Terrain Takes

With fresh mountain air, low humidity, and near-constant sun, Utah's summer begs you to get outside and explore. Utah has plenty to do for all during the summer months — whether you enjoy the arts, sports, recreation, culture, eating & drinking or just hanging out — Utah has a little something for everyone.

While there's no doubt that Utah is a year-round destination for both indoor and outdoor activities, summer in Utah is so abuzz with activities and things to do that its hard to keep track of it all. Because there's so much to do, but only so many weekends to get out and enjoy it all, we've curated this list of hand-picked links for some of the best festivals, events, music, sports and activities that Utah has to offer.

JUNE:

Red Bull 400 | June 1st | Park City: Think you've got what it takes to sprint up 400 meters in a near-vertical climb? Think you can break a time of less than 4 minutes? Probably not, but if you are so inclined, there's still time to register. Even if you aren't up for the challenge, you can soak up some rays in Park City's Olympic Park as some hardcore iron men and women take on this grueling challenge. https://www.redbull.com/us-en/events/rb400-park-city

Summerfest '19 | June 10th - June 15th | Orem: Did you know Orem is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year? This can only mean that the Summerfest organizers will be pulling out all the stops for this year's Summerfest — more rides, more fireworks, more hot dogs down the piehole for the hot dog eating contest! Get your summer off to a fun start with this festival! https://summerfest.orem.org/

Utah Arts Festival | June 20 - 23 | downtown Salt Lake City: This is the big daddy of Utah festivals, attracting 80,000 over the four-day event. This event features over 160 visual artists from all over the country for a juried competition. But this isn't just about arts and crafts; there's a little bit of everything here: music, film, food booths, writing workshops and more. https://uaf.org/

Savor the Summit | June 22 | Park City: Billed as "Park City's Largest Outdoor Dinner Party" this is the pinnacle of foodie fests in Utah. The restaurants all up and down main street in Park City serve dinner al fresco to you and your closest 2,500 friends to the sounds of great live music. Be sure to check it out! https://parkcityrestaurants.com/savor-the-summit

Bryce Canyon Astronomy Festival | June 26 - 29 | Bryce Canyon N.P.: While light pollution covers up more and more of the night sky, getting outdoors — way, way outdoors — to see the night sky should be a high priority for anyone's summer. Bryce canyon is well known for its stargazing and by judging the size of some of the telescopes featured on its website, this shouldn't disappoint. Check back on the National Park Service website soon as the event approaches. https://www.nps.gov/brca/planyourvisit/astrofest.htm

Utah Shakespeare Festival | June 27 - end of October | Cedar City: Ever hear of a playwright named Billy Shakespeare? Cedar City sure has, and its Shakespeare Festival is one of the country's best. This year's festival features two of the Bard's lesser-known works, Hamlet and MacBeth ;-) Get your culture on and take in some of the country's best actors down in Cedar City this summer! https://www.bard.org/

JULY:

Antelope by Moonlight Bike Ride | July 12 | Salt Lake: We chose this event just because its sounds so unique and cool. Ride your bike at a leisurely pace under the (mostly) full moon on Antelope Island. This 24 mile route sounds like a really great way to spend a mid-summer night. Register early!. http://www.daviscountyutah.gov/moonlight

Pioneer Day | July 24 | Statewide: This is Utah's very own state holiday, commemorating the Mormon pioneers first descent into Salt Lake Valley (but you probably already knew that). Pull out your bonnets and overalls and throw a dart at a state map of Utah to find where you'll be celebrating your Pioneer Day this year!

A Symphonic Space Celebration | July 26 | Deer Valley: Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing by heading up to Deer Valley to hear the Utah Symphony play some of your favorite space-inspired tunes, including Holst's The Planets and Richard Strauss's Also Sprach Zarathustra (aka the theme from 2001). One small ticket purchase translates into one giant leap into a new musical universe for you, dear musical listener! https://deervalleymusicfestival.org/event/id/22766/

Annual Springville World Folkfest | July 26 - August 3 | Springville: Believe it or not, this is the largest festival of folk dance and music in the United States. International dancers and musicians the world over gather in Springville to show off dances and music from their native lands. Get a taste of different cultures and expand your cultural horizons with this event! https://www.worldfolkfest.org/

AUGUST:

Tour of Utah | August 12 - 18 | Multiple locations: This is Utah's premiere bicycle race, attracting world-class riders to compete across multiple stages in various locations across the state. On Saturday, August 17th, You can even challenge yourself to the same course as the pros with a 94-mile trek with 8,000 feet of elevation climb (brutal!). If spectating is more your speed, check out the website for more on the various event locations. https://www.tourofutah.com

Odgen Valley Balloon Artist Festival | August 16 - 18 | Ogden: Balloon races offer something for everyone: music, food, and beautiful hot air balloons set against the Wasatch range — a photographer's dream. You can even purchase tickets for your own balloon ride! Check out the photo galleries on the event site to whet your appetite! https://ogdenvalleyballoonfestival.com/

Das Energi Music Festival | August 16 - 17 | Salt Lake City: We hadn't heard of this either, but when we took a look at some of the heavy-hitter headliners from past festivals — Deadmau5, Diplo, Tiesto — our curiosity was piqued. There's a reason why this festival is beginning to get the attention of electronica fans across the country. If EDM is your thing then be sure to check the website soon to see who will headline this year's festival. https://dasenergifestival.com/

Utah Beer Festival | August 17 - 18 | Salt Lake City: Suds. Glorious, hoppy, piney, citrusy suds — and lots of it at this festival. Just looking at the featured brewery page for this celebration of all things beer makes our mouth water. Their website states that over 200 different beers will be available to sample. Wowza. Be sure to get tickets early before this popular event sells out! https://utahbeerfestival.com

Moab Music Festival | August 26 - September 12 | Moab: Head to southern Utah, take in a national park or two, and be sure to stay for the music at the Moab Music Festival. Perhaps Sunset Magazine's recent review of this festival sums it up best: "With sandstone walls for acoustics, willows for privacy and river sand for a stage, this outdoor concert of the Moab Music Festival is the hottest ticket of the season". http://www.moabmusicfest.org/