Salt Lake magazine offers an insightful and dynamic coverage of city life, Utah lore and community stories about the people places and great happenings weaving together the state’s vibrant present with its rich past. Its Community section highlights the pulse of Salt Lake City and around the state, covering local events, cultural happenings, dining trends and urban developments. From emerging neighborhoods and development to engaging profiles long-form looks at newsmakers and significant cultural moments, Salt Lake magazine keeps readers informed about the evolving lifestyle in Utah.
In its Utah Lore coverage, the magazine dives deep into the state’s historical and cultural fabric, uncovering fascinating stories of Native American heritage, pioneer history, and regional legends. Whether exploring ghost towns, untold tales of early settlers, or modern folklore, Salt Lake magazine connects readers with the roots of Utah’s identity.
The Community section emphasizes the people and organizations shaping Utah’s present-day communities. Through stories of local heroes, grassroots movements, and social initiatives, the magazine fosters a sense of belonging and civic pride. It often spotlights efforts that promote inclusivity, sustainability, and progress, giving voice to the diverse communities that make up the state.
The annual People for Bikes rating of bike-friendly cities is out for 2025. Cities are scored on a 1-100 scale, with Mackinac Island, which bans cars and moves everyone and everything around by bike, scoring a perfect 100. Where’s SLC? At a very respectable 62, up a massive ten points from last year. But more importantly, we now beat New York City!
Other cities we trounced included Philly, DC, Tucson and Austin. We owned Boise and San Diego, and left LA long in the rearview mirror. Even better, we beat such acclaimed bike meccas as Portland, Madison, Chico and Burlington.
San Francisco did edge us out by a point. Something to aim for next year!
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Many publications do “best of” issues (which sometimes are pay-to-play, FYI). But we take a different approach. Every year, we create Salt Lake magazine’s Best of the Beehive Issue by assembling our little coterie of writers and folks we know about town to talk about the things that tickle us, surprise us, and inspire us and just say, “yep, that’s the best” all around.
Salt Lake magazine Editor Jeremy Pugh. Photo by Natalie Simpson.
Because how is anything “The Best?” It’s a subjective term after all. But we know it when we see it. And the goal here is to pack this issue with a list of, well, stuff, to tickle your intellect, fill your belly, spark your imagination and inspire ideas for exploring the place where you live. We reflect on the talk of the town—newsmakers and civic upheavals—that inspired both cheers and jeers. We pile it all together into an always-incomplete list to create a snapshot of life in the Beehive in the Year 2025.
I love the randomness of this issue. The idea that a little pie shop in Veyo or a Cat café in Salt Lake is the “best of” anything brings a smile to my face. Because, in this world of data-mined listicles and focused searches to find the “best” toaster, or whatever, the idea of merely browsing—just wandering down the bookstore aisle and waiting for something to catch your eye—seems like a lost art. Oftentimes, the things we cherish most in our lives are those very things that one day just caught our eye.
This idea is the basis of what we do at this magazine. We make a pretty paper book six times a year, designed for you to browse. And we’re certain that inside these pages are plenty of things that will catch your eye.
Don’t blink. You just might miss the best thing you never knew you were looking for.
Nestled at the corner of Main Street and Burton Avenue, the newly opened One Burton stands as the cornerstone of South Salt Lake’s transformative downtown district. With its ribbon officially cut in June, this eight-story mixed-use development marks the city’s long-awaited push toward a vibrant, pedestrian-centric downtown. The project is the result of a multi-firm collaboration between Abstract Development Group, Architectural Nexus, Greystar and Jacobsen Construction.
Photo courtesy of One Burton.
A mastery in mid-century modern design, with an emphasis on modern, the complex boasts a sleek façade that echoes the surrounding Wasatch backdrop. Inside, residents are greeted by a double-height lobby enriched with mid-century art including a commanding timepiece that doubles as an art installation: a monumental clock composed of thirteen sculptural “eyes.”
Photo courtesy of One Burton. Photo courtesy of One Burton. Photo courtesy of One Burton.
Clean lines, expressive geometry and bold accents carry the aesthetic throughout the building, inviting residents to live not just in a space, but in a statement.
Photo courtesy of One Burton. Photo courtesy of One Burton.
Designed with active lifestyles in mind, One Burton is more than just an apartment complex—it is a gateway to connected living. Spanning 180 thoughtfully designed units, from studios to two-bedroom layouts, One Burton caters to both young professionals and urban adventurers seeking close proximity to everything downtown South Salt Lake has to offer. Features like built-in mudrooms, secure gear storage, a state-of-the-art fitness center and inviting communal spaces make it easy to live well, connect with the community and feel at home.
