Festival Flashback:
Cassandra Whitehurst, 11, of Orem, gets a leg up while climbing Klimbing Expositions' 24-foot portable climbing wall at the annual Orem Summerfest. Photo by Brian Fitzgerald. 6/11/99
Kiery Rask, 8, looks up as she eats a slice of pie while her cousin, Trey Parks, 8, both of Orem, looks over at her during the kids heat of the first-ever Village Inn Pie Eating Competition as part of Orem Summerfest on Thursday, June 7, 2018, at Orem City Center Park. Kids had 40 seconds to finish as much of a single slice of pie as possible, and later adults had one minute to finish as much as they could of one half of a pie. Rask finished third in the kids heat. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Jared Snyder, right, reaches out to place his marker farther than his partner Chad Edward as the two competed in the bungee run Friday, June 12, 1998 in Orem. In the game, the two contestant are harnessed to a cord and try to see who can stretch it out the farthest before being yanked back. It was one of many attractions at the Orem City Park as part of the city's Summerfest Celebration. Photo by Jason Olson. 6/12/98
FRANK BOTT/Daily Herald Orem SummerFest Parade: Nolan Karras, seated front right, gets ready to take off with his wife Lynda Purrington back center, during the Orem SummerFest Parade in downtown Orem on Saturday June 12th. Nolan and his team car is followed by the "Nolan School Bus" a symbol of his campaign for governor.
Sadie Loveland, of Provo, fist-bumps Orem Mayor Richard Brunst after she won the Wienerschnitzel Hot Dog Eating Contest as part of Orem's Summerfest held Thursday, June 13, 2019, at City Center Park in Orem. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
ROBB COSTELLO / Daily Herald Paul Overson, a Summerfest volunteer in charge of the antique cars, sits next to Scott Harrison's 1955 Chevy BelAir in Orem on Monday, June 5, 2006.
BRIAN WAGNER/Daily Herald On detail in the back of a 1941 Dodge command car, Alex Downing, 14, of Orem, helped out with the American Legion Post 72 military display at the Orem Summerfest, Friday, June 10, 2005 at the Orem City Park. Downing, a member of the Sons of the Legion, got involved with the post through his grandfather, Allan Anderson, and even acts in the honor guard at military burials when needed. "They all complain I work them too hard," Anderson said of his three grandsons' participation with the post. "But they never turn me down."
Two girls prepare to go down the Fun Slide at Summerfest at City Center Park in Orem on Friday, June 12, 2015. GRANT HINDSLEY, Daily Herald
COREY PERRINE/Daily Herald Cheree Halona of Provo yells down the Fun Slides with her two year old son Korbin at Orem's Summerfest Saturday afternoon. As an annual tradition, Orem kicked off this years Summerfest with games, rides, and fireworks. "I read about it in the paper and thought it would be fun for me and my entire family," said Halona.
Shelby, left, and Katie McKell of Orem try the hand at jousting at the Orem Summerfest Celebration Friday, June 12, 1998 at the Orem City Park. Photo by Jason Olson. 6/12/98
BRIAN WAGNER/Daily Herald The annual Orem Summerfest kicked off Friday, Jume 10, 2005, at the Orem City Park.
Crowds gather and enjoy the weather at Orem's 35th annual Summerfest at City Center Park in Orem on Friday, June 10, 2011.
Darby Standing, 12, left, and Alexia Meyer, 13, ride the ferris wheel at Orem Summerfest on Friday, June 13, 2008. Summerfest, Orem's popular city celebration, is expected to return from a pandemic-impacted schedule last year to a full event in June, state health guidelines permitting.
BRIAN WAGNER/Daily Herald The annual Orem Summerfest kicked off Friday, Jume 10, 2005, at the Orem City Park.
