The Most Colorful Morning You Will Ever Have at 6:00 AM…read moreThere are not many things worth setting an alarm for at 5:00 in the morning. This is one of them. The Provo Freedom Festival Balloon Fest is a three day annual celebration of the Fourth of July held at Fox Field on Freedom Boulevard, and it is exactly the kind of event that reminds you why summer in Utah is something special. Pilots from across the country bring their balloons to the Wasatch foothills and what unfolds over those three days is one of the most visually spectacular community events in the state. Arrive early. We mean it. Getting there around 5:30 am puts you on the field while the crews are still inflating the balloons, and watching a seven story tall colossus slowly rise against the backdrop of the Wasatch Mountains is something that does not have a good comparison. Sixty to eighty feet of color and fabric filling with air while the mountains glow in the early morning light is the kind of moment you reach for your camera and realize no photo will fully do it justice. Go anyway, take the pictures anyway. A tip for families: the crew members of each balloon are friendly and genuinely happy to talk. Ask them for their balloon card. Kids can collect a card from every balloon on the field and it turns the whole experience into an impromptu treasure hunt. Then come back for the glow event, which happens one night during the three day run and is worth rearranging your schedule for. The balloons stay grounded but are fully inflated and lit from within by their propane burners in sync with music. Watching these giants pulse and glow in the dark while the crowd gathers around them is a completely different experience from the morning flights and every bit as memorable. We grabbed a sugar waffle from the Waffle Love truck and wandered between the glowing balloons in the evening air, and it was the kind of night that sticks with you. A few practical notes before you go. This is a free event with no tickets required, which makes it even more remarkable for what it delivers. Parking is the one challenge. Neighboring businesses offer paid parking for around ten dollars, which is worth it if you want convenience. If you prefer free, arrive early and look for the field parking behind the hospital. Come late and you will be walking. Full marks. Some experiences justify every star and then some. Put it on the calendar now for next July.

The balloon festival has become a yearly tradition. It's amazing every time. It's just something we…read morenever tire of seeing. It's fun to bring friend and family that come into town to experience the beauty and magic of it all. We show up early, bring blankets and breakfast and enjoy the show. It's a must see for all ages.

you really do feel like you have transformed into the Renaissance time period!…read more Small children will really have fun, as there are a plethora of things for them to do (especially age 5-10 age group) There are plenty of options for food and drink The environment felt safe and secure Plenty of opportunities to purchase a variety of items- and some of these would be hard to find elsewhere (such as glass blowing on-site, aromatherapy items, leather goods and many places to buy Renaissance-era clothing and lots of jewelry, just to name a few) Unusual activities to choose from, such as shooting a bow and arrow, throwing spears and axes and thors hammer with the Vikings Lots of photo opportunities with people dressed in Renaissance period costumes

From the owner: Friday and Saturday August 28th and 29th, 2020 at Thanksgiving Point from 10am to 8pm. Come One!…read moreCome All! Join us and re-live the Renaissance and Medieval times at Thanksgiving Point. There will be jousting, Kings and Queens, armored combat, medieval Vikings, old-world music, dancing, games, pirates, shopping, great food, and so much more!

Came back tonight for New Years Eve. Super crowded tonight…read more There was a new dance area which was cute and quite popular. The Snowball & Flurry movie was really cute, had fun lighting effects, music, bubbles and snow! The fireworks show wasn't as amazing as last year so that was a bit disappointing but overall a fun way to spend the evening.

What a great experience for the little ones! It's a huge park of so many varied lights…read more My toddler especially loved the DJ, the light tiles you can step on and change the colors, and the show at the food booth area. It's worth the wait to see the bubbles and "snow" We went at 6 pm on Thanksgiving and it wasn't crowded when we got there. It was great! It definitely filled up by the time we left though. Get there early!

This farm is so much fun! We spent three hours here and could have stayed longer. Talk about bang…read morefor your buck!!! The rides, animals, corn maze, corn pit, and pumpkin stand were so much fun. I liked the corn maze wasn't overly big but it was just the right size. My kids loved going on the rides as many times as they could. They had the carousel, tea cups, swings, and many other rides. the pumpkins they were selling were good sized and there were many varieties. They had portable potty's for customers to use. We came during the day and there was a food stand selling Mexican style corn on the cob and drinks. There's also a little general store that sold popcorn, Carmel apples, ice cream and fruit. I will definitely be back several times before the season ends.

Very over priced for what you get. Tickets are $18.95 on Saturdays and had I known what the rides…read morewere and the wait times to ride them I would not have done this. Cute place, things to do other than the rides, but will not make a drive there again.

What an awesome, unexpected festival to wrap up the Labor Day weekend! When entering in downtown…read moreProvo from spending the day in the desert the first thing that we noticed was the amount of people, the sound of the music and the festive atmosphere across the street from the temple and the beautiful mountains as background. I was so happy to see so many happy people and organized food trucks and organized public seating watching the many shows (4 days of non stop music and dances, that was a FULL program of joy, pity that I was only have a glimpse of the whole event). My only 'wow' was related to masks. Looks like covid was inexistent as barely some vendors had masks on. Majority of people did not follow much the social distancing (blame the churros) and inexistent masks. So strange. That aside, I just felt very happy to be there, it was very magical, the sunset, the stands selling food from all Latin American countries, the smiles, the warm and also tons of freebies to take home! Check the photos to get an idea of the attraction power of this event!