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This June, the reign of the automobile has come to a screeching halt on Main Street downtown, at least on Friday and Saturday nights. Open Streets, Salt Lake’s summer season street party, has been running with a whole new concept to welcome folks downtown.
Started during COVID as a way to preserve restaurants and businesses along Main by letting them spill out into the roadway, this public party has become a recurring feature of the summer months. This year, it’s been divided into four zones to offer you four distinct experiences.
A boy watches a street performer at the Open Streets festival in downtown Salt Lake City, June 2025. Photo courtesy the SLC Dept. of Economic Development
The first block south of South Temple has been dubbed the Family Commons, featuring games, jugglers, and other activities designed to engage the young ones. One block south, the Arts Avenue surrounds the Eccles Theater with live music, street performers and an evolving mural project.
Children play soccer at the Open Streets festival in downtown Salt Lake City, June 2025. Photo courtesy the SLC Dept. of Economic Development.
Further south in the Village Market, vendors will be hawking their wares and a community stage will provide a venue for local musicians to get their noise on. The final block is Restaurant Row, with the eating houses extending shady patios out into the street. The bottom of the block features a beer garden at Exchange Place, complete with mini-golf and DJs.
Open streets will wrap up this weekend on Friday and Saturday from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m.
A Bagpiper performs at the Open Streets festival in downtown Salt Lake City, June 2025. Photo courtesy of the SLC Dept. of Economic Development
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Picture this: A typical day in Heber City, Utah. Cars parked along Main Street, locals shopping, going to work or church, and a man with a mustache holds the lead, guiding his companion, a 1,500-pound grizzly bear, to the Dairy Keen for a hamburger—one of the bear’s favorite treats.
The grizzly bear in question is animal film star Bart the Bear and the man is his trainer Doug Seus. While bears taking a stroll on Main Street is not a common scene in Heber anymore, “The people who have been here for a long time, they were used to it,” says Lynne Seus, fellow wildlife trainer and Doug’s partner in marriage and many other wild adventures. “People would say, ‘Oh, yeah, there goes Doug and their bears.’”
Bart the Bear passed away in 2000, but, he still hangs out on Main Street, in a way. At the end of 2024, mural artist Chris Peterson painted a mural of Bart across the street from Main Street’s Avon Theater. “It was like having a picture up of our kid. It was such an honor,” says Lynne.
Bart the Bear Showing Wildlife trainer Lynee Seus some love. (He had a lot of love, as you can see.) Photo courtesy of Lynn Seus. Wildlife trainer Doug Seus bonding with animal actor Bart the Bear, c. 1997. Photo courtesy of Lynn Seus.
The mural unveiling event also celebrated Bart with a film festival of the movies in which he starred, alongside the likes of John Candy and Dan Aykroyd (The Great Outdoors, 1988), Ethan Hawke (White Fang, 1991), and Brad Pitt (Legends of the Fall, 1995). Friends of Lynn and Doug and longtime Heberites shared memories and stories about Bart. “That little theater was packed and it brought us to tears,” says Lynne. “Just the memories that the community had and—well, I guess, you would remember if you were in a bowling alley and somebody brought a grizzly bear in to have a hamburger and milkshake with you.”
The community event also coincided with the release of Lynne’s memoir, The Grizzlies and Us, a frank and delightful retelling of Doug and Lynne’s decades-long journey raising, taming and training a menagerie of critters to be on screen. Bears, wolves, raccoons, skunks, foxes—there doesn’t seem to be an animal that Doug has met that he couldn’t connect with. “The things he accomplished and the love and trust this man built,” marvels Lynne. “He bonded with Bart I and Bart II, two 1,500-pound bears. That is extraordinary both for the man and for the bear.”
Doug with Bart I and Zack at 3-months-old. Photo courtesy of Lynn Seus.
At this point in our conversation, Doug turns the focus away from himself and on Lynne. “She’s the one who wrote this book, and I’m so proud of her for her candidness,” he says. “I think of the honesty that she wrote about life, etcetera, and I don’t think there’s enough candor in the world. My philosophy is ‘be raw.’” It’s the same philosophy of honesty and integrity that they wish other people might glean from their wild “teachers,” as Lynne refers to the animals in their care in her book. “You have to be totally who you are—totally honest with animals,” she says. “If you put on a facade, they’ll see right through it.”
