Wasatch County Fair Days is returning to the Heber Valley once again.
The annual festival brings in tens of thousands of people each year between attendees, spectators and participants.
“Every year it grows. … We’re probably pushing over 100,000 people that come through for everything combined,” Wasatch County Parks and Recreation marketing coordinator Jennifer Bowman said.
Fair Days kicks off with the annual Demolition Derby. But there’s also the Mountain Valley Stampede Rodeo, the Wasatch County Fair Days parade and the nightly carnival with rides, fair foods and more.
Beyond events, Bowman said there will be plenty of live music and entertainment for visitors and families. This year, in conjunction with hot dogs on July 27, there will be also be a chili cook-off for participants to show off family and go-to recipes.
For Bowman, it’s the exhibits and livestock shows that are underrated.
“Our exhibits, we have so many talented people in this valley and everything from jams and quilts to Legos and photos. Just the clever things that people make, create, grow are absolutely incredible,” Bowman said.
The Wasatch County Senior Center also participates with “the largest puzzle they can find.”
“This year, I think they’re doing a 40,000 piece puzzle to put in the exhibits,” Bowman said. “Our livestock show is the largest in the state and it brings in the most money of any show in the state, which is over $1 million.”
This year marks Erik Lappe’s 17th Wasatch County Fair Days. He is the facility and parks manager with Wasatch County Parks and Recreation. For Lappe, organization of the event begins as early as February.
“We’re always making changes, trying to do things to make it better,” Lappe said.
This year, Wasatch County Parks and Recreation is “rebranding” the country market to “give it new life,” Lappe said. It will now be called the Mountain Valley Market.
“We want to sort of spice that up and make it a place that people want to go at Fair Days,” Lappe said.
Crafters and artisans of all sorts will have booths to sell their wares, Lappe said. That includes wood carvers, metalsmiths and jewelers.
Lappe said the hot dog meal is not an event to skip — especially if there’s interest in participating in the chili cook-off. Lappe said his team prepares about 2,500 hot dogs. Last year, just a few were left over when all was said and done.
There will also be movie showings and a kids market where Wasatch County children can set up their own little businesses selling items like lemonade and cotton candy.
But for Lappe, his favorite part is seeing thousands of community members come together to celebrate the dog days of summer.
“Just how involved the community gets whether you see people you don’t see once a year or you haven’t seen for a long time. Everybody tries to come back for this for a family reunion,” Lappe said.
He said it’s also great to see the Heber Valley community businesses appearing year after year despite the fair’s growth over time.
For those looking to win bigger prizes, Lappe said visitors can participate in the Fair Days Parade. Families, businesses and organizations can enter to win the best themed entry prize of $500. This year, the theme is “timeless traditions.”
“Obviously we see a different part of it, but that’s one thing I’ll take from it from the start to the end, just the community helping out and looking out for people,” Lappe said.
Wasatch County Fair Days begins on July 23 and goes until Aug. 1.