Rhett Wimmer, of Orem, eats a hot dog during the second-annual Wienerschnitzel Hot Dog Eating Competition as part of Orem Summerfest on Thursday, June 7, 2018, at Orem City Center Park. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Genaro Melendez, of Orem, looks over at other competitors as he eats his half of a pie during the adult heat of the first-ever Village Inn Pie Eating Competition as part of Orem Summerfest on Thursday, June 7, 2018, at Orem City Center Park. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Eddie Rask, of Orem, wipes pie bits from his face after the adult heat of the first-ever Village Inn Pie Eating Competition as part of Orem Summerfest on Thursday, June 7, 2018, at Orem City Center Park. Isaac Hale, Daily Herald
Dancers from the School of Performing Arts perform at City Center Park in Orem on Friday, June 13, 2014. SPENSER HEAPS, Daily Herald
ADAM GRIMSHAW/Daily Herald From left to right: Lynnette Kichiro, Alex Tamamasui, Elena Bohnet, Tatiana Aiono, Gaby Melecio, and Cristal Priego, members of the Kahama Dancers, perform a Tahitian dance Tuesday evening, June 2nd 2009, as a preview for their upcoming performance at Summerfest in Orem.
FRANK BOTT/Daily Herald Orem Summerfest in the rain. The Orem High School band.
CELIA TOBIN/Daily Herald Ben Finey, left, and Caleb Hopkinson go for the ball during the American Red Cross All Star softball game at Brent Brown Ballpark at UVSC in Orem Thursday, June 12, 2008. Six retired major league baseball players joined locals to play a nine-inning game in which all proceeds helped fund the American Red Cross.
CELIA TOBIN/Daily Herald Joey Erlitz, right, of Idaho, fixes the inside rim of a tent as Tony Vazanko, of Arizona, washes the top at Orem City Center Park in Orem Thursday, June 12, 2008. Employees of Midway West Amusements prepared for this weekend's Summerfest all day Thursday by erecting rides, cleaning tents and setting up game and food booths. The Children's Parade will be on June 14 at 7 p.m., followed by the Grand Parade and culminating with a fireworks display at 10 p.m. The festival starts June 13.
MARIO RUIZ/Daily Herald Eleven-year-old Gillian Hanseen of Provo rotates her pod on a ride at Summerfest in Orem Saturday, June 13, 2009. Hanseen and her family came to Summerfest Saturday to participate in the day's activities including watching her sister McKann Hanseen perform with the Timpview High School Marching Band in the parade and the fireworks show Saturday night. Weather held for most of the morning and early afternoon and a thunderstorm rolled through the valley around 2 p.m. Saturday.
Nathan Jensen sets up the Tip Top for the Orem Summerfest, which runs through Saturday at Orem City Park on Center Street in Orem. 06/08/01 Photo/Kevin Lee
Kiram Johnson, 5, rides a kids' roller coaster at Summerfest at City Center Park in Orem on Friday, June 12, 2015. GRANT HINDSLEY, Daily Herald
MARIO RUIZ/Daily Herald The Air-Med helicopter was a popular attraction at Summerfest in Orem, Friday, June 13, 2008.
From the “Velvet Highway” celebration to night parades for Utah’s Miss America contestants, Orem’s Summerfest has grown and changed several times over the years.
This year, the June event was canceled in its traditional form by restrictions from COVID-19, but the city is still planning on holding a portion of the yearly summerfest activities.
A traditional Summerfest typically include the Arts in the Park, a baby contest, a boutique, a car show, a parade, the Rotary Club Breakfast, a 5K Fun Run, fireworks, a carnival, vendor booths and more.
If all goes well, the city is planning a “Summerfest Lite” that also will combine the adjusted city celebration with the popular GeezerFest.
The Summerfest Lite/GeezerFest is scheduled Aug. 14-15 at the Orem City Park pavilion. Geezerfest is a free live music festival, featuring older, experienced musicians from around Utah, according to John Pilmer, spokesman.