In many ways, Doug and Lynne are the first of their kind, and they might be some of the last. “We were so fortunate to be following our dream and being in the movie business with our bear, while we were,” says Lynne. Now, computer-generated graphics have replaced most wild animals on screen, with few exceptions. Naysayers aside (and there were many), there’s also a bit more red tape between a young couple and their dream of raising wildlife (alongside human children) on their private property than there was in 1977 when they took on Bart and his brother Zack as cubs from the Baltimore Zoo. Not to mention, compared to the 1970s, there are much higher economic barriers to buying said private property—a farmhouse in Daniels Creek, Heber, Utah (where the median home listing price is now a cool $1.2 million). It’s heartbreaking to realize we’ve lost many of the habitats that support wild, young dreamers and where the odds are slim of ever having another Doug and Lynne Seus.
The Great Outdoors, 1988, featuring Dan Aykroyd and John Candy. Photo by Mary Evans/Universal Pictures/RGA/Ronald Grant, Courtesy of the Everett Collection The Grizzlies and Us: the memoir is available at vitalground.org
Lynne still encourages people to defy the odds and “for anyone who is following a dream, don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t,” she says. Recently, following their dream led to their starting the Vital Ground Foundation, which preserves and restores grizzly bear habitats. Doug says they have already seen the grizzly make a comeback in extending its range more than has been seen in the last 200 years. “We’re seeing the ‘big open’ coming—I call the big open. The massive, beautiful ground that was once just under crops and now it’s coming back to indigenous grasses and indigenous animals that haven’t been seen for years,” Doug explains with contagious passion. “Anyhow, excuse me, if I may—I’m gonna go shovel poop,” he adds. Lynne laughs, “That’s the glamorous side of the job.” Certainly, one of a kind.
A young Honeybump joins the Seus family along with her brother, Bart the Bear II. Photo courtesy of Lynn Seus.
The Wild Ones
The grizzlies in Doug and Lynne’s care (past and present).
Bart (I) Bart’s brother Zack preferred a quiet life, according to Lynne. He made a new home at a zoo in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Honeybump and her brother, Bart (II), came to Lynne and Doug as cubs shortly after Bart (I) passed away. Their mother had been baited from their den and killed by a hunter, and the cubs were rescued by Fish & Wildlife rangers in Alaska. Honeybump and Bart (II) appeared in Dr. Dolittle 2 and Evan Almighty, and Bart (II) also starred in We Bought a Zoo and Game of Thrones. Bart (II) passed away in 2021
Tank the bear was born in captivity and has a gentle demeanor, according to Lynne. He stole the spotlight as a guest on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno and in Dr. Dolittle 2.
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The Fourth of July is still a couple of weeks away, but on June 19, Utahns are celebrating our country’s second independence day.
In 2022, Juneteenth became a state holiday in Utah after Gov. Spencer Cox signed a law sponsored by Rep. Sandra Hollins, the first Black woman to serve in the Utah Legislature. Juneteenth has been celebrated by many Black Americans for decades, but the holiday gained broader recognition in 2020, after the police killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others ignited widespread protests and increased attention toward racial injustice.
Juneteenth celebrates emancipation from slavery. Though the Emancipation Proclamation was signed in 1863, it could not be enforced in the Confederate-controlled states. When the Civil War ended in 1865, Texas, the farthest west state in the Confederacy, was the last state to officially end slavery—on June 19, 1865, Union general Gordon Granger told enslaved people in Galveston, Texas that the Civil War was over and that they were free. Since the end of the Civil War, the anniversary has been a local celebration of the end of slavery. Over time, Juneteenth expanded across the country, becoming a larger celebration of Black history and culture in the U.S.
Betty Sawyer, the Director of the African-American community group Project Success Coalition, led Utah’s first Juneteenth celebration 32 years ago. Sawyer and the Ogden-based Project Success Coalition still organize the Utah Juneteenth Festival, which this year includes a flag raising at the Salt Lake County Government Center, a three-day festival in Ogden and other community events throughout the month. Here are Juneteenth celebrations presented by the Project Success Coalition and other ways to honor Juneteenth this weekend and month in Utah:
You can find a complete list of black-owned businesses on the Utah Black Chamber of Commerce website, here. Happy Freedom Day!
