention “summer sale” at booking. 

No Name Saloon | Annex Burger | Boneyard Saloon | Butcher’s

Choose from any Diversified Bars & Restaurant Group locations throughout Labor Day weekend, all of which will be open for their normal hours.   

Pendry Park City

Don’t miss the delicious cookout at The Pool House on Sunday, Sept. 3, from noon – 7 p.m. featuring hot dogs, bratwurst, hamburgers, veggie burgers, cold sweet treats and more.

Salt lake city has become known for its thriving community of witches recently. Perhaps you’ve seen one of the viral TikToks joking about it by local Utah band @nosuchanimal, where members of the band look out over the city, saying, “What a nice state. Certainly, there are no witches here.” Of course, here be witches.

Local witch and owner of The Pleiadian Altar, Julia Gates, defines a witch as “anyone who’s using their own self-power to make their lives better.” Gates’ shop opened its doors in July of last year as a hub for Salt Lake witches of all cultures and creeds. Gates made an effort to make her shop “baby witch” friendly, with easy DIY bundles for beginners.

And you don’t need to be religious in order to be a witch. “We’re not like a pagan or Wiccan store or anything like that. So anyone of any religion could come in. You could come in and be super LDS and find something that you like,” says Gates. Gates grew up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) and became interested in the metaphysical at the age of 12. She got her first pendulum at 16 and from there began to fall in love with the effects of crystals.  

Once Gates discovered her passion for witchcraft, she quickly discovered a growing community of like-minded Utahns.

“There are a lot of very similar things between LDS or Christianity and witchcraft—like belief in an afterlife. So a lot of people might turn to witchcraft as something they might resonate with.  We aren’t bound by any rules, per se, but still believe in something…There are a lot of people who are into witchcraft, the metaphysical and healing, you just wouldn’t know it.”  

Events at The Pleiadian Altar

Every week the shop hosts Witchy Wednesdays from 6 p.m.–9 p.m., where anyone can participate in witchy crafts such as making spell jars from an open “herb-bar” or painting glass jars for moonwater. With instructions from Gates and her staff, everyone of all levels and interests can join in on the fun. 

Check their instagram:

@the.pleiadian.altar for their monthly event schedule. 917 Vine St., Unit B, Murray (Located behind Garden Espresso.)  utahcrystals.com 

In the heart of Salt Lake’s ever-growing Granary District, Evo Hotel contains a skatepark. Yes, a skatepark. (Oh also, a climbing gym, hotel, cafe, retail store, bar and rooftop deck.) Evo is eclectic and that’s the point, says manager Garret Clements, “Evo is a chaotic, high-energy place, and we want it that way.” 

‘All Together’ Skatepark at Evo Hotel

Utah’s skating community is riding the revival of the sport into the future. After its debut in the 2020 Olympics, the number of people who got into skateboarding rose from 6.4 million to 8.8 million and they are trading make-shift backyard half pipes for professional parks. Enter Evo, a non-traditional space that embraces the new skate scene with its 5,000 square-foot indoor/outdoor skatepark.

As you enter Evo, you are greeted by ramps and rails and usually you’ll see some skaters on them. SJ Johnson, head of the All Together skatepark, says all are welcome. “Unlike a regular hotel, we want to be non-traditional and show that everyone is welcome to do whatever they want,” they say. “It’s such a tight-knit community that it feels more at home than any other regular skatepark would.” 

All Together skatepark hosts events, fundraisers and runs drop boxes for Coconut Hut, Utah Pride Center and the homeless shelters. The park offers camps for youth and adults every week in the summer, and seasonal parties and rollerblading nights during the winter. There’s also a weekly after-hours gathering for members of the LGBTQ+ community. The skate scene + hotel has attracted skating legends like Amelia Bordka and Tony Hawk, who have both stayed (and skated there). On sunny days, All Together opens its garage doors to offer skaters a chance to shred some natural terrain. With a tight-knit group of skaters of all ages and skill levels, and a commitment to giving back to marginalized communities, the All Together skatepark offers more than just a place to skate. 

Evohotel.com, @evohotelsaltlake, 660 S. 300 West, SLC