“This year marks our 15th anniversary, and the third where we’ve partnered with Orem City,” Pilmer said. “Additionally, we are proud to announce that Geezerfest 2020 is teaming up to get Orem Summerfest back on track.”
Pilmer added, “Our roots started in a backyard barbecue and has grown to over 700 musicians in Utah and Salt Lake counties, along with families and friends.”
“Both Geezerfest and Summerfest are marquee summer events in the valley,” said Orem Mayor Richard Brunst in a joint announcement. “We know that joining forces offers family fun as we emerge from gathering restrictions. The stage is set for a fabulous festival for Orem and Utah Valley.”
Summerfest’s past
Summerfest has been held at the City Center Park for as long as most people can remember, but the parade and events have taken on a new life over the years.
A 1949 edition of the Orem-Geneva Times reported the two-day celebration would be held on the completion of the highway, now State Street, from 2000 North to 2000 South. It was 5 miles of what residents dubbed the “Velvet Highway.”
Summerfest celebrations included a morning parade from north to south along State Street, with activities in the City Center Park and fireworks at night.
In the 1980s, Orem residents Norm and Roseanne Nielsen, who chaired the Miss Utah Pageant, introduced the popular night parades that featured all 60 contestants riding in convertibles. All the entries were to be adorned with lights on the cars, floats and even a few band instruments, according to Norm Nielsen.
“Since we’d been running the Miss Utah Pageant, we decided to have the contestants from all over the state in the parade,” Norm Nielsen said. “It added an interesting spark, and brought thousands to the parade and millions of dollars in sales tax revenue.”
He added, “It was the only night parade in the state at the time.”
When the parade passed the finish line, the fireworks began. It was the Nielsens that moved the parade from State Street to the current route of 800 East and 800 South, moving north to Center Street and then on to the City Center.
Norm Nielsen said it was more tight and gave it a together feeling for the city rather than a big highway. Also, working with the Utah Department of Transportation to close the road was getting difficult.
It was Norm Nielsen that coined the Orem city motto “Family City U.S.A.”
The pageant light parade went on for 22 years, Nielsen said. Since then the state pageant has moved to Salt Lake City and the Summerfest Celebration has more than doubled in size and scope.
However, the parade has remained an evening venue and still brings thousands along the parade route.
For the past few years, events have grown to the point where the committee has held activities at the City Center Park and at the Scera Park as well.
Orem’s history
Orem celebrated its 100th birthday last year. Settlers arrived at what was known as the Provo Bench or Sharon, which got its name from biblical references and the area of Vermont where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prophet Joseph Smith was born.
The rocky land had good soil and worked well for fruit orchards growing apricots, cherries, peaches, pears and plums. The ground was also good for strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.
According to city history, the early settlers worked hard to bring irrigation to the bench and it is still being used in urban irrigating today.
The city incorporated on May 5, 1919, and was called Orem, after Walter C. Orem. Walter never lived in Orem, but his trains went back and forth on State Street to Salt Lake City taking produce and livestock to the big city markets.
Over the past 100 years, the city has grown to nearly 100,000 residents and has become the retail center of Utah County. The University Place campus is the focal point of the business district at the crossroads of State Street and University Parkway.
Also contributing to the city’s growth is Utah Valley University, now touting more than 43,000 students.
Orem has been the home to WordPerfect, Xactware, Blendtec, Omniture (now Adobe) and myriad other high-tech and manufacturing companies.
Orem is about 95% members of the LDS Church, according to city records. In October of 2019, church President Russell M. Nelson announced a temple would be built in the city.
Orem’s future
Orem continues to receive top marks for safety, raising families, entrepreneur opportunities and outdoor sports. It has also been the No. 1 place in the U.S. for trick or treating several years in a row, according to a variety of reports and census data.
The Census Bureau predicts the Orem area will come out of the COVID-19 pandemic as one of the strongest cities in the U.S. economically.
While the full Summerfest celebration isn’t happening this year, residents should know the committee is already planning for 2021.
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