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Anyone who has intermittently visited the greater St. George area throughout the past, say, 20 or so years knows it’s like seeing a distant child relative only periodically over the years, exclaiming every time, “Wow, you got big!” When you’re not paying day-to-day attention, growth sneaks up on you. This is how we felt on a tour last October of the newly finished Black Desert Resort in St. George on the eve of hosting its first stop on the PGA Tour. A fleet of workers and hotel staff worked in a flurry to finalize everything before the onslaught of professional golfers, their entourage and golf fans arrived at the front desk. It had that new hotel smell, down to the persistent scent of polishing oils and cleaner in the air as the final burnish was applied.
But Rome was not built in a day, and neither was Black Desert. This project started nearly 20 years ago. And while there is a group of partners behind the effort, one man has been the face of the project since its inception. Mr. Patrick Manning.
Photo courtesy of Black Desert Resort.
“I started in Florida so this land that is Black Desert is different from anything I’d ever experienced,” Manning says of his first visits to Ivins. “The feelings I have about it are overwhelming.”
He was so enthusiastic about the idea that he moved his family to St. George to lay the groundwork in 2005–2006. Manning and his partners knew it would take patience.
However, if you’ve ever met Manning, “patience” might not seem the first quality you would ascribe to him. In the run-up to the PGA, Manning was seemingly everywhere. Out on the course greeting players for the event. Suddenly he’d be walking the hotel, saying hello to guests. Then bam, he’s in the restaurant buttonholing a builder about some detail. He is not a man who can sit still.
“The PGA was not part of the planning,” he says. “We set out to design a world-class golf course, that was the goal. But then we got to the tour stop before the grass was even planted we moved into a fast and furious mode.”
The tour stop was a success and this May, Black Desert hosted the LPGA Tour.
“Everybody who knows me knows I believe everything is possible,” he says. “We are going to make a splash with the LPGA. We are going to show these players the love and respect they deserve.”
The LPGA has received criticism that the female players are not given the same level of treatment as the men on the PGA. To that end, Manning and his partners are flying the golfers in on private jets.
“Black Desert will roll out the red carpet,” Manning says.
Photo courtesy of Black Desert Resort.
Still, when you consider the project took nearly two decades of careful work, it simply must have taken patience to get here. “The first thing I understood was that this was going to take patience to do it right,” he says, “we became a partner with the community and this land. Looking out across the lava with the red sandstone cliffs and pine valleys, we knew that building something as big as Black Desert would require passion and patience to do it responsibly.”
“Responsibility” is another word he uses often. The project built in sizeable conservation easements that would go to Santa Clara and Ivins and preserve open spaces. He is quick to point out that despite the rumors the Black Desert Golf Course will never be a private course and will continue to be open to public play.
“This is is luxury meets you,” he says. “We’re the only spot in the country on the PGA and LPGA tour where you can go to a two-acre putting green with hot tubs and fire pits. Show up in swim trunks and flip-flops and putt around. Sometimes luxury is being able to putt with bare feet.”
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One of the reasons I left Salt Lake as a young man in the ’90s was because I couldn’t imagine a full queer life here. Granted, I never really gave the city a chance and rushed off to gayer pastures—LA, NY, DC, Amsterdam, Santa Fe. It was a coincidence then that, after taking a new job as the Managing Editor for Salt Lake magazine, I ended up back in town on June the First, the beginning of Pride month.
That first afternoon, as I headed up to the City Cemetery for a welcome home visit to my mom’s gravesite, traversing through Liberty Wells and 9th and 9th and the Avenues, a rainbow wave washed over me. SLC was decked in celebration for Pride.
I know you didn’t all do this to welcome me but thank you for the warm greetings just the same. I didn’t expect a parade! For me? You shouldn’t have. In all seriousness, I had my concerns coming back to Utah at a moment when waves of hate seems to be rising and even cresting in a loud crashing roar, with more on the horizon out past the break. But then I heard what the city did by declaring its new official flags, and as I roamed the lovely, graceful neighborhoods where my roots developed, I saw my new neighbors putting out their multihued welcome mats and knew that this was, for me, the place, again. I marveled at, well, the amount of Pride on display. So today, I ducked out of the office and sought out to capture in a few photos what feels like a personal welcome home mat for me.
Here are a few of my favorite proud houses of Salt Lake.
Share this story on your social media and add your own favorites. Be sure to tag us at SLmag on Facebook and on Instagram
And June isn’t over yet, so order a new Sego Lily Salt Lake Pride flag from Project Rainbow, or pick them up at Cahoots at 9th and 9th.