It has now been nearly a full year since I purchased two adult tickets for the Light Fest Lantern…read moreFestival, originally scheduled for July 2024. At the time of purchase, I also paid for the offered insurance, which clearly stated that a full refund would be provided if cancellation was necessary. However, my experience could not have been further from what was promised. The festival itself was canceled due to a fire ban -- understandable given safety concerns -- but it was then rescheduled for October 2024. Unfortunately, I was going to be out of town during the new date, and I immediately took all the necessary steps to cancel my tickets. I canceled through their website and sent multiple emails as directed. Each time, I received automated responses claiming that someone would reach out to me to process my refund. That outreach never happened. Despite my repeated attempts -- over an entire year -- to obtain the refund I was owed, I have still not received a single dollar of the $150 I paid. Instead, I was continually given empty promises and automated emails. The so-called "insurance" I paid for turned out to be entirely fraudulent. It exists purely to make customers think they are protected when in reality, Light Fest seems to have no intention of honoring it. This operation is nothing short of a scam. If the event is canceled or rescheduled for any reason, do not expect to get your money back, no matter what the insurance policy claims. Light Fest took my money and ignored my refund requests for over a year. In conclusion: Avoid Light Fest at all costs. Their customer service is nonexistent, their insurance is a scam, and their business practices are deeply dishonest. Save yourself the time, frustration, and financial loss. These people are crooks, and they should not be trusted

An amazing experience held at the Talladega, AL race track!!! I had the opportunity to attend the…read moreLights Festival in Talladega approx. 1.5hrs from Atlanta, GA. This was the closet location to SC, hopefully they will bring this event oneday to the Palmettos! The event cancelled twice due to weather, so finally...I got to the event about 7pm, the event started at 4pm, I didn't wanna sit in a field for hrs, so we showed up just in time. We checked in, received bands, lantern, instructions, a black marker to decorate the lantern. They did have a lot of goodies you can purchase for the evening. The parking was organized when we arrived, leaving was another story, we went the opposite of the traffic to avoid the traffic drama, no issues. I brought 2 chairs, bug spray, and some snacks. They did have some food trucks, the lines were super long, so be prepared. I did buy some kettle popcorn from one of the vendors. The team lit the oil lanterns around 8p just before dark, lots of music playing, people dancing having a god time. The host for the evening was lively and kept kept the crowd entertained. Approx 8:30 the host gave directions and lit 1 lantern so we could see the direction of the wind. Once we got the Ok, its was dark enough for everyone to start lighting and releasing the lanterns! Such a magical night and a lot of fun for all. Yes, I would attend again if they came closer to Columbia, SC! The price is reasonable for all, $20- 25 per lantern. Add them on your FB page so you can keep up with the locations.

It's a fun and cute place for kids and families. It was crowded for a weeknight at the beginning of…read moreOctober. We got there around 4:45pm and there were no lines to get in. By 6-6:30pm there were waits for rides and food. By 8pm it was really busy and getting harder to walk around groups of people. Definitely get there early and bring a coat. Once the sun goes down it gets chilly! Buy a season pass if you plan on going a lot and/or the punch card for rides and food.

Visiting Cornbelly's is one of our family's favorite Fall traditions! We bundle up and go early in…read morethe afternoon to enjoy the huge selection of treats and activities including piggy races, slides, obstacle courses, cider donuts, and the giant corn pit is especially popular ( kiddos could spend hours in there) and stay for the night parade & haunted corn maze. There's tons of space for free-play and areas for adults to relax comfortably while kiddos explore the "town". The punch pass is always the best value and bang for your buck and lets each person choose their own adventures for the day. The apple cannons, mining for gems, and frozen cider are some personal favorites! Definitely a great way to spend time with the family and fun for all ages!

This is a beautiful Utah venue you must check out!…read more Ashton Gardens is a 50-acre botanical garden that has 15 themed gardens, such as the Italian, Rose, Fragrance, Secret gardens and the Tree of life sculpture garden. It has gorgeous waterfalls and beautiful walking pathways throughout. (Golf carts are available to rent as well) . Also, the beautiful Monet lake with koi fish. Ashton Gardens is known for their seasonal activities like Luminaria the light festival in November thru early January. The Tulip Festival is April - May, the Imaginaria Festival is in summer and the Scarecrow Festival is in October. There is the Trellis Café on site for a bite to eat, and during many of the festivals they have little shops that sell deserts, snacks, drinks, etc. There's a Greenhouse to buy cool plants in season as well. It's definitely a beautiful way to spend the day.

