The fifth annual Forum Fest at Canyons Village features three days of live music, food, drinks and family-friendly activities. Because of extreme fire danger and Summit County fire restrictions, fireworks have been canceled. Instead, a drone show with 500 illuminated drones will launch each night at 10:15 p.m.
Debbie La Belle, public relations and communications director for the Canyons Village Management Association [CVMA], which sponsors the event, says there is something for everyone.
“We have morning yoga, we have mechanical bull riding, ax throwing, air archery, mini golf; we have a golf simulator this year,” she said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour,” Wednesday. “Of course, we have the Nuzzles and Company puppy pit, as we normally do, and then just a lot of things around there for kids, we have face painting, a juggler, a magician walking around, balloon tying, etc. We also have some new things this year. We have the Freedom 5k race. We have a super fun pie eating contest, a costume contest and silent disco.”
Live music begins each day at 4 p.m. in the Forum Amphitheater.
“The first night, [Thurs. July 2] it's '80s night," La Belle said. "We have Breakfast Club and Shuffle, and they're kind of ‘80s, ‘90s, and 2000s. The second night is Tribute Night, we have a band called Queen Nation, they're the most amazing Queen Tribute band, and a band called Red Hot Tribute, and they're also an amazing, Red Hot Chili Peppers band. And then the third night is Country Night, we have a local band called Yeager Town, and then we have the Rough Riders.”
In addition to the restaurants at the base of the resort, La Belle says several food trucks will be on site for quick bites.
For the first time, CVMA will host a 5K fun run, says John Simmons, the association’s director of planning and operations.
“On [Friday] July 3 at 9 a.m. we'll have our first annual Freedom Fest 5k,” Simmons said. “It's gonna be a fun, unique course for all ability levels. We start and end in the Canyons Village Amphitheater, a unique experience there. It'll traverse through the forum, through some of the village neighborhoods, and then come back around and finish right back in the amphitheater. Race sign up is now, and you can also register day of, from eight to 8:45 a.m. Race kicks off at nine.”
The cost is $25 and includes free coffee and doughnuts and a T-shirt. The first-ever pie-eating contest is Saturday at 4:30 p.m. No preregistration is required; spots will be first come, first served.
Because of construction in the lower parking lot, carpools of four or more may park in the upper lots. Others should plan to walk, ride the bus or bike. Additional shuttles will run from the transit hub near 7-Eleven. Simmons says Summit County Bike Share will also add a pop-up bike-share parking station in Lot 4.
