DD Web • September 13, 2016
Why Utah? Volume 4: Festival Lovers Unite!
Summer may have come to a close, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to end. It’s always festival season in Utah! Offering year-round outdoor entertainment across the state, Utah hosts some of the most popular festivals in the country. In fact, Cedar City, Utah has been dubbed ‘Festival City USA’ due to the incredible theatrical and cultural offerings (like the Utah Shakespeare Festival, Neil Simon Festival, Groovefest and the Cedar City Livestock Fest).
You may also have heard of a little film festival that attracts thousands of visitors (including A-list celebrity actors, musicians and filmmakers) to our state each year? Headquartered in Park City, Utah each January, the Sundance Film Festival is the largest independent film festival in the North America. Screenings take place in various venues including Salt Lake, Park City, Ogden and Sundance Resort, so you have several opportunities for stellar entertainment — including people watching. (Hey, is that Matt Damon eating nachos over there?)
Not your vibe? Here are a few of our favorite festivals and events that celebrate the artistry, cultural diversity and human spirit of the Beehive State. We welcome you to celebrate with us!
1. Holi Festival of Colors (Spanish Fork, end of March)
Holi is a spring festival celebrated by Hindus all over India (and also our small town of Spanish Fork, Utah). Annual crowds have been exceeding more than 50,000 festival-goers who celebrate winter’s end by throwing colored powder on each other (fun, right?) Attendees are encouraged to wear a white shirt, but beware — it won’t stay that way long!
2. WitchFest (West Jordan, mid-September – Halloween)
For all things witchy and Halloween, head to WitchFest at Gardner Village! Breakfast with a Witch, Witches Night Out and Witchapalooza (a dinner show) are just a few of the attractions at this family-fun event. Kids will love discovering the display of creative life-size witches scattered throughout the village on a scavenger hunt!
3. Utah Shakespeare Festival (Cedar City, June – October)
For more than 50 year, this Tony Award winning festival has brought Shakespeare’s plays to Cedar City stages. So while you’re taking advantage of Southern Utah’s national parks and red rock recreational opportunities, spice up your nighttime activities with world-class theatre.
4. Raspberry Days (Bear Lake, first weekend in August)
Bear Lake attracts thousands of tourists throughout the summer (especially during July and August when the raspberry harvest is on). A number of family-friendly activities occur during the three-day festival including a craft fair, town rodeo, a boat parade, and a fireworks show on Bear Lake beach to end the festival.
5. Pride Festival (Downtown SLC, early June)
The Utah Pride Festival is a festival held in downtown Salt Lake City celebrating Utah’s diversity and LGBT community. This year’s event attracted thousands of people to Library Square for a weekend of events including the Pride Parade (Utah’s 2nd largest parade), a 5k charity run, live entertainment and other events supporting and celebrating LGBT empowerment in Utah.
6. Zion Canyon Music Festival (Springdale, last weekend in September)
The Zion Canyon Music Festival is an annual two-day event in the fall featuring a weekend packed with music, food, and local arts and crafts. Beautiful Zion National Park in Southern Utah provides the backdrop for this festival, so outdoor enthusiasts might want to combine this evening event with a day of hiking!
7. The Lantern Festival (Multiple locations, April – August)
At Lantern Fest, thousands of revelers join together for music, dancing, s’mores and the release of lanterns into the night sky. The lanterns are used to symbolize good fortune, so this is a perfect time to let go of past regrets or set a new dream into motion. Each registrant receives a lantern (along with some other goodies). It is a sight to be seen!
8. Festival of Lights (Spanish Fork, Thanksgiving – New Year’s Day)
Celebrating the holiday season, the annual Festival of Lights features a scenic drive through Spanish Fork’s Canyon View Park with brightly lit decorations accompanied by Christmas music. The best part? You get to stay in your car! (PJ’s highly recommended)
9. Swiss Days Festival (Midway, early September)
The two-day Midway Swiss Days is one of Utah’s largest festivals, attracting roughly 100,000 visitors to this beautiful high mountain town representative of Switzerland. The festival celebrates Swiss pioneers and traditions with yodeling, alp horns, flower hair wreaths, scones and swiss cheese sandwiches. Camp out to secure your spot early!
