Embrace Summer with Utah City Celebrations

Carnivals, fireworks, hot Saturdays in the park—it doesn’t get more quintessentially summer. City celebrations, or “town days,” are big deals in Utah’s small towns, bringing the community together to take in summer (and eat a lot of snow cones.) Each town has their own signatures and quirks, but what’s comforting about these festivals is the tradition. You pretty much know what each celebration will look like, year after year, but after last year, we could all use a taste of “normal” summer.

Mark your calendars for these city celebrations near Salt Lake:

Pleasant Grove Strawberry Days: June 12-20
Don’t miss: The strawberries, obviously! Vendors sell cups of sliced strawberries and cream throughout Downtown Park.

West Valley WestFest: June 17-20
Don’t miss: Lots of food, from carnival classics like funnel cake and shaved ice to local vendors including Sabor Colombiano, South of the Border Tacos and Taste of Polynesia.

Lehi Roundup Week: June 20-26
Don’t miss: Not one, not two, but three parades in a single week.

Fort Herriman Towne Days: June 21-26
Don’t miss: “Fun for the whole family” is usually the selling point for these celebrations, but Fort Herriman Towne Days also has an adult-targeted date night with free axe throwing and a live DJ at Butterfield Park. 

Syracuse Heritage Days: June 21-26
Don’t miss: If you’ve been waiting for your chance to throw bags of corn competitively, prove your skills in the cornhole tournament.

Taylorsville Dayzz: June 24-26
Don’t miss: A free performance of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture from the Utah Symphony—complete with cannons!

Clearfield 4th of July: June 25; July 2-4
Don’t miss: Literally paint the town; Clearfield’s 4th of July celebration begins with painting the Center Street Bridge.

West Jordan Western Stampede: July 1-3
Don’t miss: It’s a western stampede after all—the rodeo is a three-night event.

Layton Liberty Days: July 2-5
Don’t miss: A shortened “more fun less run” for those of us that don’t want to brave a 5K in triple-digit temperatures.

North Salt Lake Liberty Fest: July 2-3
Don’t miss: Show off your classic car at the Eaglewood Festival of Speed.

Riverton Town Days: June 25-26; July 2-3
Don’t miss: The pie eating contest, a county fair classic.

Murray Fun Days: July 3
Don’t miss: Fun Days is a Murray 4th of July tradition, so of course it wraps up with a big fireworks show. (Just don’t bring your own.)

Provo Freedom Days: July 3-5
Don’t miss: The huge Stadium of Fire concert, this year featuring country singers Lee Greenwood and Collin Raye

American Fork Steel Days: July 5-10
Don’t miss: A tea party with the newly crowned Miss American Fork, the closest thing you can get to meeting Disneyland princesses in Utah County.

Farmington Festival Days: July 6-10
Don’t miss: Show off the pickleball skills you picked up during quarantine in their tournament. 

Clinton Heritage Days: July 7-10
Don’t miss: After the (almost definitely scorching) parade, get hosed down by the Clinton City Fire Department.

Draper Days: July 9-17
Don’t miss: Celebrate your favorite ‘70s singers with a tribute concert to The Carpenters and Carole King.

Spanish Fork Fiesta Days: July 10-24
Don’t miss: Take home $1,000 if your chosen duck crosses the finish line first at the Adopt a Duck Race.

Butlerville Days: July 19-24
Don’t miss: Make the sidewalk is your canvas in the chalk art competition 

Midvale Harvest Days: July 27-Aug. 7
Don’t miss: Three words: baby goat yoga.

Lindon Days: July 31-Aug. 7
Don’t miss: Leave the fishing rod at home and go Huck Finn Fishing with your bare hands.

South Weber Country Fair Days: July 31-Aug. 7
Don’t miss: Support local growers and buy some veggies at the farmers market.

Highland Fling: Aug. 2-7
Don’t miss: Something called a baby celebration, which somehow involves a red carpet complete with paparazzi

Alpine Days: Aug. 6-14
Don’t miss: Serve and spike your way to victory in the spikeball tournament. (For the uninitiated, spikeball is basically foursquare meets volleyball.)

Salem Days: Aug. 7-14
Don’t miss: Sail away at the cardboard duct tape regatta. Bring a life jacket for obvious reasons.

Bluffdale Old West Days: Aug. 10-14
Don’t miss: Monster Truck Insanity Tour, which is exactly what it sounds like 

Payson Golden Onion Days: Sept. 3-6
Don’t miss: True to the name, the Flower and Art Show includes a competition for the biggest onion.

SoJo Summerfest: Sept. 17-18
Don’t miss: Prove your musical supremacy with South Jordan’s battle of the bands.


While you’re here, check out our go-to guide on the perfect Salt Lake summer and subscribe to our print issue.

Josh Petersen
Josh Petersenhttps://www.saltlakemagazine.com/
Josh Petersen is the former Digital Editor of Salt Lake magazine, where he covered local art, food, culture and, most importantly, the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. He previously worked at Utah Style & Design and is a graduate of the University of Utah.

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