Savor the last days of summer with local foods and festivals
Aug 10, 2025 04:26PM ● By Jet Burnham
Eating juicy, locally grown melons is one of the main events at Green River’s annual Melon Days Festival. (Photo courtesy Robin Hunt)
Aug. 2, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. at Liberty Park
Spice up your summer with the fragrant flavors of Indian cuisine featured at the sixth annual Indian Food Fair. Enjoy authentic food, music, dance and culture.
Festival Gastronomico Mexicano
Aug. 2, 4-9 p.m. at Centro Civico Mexicano, 155 S. 600 West
Utah’s first Mexican Food Festival will feature authentic dishes, drinks and desserts highlighting the culinary diversity of the several regions of Mexico. Local restaurants, food trucks and traditional cooks and chefs will showcase the traditional and contemporary dishes that celebrate Mexico’s culinary cultural heritage.
Aug. 7-9 in Garden City
Bear Lake Raspberry Days celebrates all things raspberry to eat, drink and buy. Come for the famous Bear Lake raspberry shakes and stay for the nighttime Boat Light Parade and fireworks. The three-day celebration includes the traditional Main Street parade, boat parade, craft fair, carnival rides, group Zumba, live music, rodeo and fireworks. Dive into the fruity fun of the raspberry pie eating contest or delight in the razzle dazzle of the talent show. Compete for prizes and bragging rights by joining the kid’s fishing tournament, 5K fun run, golf scramble or cornhole and pickleball tournaments.
Aug. 15, 4-9 p.m. at Ken Garff University Club at Rice Eccles Stadium
This sweet event turns lemons into lemonade by raising money for childhood cancer research through Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation. Cool down with refreshing lemonade and appetizers provided with free admission. Step into the casino room, place a bid at the silent auction or enjoy family-friendly activities and access to the field.
A buffet of 2021’s Utah Cheese Maker winners’ prized products. Utah Cheese Awards Founder and Director Steven R. Jerman said the most competitive categories this year are cheddars, flavored cheeses and hot sauces. (Photo courtesy Steven R. Jerman)
2025 Utah Cheese Awards Tasting Reception and Medal Ceremony
Aug. 24, 2-5 p.m. at 2Row Brewing in Midvale
A buffet of locally made cheese, fruit, honey, hot sauce, sweet sauce and more will celebrate this year’s top Utah cheesemakers and makers of cheese plate foods. Tickets to taste the buffet of the winners’ wares are $20, online or at the door.
Aug. 29-Sept.1 in Payson
For 96 years, the people of Payson have celebrated their agricultural heritage with an onion festival. The many layers of the event offer something for every interest including a historic children’s parade, soap box derby, baby contest, talent show and car show. Residents compete for the prize of the biggest homegrown onions at the art and flower show. And, of course, there are food vendors selling onions of the “bloomin’ onion” variety to hungry festivalgoers.
Tomato twins Brinlee and Madison Maughan show up to the Hooper Tomato Days in festive tomato wear. (Erin Maughan/Hooper City)
Aug. 30-Sept. 1 in Hooper
Hooper Tomato Days is bursting with tomato-town charm and themed activities such as the 5K Tomato Chase, Cherry Tomato Baby Show and Miss Pink Tomato pageant. With all the fixings of a traditional community spirit festival—barbecue competition, pancake breakfast, rodeo, live music, parade and fireworks—this year will honor its milestone 100th year by including features from the earliest years of the event such as a traveling band riding around town to rouse residents for the first day of the festival. The event also features unique small-town sport with its dog race, cow drop contest, kids sawdust scramble and trash fishing.
Sept. 5 and 6 in Brigham City
Have a peachy keen time celebrating with a community proud of its produce. Peaches are the highlight of the event but the two days of festivities also include music concerts, car show, Harley and Custom Bike Show, quilt show and two different parades. Don’t miss the Brigham’s Beard Competition with categories for best mustache, best goatee, longest beard and best peach fuzz.
Sept 5-7, Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday noon to 8 p.m.
Journey to the land of rich food, lively music and charming culture at the 49th annual Greek Festival. Sweet and savory Greek delicacies and traditional bouzouki music are as close as the north parking lot of Holy Trinity Cathedral at 279 S. 300 West in SLC.
Sept. 10 and 11, 5-8 p.m. at Tracy Aviary
Enjoy an elevated culinary experience sampling food and drink from locally owned restaurants, craft breweries and artisan purveyors while enjoying live music and dance performances.
Sept. 13, 12-8 p.m. at Library Square
Sample vegan dishes from local restaurants or discover your new favorite vegan baked goods at the ninth annual SLC VegFest. This local celebration of veganism and plant-based eating is family friendly, with a kids area and live music. An adults-only beer garden features all vegan varieties.
Pizza and pasta eating contests are part of the fun at Festa Italiana. (Photo courtesy Sergio Coppa)
Sept. 13 and 14, Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. at The Gateway Plaza
Slurp, swallow and savor a variety of region-based Italian cuisines, beer and wine as proud
Italian-Americans celebrate their roots. Watch cooking demos and explore arts and crafts booths, or compete in the pizza or pasta eating contests. Learn about Italian culture through historical displays, live music, street performers, vintage bike show and exotic Italian car displays.
Sept. 5 and 6 in Brigham City
Have a peachy keen time celebrating with a community proud of its produce. Peaches are the highlight of the event but the two days of festivities also include music concerts, car show, Harley and Custom Bike Show, quilt show and two different parades. Don’t miss the Brigham’s Beard Competition with categories for best mustache, best goatee, longest beard and best peach fuzz.
Watermelons are featured prominently in the annual Melon Days parade. (Photo courtesy Robin Hunt)
Sept. 19 and 20 in Green River
For 119 years, Green River has celebrated their famously tasty melons and their growers with a parade and craft fair. Enjoy a slice of smalltown enthusiasm for melons at this year’s breakfast in the park, melon carving, photo contest, pony/unicorn rides, softball tournament, Fun Shoot, Melon Run, junior entrepreneur market and golf scramble.