10. Oktoberfest (Snowbird, weekends starting mid-August – 2nd Sunday in October)
Celebrating Germany’s finest food, beer and music in the stunning setting of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Snowbird’s Annual Oktoberfest attracts over 60,000 visitors and has grown to become one of the largest festivals in Utah. This one’s not to be missed. Prost!
See? Festivals galore! Make sure you don’t miss out on any of these. #whyutah
At Novation Title, we take immense pride in being recognized on the 2024 Top Latino-Owned Business List ! As a Latino-owned company, we are passionate about empowering our community through homeownership—one of the fastest ways for Latinos to build generational wealth in America. Why Hispanic Homeownership Matters Homeownership is more than just buying property; it's about creating stability, financial security, and opportunities for future generations. We believe in providing the resources and education needed to help our Latino community navigate the path to homeownership with confidence. Educating & Supporting Latino Homebuyers Our team uses key insights from the NAHREP (National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals) reports to share real data on Latino homeownership growth and opportunities. We know that numbers don’t lie , and we want to ensure that every aspiring homeowner and entrepreneur has access to the right information. Advice for Latino Entrepreneurs For those looking to start a business in the title and real estate industry, our advice is simple: educate yourself and lean on data. By understanding the numbers and trends, you can position yourself for long-term success. Thank you to our community and partners for trusting Novation Title. Together, we continue to break barriers and build wealth through homeownership!
At Novation Title, we take immense pride in being recognized on the 2024 Top Latino-Owned Business List ! As a Latino-owned company, we are passionate about empowering our community through homeownership—one of the fastest ways for Latinos to build generational wealth in America. Why Hispanic Homeownership Matters Homeownership is more than just buying property; it's about creating stability, financial security, and opportunities for future generations. We believe in providing the resources and education needed to help our Latino community navigate the path to homeownership with confidence. Educating & Supporting Latino Homebuyers Our team uses key insights from the NAHREP (National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals) reports to share real data on Latino homeownership growth and opportunities. We know that numbers don’t lie , and we want to ensure that every aspiring homeowner and entrepreneur has access to the right information. Advice for Latino Entrepreneurs For those looking to start a business in the title and real estate industry, our advice is simple: educate yourself and lean on data. By understanding the numbers and trends, you can position yourself for long-term success. Thank you to our community and partners for trusting Novation Title. Together, we continue to break barriers and build wealth through homeownership!
Welcome, 2020! We made it through the first week of the New Year and are already excited for what’s to come in this brand new decade. Anything can happen, and we have so much to create! Whether you’re a fan of long-term resolutions or prefer setting smaller, short-term goals, it feels good to start the year off with a desire to change for the better. If you know us, you know our approach at Novation Title has always been goal-centric, not only within our business but in our personal lives and out in the community. In today’s world where we are constantly connected (and distracted), it’s no wonder that we increasingly find ourselves overwhelmed mentally and physically drained. Often, the issues in everyday life are the ones that prevent us from enjoying the very same everyday life! How can we balance this out? We believe we can do better. That is why we are introducing meditation into our workspace. While meditation has been practiced for over 5,000 years, it is increasingly becoming a necessary way for us to unplug from the modern world. But what, exactly, is it? Meditation is a practice where an individual uses a technique — such as mindfulness — to train attention and thoughts. Mindfulness is awareness, it is a state of peace. It is being in the present moment, intentional and serene. It is the process of being aware of your thoughts while also disconnecting from them so you can connect within. Connecting within is the highest form of intelligence and results in proven mental, emotional and spiritual health benefits. Here are just a few science-based benefits of meditation: Reduces blood pressure Increases serotonin production that improves mood and behavior Improves immune system Increase in energy levels Lessens stress and anxiety Increases happiness and creativity Clarity and peace of mind Increased memory retention and recall Enhances self-awareness and self-acceptance Each one of us, regardless of gender, age or other factors, undergo daily stress and tension at some level or the other. That’s why we’re so excited to introduce #NovationMeditation into our business and we encourage others to join us this year. We can ALL benefit from improved mental and physical health in 2020. Who’s with us?!