We've been here a number of times and even though it's the 'off-season' where most of the flowers…read more(and none of the tulips) are in bloom, it's still always beautiful. The waterfalls are wonderful. The fountains superb. The grounds are immaculate. The larger-than-life statues of the life of Christ and the whole Light the World exhibit were superb! We'd seen the life of Christ exhibit and loved it but hadn't seen the Light the World exhibit. It was spectacular. This place is a true gem if you want to enjoy nature; have an opportunity to walk through beautiful scenery or see wonderful spiritual exhibits!

Found some cool posts online about this family setting up a light show for the sake of the holiday…read morespirits. Wow! Really enjoyed the wonderful synchronization of music with the colorful lights. They definitely put a lot of effort into making this entertaining for guests. This is a no-cost, high quality light show that is very accessible from the I-15. Around 7 there are already a lot of cars parked right outside, so I recommend getting here early to secure a good spot. It doesn't seem people get outside the vehicle, perhaps out of courtesy or because of the cold, but I was able to hold my daughter and let her enjoy the light show relatively close up. Highly recommended if you're looking for something more chill at no cost (although I've heard the thanksgiving point lights are quite good). Thanks again for setting up such a cool light show and awesome e music too

One of the best Christmas lights decorations in Utah. On my list is the number #2. A must see!read more

My daughter and I visited Thanksgiving Point, and we had such an amazing time! We were there for…read morealmost four hours and still didn't get to see everything they have to offer. There is SO much to do! We started with the Butterfly Biosphere. Since it was our first time there, I had no idea where to start, but the people at the front desk were so helpful and answered all of my questions. We ended up getting the all access pass and headed in. They told us about the scavenger hunt, which my daughter absolutely loved. We had to find all the hidden cars throughout the bug enclosures, and she was so excited when she found them all and got to pick out a butterfly sticker! Next, we went to the Mountain America Jurassic Jungle, and this was so much fun. There were tons of interactive activities for my daughter, plus a huge play area with slides and mazes. It was definitely fun for kids AND adults, somehow I even ended up going down the biggest slide! Then we went to the Museum of Natural Curiosity, which was my daughter's favorite. She put on her own magic show and puppet show, climbed through even more mazes and slides, jumped as high as she could like a bug, hung like a sloth, and even danced the Macarena! There was so much to explore and so many things for her to actually do instead of just look at. We finished our visit with a ride on the carousel, and by that point, we were completely exhausted. We had such a great time and definitely didn't get to see everything, so we will absolutely be back. Thanksgiving Point is a great place to spend the day, especially if you have kids who love to explore, play, and stay busy. Highly recommend!

This review is purely for the Loggia wedding venue, so take it with a grain of salt. I'm sure the…read morerest of Thanksgiving Point is, from what I could tell from walking through it, an incredible place. The Loggia, however, while itself is a fantastic wedding venue, it is staffed by unfathomably incompetent employees. Here are just a handful of the most egregious offenses we suffered (mind you, as guests) at the hands of these clueless [redacted]s: * Upon arriving at the garden gazebo (utterly devoid of people), a half hour before the ceremony, we were greeted by (one of) the wedding planner(s?). When we inquired where everyone was, she didn't know. We asked if the ceremony was being at this garden gazebo, to which she replied something to the effect of "maybe, or one of the other ones". First off, there are no other ones. There was the waterfall area, where the reception was to be held later, but wh didn't she know that? Why did she have no clue whatsoever what was going on? * The ceremony was supposed to begin at 4:00 PM; by 5:00, the planners had gotten their shit together, things started happening. * Two employees, loudly chatting and pushing a large dumpster, just on the other side of a wall of trees (partially visible, and entirely audible), just as the couple were reciting their vows. Complete lack of spatial awareness! * Ceremony ended around 5:30; time to transition to the reception area, by the waterfall. The food, which should have been prepared prior to, or during the ceremony, didn't arrive until after 7:00 PM, leaving everyone hungry and anxious for nearly two hours. * The food was arranged buffet-style, on a single table (should have been at least two), and guests were allowed to serve themselves (save for the prime rib, which was carved sparingly by a single person), while no less that four (and sometimes as many as SIX) venue staff stood behind the table, arms behind their back, doing absolutely nothing. I cannot for a single second fathom what their purpose was, other than to collect a paycheck, and allow the venue to jack up the price of the event. * Complete mismanagement of the quantity of food provided for the agreed upon number of guests; some of the last guests were underserved as a result. * The venue manager attempting to charge the bridal party an extra fee because the cake vendor arrived earlier than expected...because somehow sticking a cake in the fridge for a couple extra hours is a hassle worth stressing out the couple, and shaking them down for a few extra bucks. * The wedding planner bringing out the cake immediately after the ceremony, in 95° heat, which means it would have sat there for 3 hours, before it was time for it to be served. Fortunately, the mother of the bride noticed and told her to put it back in the fridge, so it wouldn't melt. * The venue charged $300 for lemonade service. You read that right: lemonade. * Oh, and of course, the married couple could not choose to use outside vendors or caterers for anything, leaving them at the mercy of these ridiculous hucksters. Five star venue, with one star service and value for your money. If you've got money to burn and nothing to lose, yeah, this place is probably great, if you can stomach watching them piss away your hard-earned cash with almost nothing to show for it. At least it's pretty here.