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Let’s face it, planning for Father’s Day can be hard, and you may feel stuck doing the same thing year after year, but there’s no need to fear! Utah has plenty of dining specials and unique activities to help you celebrate your old man. Your guide to a refreshing Father’s Day Weekend is here!
Father’s Day Brunch and Dinner in Utah
Wasatch Front
Bambara
Toast to dad in style at Bambara’s Father’s Day Bourbon Brunch. The culinary team has partnered with High West to create a selection of bourbon-infused specials like bourbon pancakes—pair them three 1 oz pours of High West elixir for just $15! Served June 15, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., make your reservations here.
Flanker Kitchen + Sporting Club
Treat your dad to a barbecue brunch at Flanker Kitchen where mimosas and Bloody Marys are $5. While you’re there, book a virtual golf suite for you and your old man, or test your bond with a karaoke session. Reservations can be made here. Menu availalbe June 15, 2025.
Take in the mountain views at Sundance’s Foundry Grill this Father’s Day. With items like herb-roasted prime rib, cedar-planked salmon, buttermilk waffles and a full-service omelet bar, this Dad’s day brunch is sure to please everyone in the family. Continue the fun with onsite activities like hiking, chair lift rides and zip lining. Brunch served June 15, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Urban Hill
The James Beard-awarded restaurant is bringing back its Father’s Day brunch buffet this year, with mouth-watering items like smoked salmon benedict, breakfast enchiladas, dill pickle potato salad, mini quiche and much, much more! Reservations recommended, make yours here! Served Sunday, June 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. $79 for adults, children 12 to 5 dine for $35.
A rooftop barbecue with dad—what more could you ask for? Van Ryder’s Father’s Day celebration includes BBQ lunch specials, western wear giveaways, a Traeger grill raffle and more. Sunday, June 15 from 11 am to 5 p.m.
Wasatch Back
Goldener Hirsch
Sip and celebrate dad with a whiskey experience at Goldener Hirsch Inn. In partnership with Bulleit Distillery, guests will learn about the distiller’s history while enjoying a guided tasting and a house-made charcuterie selection. Must be 21+ to book. Available Sunday June 15 at 4 p.m Find more information, here.
Treat Dad to dinner on Father’s Day with a $60 summer meal special featuring New York steak, sesame-crusted ahi tuna, creamed spinach, skin-mashed potatoes and more. Available all Father’s Day weekend through summer.
The Lodge at Blue Sky
Blue Sky is hosting an entire weekend of culinary experiences, outdoor adventures and family fun. Build your ideal weekend itinerary with activities like expert-led bird watching, an open-fire dining experience, a whiskey wellness spa day and family ranching at Gracie’s Farm. See the entire schedule, here. June 13–15, 2025.
Learn a new skill with your old man at Montage’s exclusive Father’s Day beverage class. The two-hour course will include an assortment of bites to pair with libations; finish it off with a unique whiskey massage at Spa Montage.
Park City favorite Tupelo is honoring dads with an evening of unlimited smoked Niman Ranch prime rib, garlic mashed potatoes and heirloom carrots for just $75 on June 15, 2025.
Looking for something different? Try one of these Father’s Day activities in Utah!
Big Cottonwood Brew Fest—Throw back a few cold ones with your old man surrounded by the picturesque views at Solitude. Now two days, the free event also features live music and tasty food pairings. June 14–15, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Blues and Brews at Snowbasin—Relax on the lawn and soak up the good vibes at Snowbasin’s Blues and Brews event. The first Sunday in the running series, June 15 lineup includes Earl Nelson + The Company and Pressin’ Strings. June 15, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Hogle Zoo—Fathers and father figures can enjoy free admission on June 14 and 15 for a day of fun at Hogle Zoo! Make sure to check out the zoo’s brand new exhibit, Wild Utah, and admire animal-themed chalk art during the Chalk the Zoo event!
Strawberry Days—This year’s Strawberry Daysfestival runs from the 14th all the way through the 22nd of June. Visit with your father figure for car shows, carnivals, rodeos, concerts and more.
TopGolf—Golfing is a Father’s Day favorite that offers a casual family friendly experience. TopGolf has offered Father’s Day promotions in the past, check their site for the most recent updates.
Axe-Throwing—For the unconventional dad, spice up the day with a Rage Room or Axe throwing! Prices vary by location.
Climbing—If your dad is the adventurous type, like mine, have fun bonding over indoor climbing lessons! Prices vary.
