July 24th is a big deal in Utah. The date commemorates the day Brigham Young first set foot in the Salt Lake Valley and declared to his fellow Mormon pioneers: “This is the right place.” But July 24th, better known as “Pioneer Day,” isn’t just an LDS holiday—it’s a celebration of everyone who
This is the “Year of the Train” and all of Utah is buzzing with excitement about the 150 th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. In 1869, the last spike—a golden spike—was ceremoniously driven into a polished laurel tie at Promontory Summit to commemorate the joining of
The Greatest Snow On Earth® has a particular gravity, and here in Salt Lake we’re fortunate that the pull of the snow brings some of the best people on the planet. Raelene Davis has been enthusiastically promoting Utah’s snow at Ski Utah since 1985, currently VP of Marketing, and we’re lucky to
Salt Lake has seen a lot of changes since its founding in 1847. From a pioneering past, to the innovation of transcontinental rail, to women’s suffrage (Utah was the second state in the country), to cancer and rocket research to the Silicon Slopes. While our city was known for little more than
Flying into the Salt Lake International Airport gives you a rare bird’s eye view of Salt Lake, but we’re here to give you a unique view of our beautiful city. No US state capital can boast the same kinds of scenic views and backdrops that set the stage of Salt Lake. With the city sitting on the
The 2002 Winter Olympics were a party of such epic proportions that those weeks stand out in nearly every Utahn’s mind as one of the most exciting things to hit our fair state since shaped skis and fried scones. Utah’s good citizens revelled in the international spotlight, with an incredible
Where will you be on May 10, 2019? If you answered Promontory Summit, you’re in good company. Next summer this little territory two hours outside of Salt Lake will be the hub of one of the biggest celebrations in the State’s history. People from all over Utah and the nation will come together to
Salt Lake serves as a bastion of progressiveness, playfulness, and pride. In fact, the city's been listed by Advocate magazine as one of the Ten Queerest Cities in America (gayer than L.A.—take that, Southern Cali!) … The city holds one of the biggest and best-attended Pride parades and festivals
Okay, here’s a little disclaimer. These national parks technically aren’t in Salt Lake. But they’re definitely close enough by that if you’re already here, you need to make the trip. Did you know that there are 60 national and state parks within four hours? For adventure junkies, exploring these
"At the age of thirty-seven, I did one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do," says Distillery 36 co-owner Jon Gregersen. "I came out of the closet as a distiller." This came as a complete surprise to his large religious family, who he says have maintained a "let's just not bring it up
This Is the Place Heritage State Park has a major place in Utah’s history — quite literally. After a grueling multi-month trek across the unsettled frontier of America, the first settlers set foot in the Salt Lake Valley. They stood on the hill where the park sits today and looked out over the
The John W. Gallivan Utah Center (Gallivan Center) celebrated its 25 th Anniversary in 2018. That’s 25 years of free and inexpensive community-friendly events to include weekly jazz concerts, summer outdoor big band dances, Food Truck Thursdays, Salt City Sounds concert series, summer Lunch Bunch
One of the best ways to get to know a place is to dive into its history, and Salt Lake City is no different. This town is a fascinating blend of old-time heritage and contemporary melting-pot, and the historic sites Salt Lake citizens take pride in reflect that. Whether you have kids in tow or
Angela H. Brown is the kind of person who reflects and creates culture, and she’s the most recent feature in our Salt of the Earth series. As a stereotype-breaking example of ‘born and raised in Salt Lake,’ Angela has made our city her home, and she’s helped engender the lesser-known side of the
Familiar voice on the radio, blues musician who’s played with Willy and Joe McQueen, and Salt Lake mainstay, Brad Wheeler is another Salt of the Earth character. Brad is easy to spot—at 6ft 7in and bearded like Brigham with a hat that often tops it all off, “Bad” Brad Wheeler stands as a singular
A Brief History of Salt Lake City, Utah So what are the best things to do in Salt Lake City, anyway? To answer this question, we’re going to have to go back and learn a little bit about the town’s history. History buffs, buckle your seatbelts. Okay, it’s not going to be that long of a lesson. But
"This is the place." It's a solemn declaration by Utah's original pioneer leader, Brigham Young - and a phrase still memorized by many a school child around the state. It was the proclamation that the Salt Lake valley would be the permanent settlement of a large group of intrepid pioneers who'd
Ken Sanders is the literal definition of Salt of the Earth. A familiar face on PBS’ Antiques Roadshow, local activist, Monkey Wrenching apologist, friend of Edward Abbey, vinyl enthusiast, and librarian of Utah ephemera, Ken is the kind of person that creates honest community. Whether you’ve walked
The 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City brought a buzz that was unprecedented in a state known for its sobriety. Every citizen found a spirit and sense of local pride beyond anything they'd ever known, and volunteers lined up in droves to get in on the action. Facilities were erected. People
It's impossible to find a postcard stand in Utah without a Temple Square image on one of its racks. As the most-visited destination in Utah, the dramatic spires of the Mormon Salt Lake Temple do have a prominent place in the city skyline. Of course, the landmark has major spiritual significance to
