love of local in Utah
Summer of Festivals
How can I get the official job of reviewing festivals all around the country? Garlic ones–Llama ones–Greek food–whatever. Can I get that job?
All the festivals in Utah seem to be jam packed into the same month and sometimes the same weekend. I wish I could go to all of them. And I wisht he ones we did make it to we could spend more time at.
There are always four we go to:
SLC Art Festival: The kids section and free and oh so wonderful. They do not skimp on the free kid’s section, they put good time and effort into it. Museums from around SLC come and host a table with a craft or project at it. They always have films going, snacks, painting projects, and a theme. This year it was an Egyptian theme.
Timp Storytelling Festival: We always make it to something at this festival but I really want to make it one year that I can go to the entire thing. Some years we can only make it to a nighttime showing and other years we can spend a whole day there. The line up of storytellers is the best you will get in the nation, the venue is beautiful, and everything is organized incredibly well. I’m really glad storytelling is something that we listen to, go out to, and try to create on our own in our home. I will say thought that if you are going to pick one day to go to go on Saturday instead of Friday. Friday they have school groups come in, which is great. BUT they take over the audience and you get pushed to the back or sides and do not get a good view or seat.
This year the girls were brave enough to ask our favorite Carmen Agra Deedy to sign one of their books of hers.
Sheepdog Festival: We are a dog family and love to watch working dogs. Before you go make sure to look at the schedule. If you line it up right you can catch these things to do in a 2 hours block: dog diving competition, exotic animals show, rescue dogs doing tricks/runs, lunch, and a protection or service dog demo. You need to time it right and then throw in watching some sheepdogs work in there. They have great food vendors and on your way out you can grab some of those famous fresh berry shakes in town.
Tumbleweeds–Kids Film Festival: WHY DON’T MORE OF YOU GO TO THIS? WHY DON’T MORE OF YOU GO TO THIS? WHY DON’T MORE OF YOU GO TO THIS? This year I took all the girls to half the day and then had Tyler meet us for lunch and take the younger girls home so the older girls and I could watch more films. If you want your kids exposed to different cultures, languages, thoughts, ways of thinking, important issues, and stories…WHY AREN’T YOU GOING TO THIS? You guys, try it out. They provide free lunch and downstairs have tons of free activities for kids.
Lastly, I know this isn’t a festival but…I sure do love Farmer’s Markets. I can’t believe that this year we only made it to one Farmer’s Market. That makes me so sad, we are such regulars at these things but life has gotten busier. So one day we treated ourselves to new foods, lots of local cheese, and beautiful produce.
We do also usually go to the Tulip Festival but I’m about to break that tradition. I cannot find a time to go where it is not crazy. I don’t mind crazy until it makes it near impossible to enjoy anything. They allow golf carts and also segways on the same roads as people walking. No one can pass each other and one of our foots got ran over this year. I don’t love how they let things get out of hand there so we will see if we make it back ever.
