Burnley FC plays Real Salt Lake tonight, a Spanish Fork temple rendering, and Imaginaria after dark
The Royals and Bees are both home this week too, and Hadestown lands at The Ruth in Pleasant Grove.
Good morning, Happy Valley.
Monsoon season moved in, so plan around afternoon storms and enjoy the cooler evenings. The upside is a loaded after-dark week: an English club plays Real Salt Lake tonight, Imaginaria lights up Ashton Gardens, and the Royals and Bees are both home before the weekend is out.
📍 30 seconds in the valley⏱️ 6 min read
- ⚽Burnley FC takes on Real Salt Lake tonight in Sandy
- ✨Imaginaria lights up Ashton Gardens after 6pm
- 🏟️The Royals and Bees are both home this week
⭐ The Big One
Pick of the week Imaginaria takes over Ashton Gardens after dark
Thanksgiving Point turns the 50-acre Ashton Gardens into a summer festival of giant American landmarks, splash zones, inflatables, and hands-on STEM stations, running nightly through August 22.
Our take
This is the easy answer for a summer night with the family. Wander the giant Statue of Liberty and Mount Rushmore builds, let the kids soak at the splash zones, and work through the craft and STEM stations while the light fades. The after-6pm price makes it a genuinely cheap evening out, and the gardens are a lot more pleasant once the heat breaks. It is the America 250 theme this year, so the landmark builds are the draw. If you have been meaning to get up to Lehi for it, a cooler monsoon evening is the week to go.⚠️ Heads up: Ticket tiers and hours vary, members get in free, and an afternoon storm can push the outdoor pieces around. Confirm the night's schedule and pricing at the event page before you drive up.
$$ familiesafter darkkids
📰 Around the Valley
Spanish Fork's temple gets its first look
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released the exterior rendering for the planned Spanish Fork Temple, the first real look at how the building will sit on the south end of the valley. For a lot of Utah County families this is the news of the week, and it lands as the church also named several more temple sites. A rendering usually means a project is moving from announcement toward an actual groundbreaking.
Monsoon storms bring flash-flood risk to the canyons
Monsoon moisture has settled over the state, and forecasters are flagging afternoon thunderstorms with flash-flood risk in the canyons and burn scars. It is a real shift from the dry heat: the evenings cool off, but a fast storm can turn a dry wash or a slot canyon dangerous in minutes. It also lands during a busy Western wildfire season, so fire danger stays high between the storms.
📅 This Week
Theater
Worth it
🎭 Hadestown: Teen Edition at The Ruth, Pleasant Grove
The teen-cast staging of Anais Mitchell's folk-opera retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice, on the youth stage at The Ruth.
Our take
Hadestown is a gorgeous, moody show, and watching it carried by a teen cast is its own kind of impressive. It leans into themes of love and loss, so it plays best for older kids and up. A solid midweek date or a night out with the teenagers.⚠️ Heads up: Parental guidance is suggested for the mature themes. Confirm the exact dates, times, and tickets at the event page before you go.
$$ date nighttheaterteens
Live Music
Worth it
🎸 T Street with Ascension at Velour, Provo
A Friday night show at Velour with T Street plus Ascension out of Vancouver, and Frozen Desserts and Calico on the bill.
Our take
Velour is the room that launched Imagine Dragons and Neon Trees, so a Friday lineup of touring and local acts is a reliably good downtown night. Cheap, close, and all ages.⚠️ Heads up: Confirm the set times and door policy on the ticket page, and note the room is alcohol-free.
$ live musicall agesdate night
Free Music
Worth it
🎶 Live Music on the Gazebo at The Shops at Riverwoods, Provo
Free outdoor live music on the gazebo at the Riverwoods shopping and dining center.
Our take
An easy, free Saturday evening. Eat, stroll, and catch live music outdoors without spending a dime on the show. Good for families and a low-key date.⚠️ Heads up: Confirm the lineup and start time at the event page, and keep an eye on the afternoon storm forecast since it is outdoors.
Free freefamilieslive music
🏟️ The Scoreboard
An English club is in town tonight
Real Salt Lake hosts Burnley FC, an English Championship side, in a friendly tonight in Sandy. It is the first English club to visit the Wasatch Front since Manchester United back in 2017, so it is a real one for local soccer fans.
The Royals are home Saturday looking to bounce back
Utah Royals FC dropped a 3-1 home match to Gotham FC last Friday and sit fifth in the NWSL. They are back at America First Field this Saturday against the Orlando Pride.
The Bees start a long homestand this weekend
The Bees dropped a 7-6 back-and-forth to the Sacramento River Cats, and now they come home after the break for a nine-game homestand at the ballpark in Daybreak.
🍴 Eat & Drink
Worth it Communal, downtown Provo
A farm-to-table American restaurant on University Avenue that builds its menu around what is in season and serves it family style at long shared tables.
Our take
This is the downtown spot for when the meal is the whole plan. Start with the housemade bread, let the kitchen steer you to the seasonal plates, and settle in at the shared farm table. Bring a date or a group that wants to slow down and actually eat, not a grab-and-go crowd.⚠️ Heads up: It runs pricier than a casual night out, and hours vary by day, so confirm before you go.
$$$ date nightfarm to tablegroups
🌲 Get Outside
Pick of the week Bridal Veil Falls, Provo Canyon
A 600-foot double waterfall right off the Provo Canyon road, with a paved path, picnic spots, and a short walk to the base.
Our take
It is an easy win with out-of-town guests or restless kids. Park, take the short paved walk toward the falls, feel the spray, and you are back in the car in under an hour. Pair it with the Provo River Parkway if you want to stretch the trip.⚠️ Heads up: The rocks near the base are slick and the water is cold and fast, so keep kids close and stay off the climb to the upper falls. With monsoon storms around, skip the canyon if the sky turns.
Free familiesfreequick trip
Worth it
The Provo River Parkway Trail
A flat, paved trail along the Provo River from the canyon down toward Utah Lake, good for a walk, a bike, or a stroller.
Our take
The reliable free family outing when you just need to get the kids moving. Bikes, scooters, and strollers all roll fine on the pavement, and you can do as much or as little of it as the little legs allow.⚠️ Heads up: It is shared with cyclists, so keep kids to one side, and bring water since shade is patchy on the lower stretches.
Free familiesfreebiking
🎟️ Also Happening
🎤 Open-Mic Night at Velour, Provo
The long-running open-mic night at Velour, on the calendar for tonight, Jul 15.
🍳 Sunday Brunch at the Foundry Grill, Sundance
The mountain brunch buffet up Provo Canyon at Sundance, Sunday morning.
🎨 Summer at the MOA, Springville Museum of Art
The free Springville Museum of Art's summer exhibits, an easy air-conditioned afternoon.
📰 Valley News
The new Aspen Peaks School District signs off on its first budget
The board for Aspen Peaks School District, one of the new districts formed out of the Alpine School District split, approved its first operating budget for the 2027 fiscal year ahead of going fully independent next July. If you live on the north end of the valley, this is the district your kids may be moving into, so the startup year is worth watching.
💙 Good Neighbor
Nominate the Valley's quiet MVPs
Every issue we spotlight one neighbor, teacher, coach, or cause quietly making the Valley better, plus an easy way to pitch in. Know someone who deserves it? Send them our way.
Nominate a neighbor →That's the midweek mix. Catch the English side at Real Salt Lake tonight, beat the heat after 6pm at Imaginaria, and get to The Ruth for Hadestown before it closes the 25th.
Tell us what we missed. Reply with the events, openings, and good-neighbor stories your corner of the Valley should know about.
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— The Provo FOMO crew
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