5 ways to have fun with your family in Utah County this week
Luke Jestice, 2, enjoys an ice pop at an American Freedom Festival Stars and Stripes party at the Shops at Riverwoods in Provo on June 18, 2016.
From left: Ducky (Keegan-Michael Key), Bunny (Jordan Peele), Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) appear in a scene from "Toy Story 4."
Utah County is a great place for family fun, with events across the valley for all ages.
Here are five fun events that are perfect for the whole family this week:
Have fun at a city celebration
With warm weather abounding, cities across Utah County are continuing with their annual celebrations, including Pleasant Grove and Lehi.
Pleasant Grove’s Strawberry Days will wrap up this weekend, with remaining events including a safety fair, outdoor concerts, a carnival, golf tournaments, a princess party, rodeo, parade and Huck Finn Day, just to name a few.
Lehi Roundup kicks off while Strawberry Days is ending, with starting events Monday including a 10K, 5K and Kid’s Mile Run, tennis tournament, the Princess and Superhero Party and the Miss Lehi Pageant. It will continue through June 29. For details on both celebrations, visit https://www.heraldextra.com/citycelebrations.
When: Throughout the week
Where: Events will be held at venues across Pleasant Grove and Lehi.
Have a ‘Toy Story’ Marathon
Celebrate the release of “Toy Story 4” with a movie marathon at the Megaplex Theatres at Thanksgiving Point. The day before the film’s wide release, marathoners will be treated to all four “Toy Story” films, a Woody pin, collectible character cards, a souvenir popcorn tub and drink cup with unlimited popcorn and refillable Coca-Cola soft drinks, and a Pizza Planet meal break with a Pizza Hut cheese or pepperoni personal pan pizza and other movie-inspired items. The Megaplex at Thanksgiving Point as well as Megaplex Theatres at Geneva also will host a “Toy Story 4” fan event, which includes an early viewing of the film, souvenir popcorn tub, drink cup and a gift from Disney. Tickets to the events range from $19.95-$29.95 with more details at megaplextheatres.com.
When and Where: The “Toy Story” marathon is set for the Megaplex Theatres at Thanksgiving Point, 2935 N. Thanksgiving Way in Lehi, Thursday, with check in starting at 10:30 a.m. Fan events at Thanksgiving Point and Geneva, 600 N. Mill Road in Vineyard, are set for 5 p.m.
Play with giant games
Though Legos, Jenga and Connect 4 can all be pretty fun games for tabletop play, University Place is taking its gaming to the next level with regular Giant Games events, including all those games and more in a larger than life format each Thursday.
As if the giant games weren’t motivation enough, each game night also will include two 30-minute fountain concerts, featuring choreographed light and water displays. Grab the whole family for a night of giant fun!
When: 7 p.m. Thursday
Where: The Orchard at University Place, 575 E. University Parkway in Orem
Visit the Fairy Tale Festival
Another fun and festive annual event is the Fairy Tale Festival at Ashton Gardens. Scheduled around Midsummer’s Eve, the event celebrates fairies, magic and the delightful characters of fairy tales.
The event includes discussions on the science and history behind fairy tales, as well as themed crafts, activities and performers offering an adventure for the whole family. The festival is free for members or included with regular venue admission.
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday
Where: Ashton Gardens, 3900 N. Garden Way in Lehi
Celebrate summer at the Riverwoods
In conjunction with Provo’s annual Freedom Festival celebration, the Shops at Riverwoods hosts an annual Stars and Stripes Party, featuring fun at the venue’s splash pads, balloon artists, face painting, a petting zoo, live entertainment and a variety of tasty treats with fun for all ages free of charge.
When: 4 p.m. Saturday
Where: The Shops at Riverwoods, 4801 N. University Ave. in Provo