Summerfest is back and will be held at Cache County fairgrounds

Elaine Thatcher executive director of Summerfest said Thursday this year's festival will be held at the Cache County Fairgrounds from June 17 through the 19.

LOGAN – After a break last year due to the pandemic, Summerfest Arts Faire slated for June 17-19 is a go this year said this year’s Executive Director Elaine Thatcher.

A photo from Summerfest 2019 shows the crowds that wander through the booths looking at some artwork in Utah.

There is a change in location, however, for this year’s summer activity. Due to the renovation of the Logan Tabernacle, Summerfest will be held at the Cache County Fairgrounds at 450 South 500 West in Logan.

When we began planning for this year, we were told they would be retrofitting the tabernacle in the spring,” she said. “As it turns out they won’t be working on it until fall.”

She said they sent all the information to the vendors and performers and had to figure out how to merge two years of requests into this year’s event.

“This year we’ve scheduled 167 booths, 24 food booths,” Thatcher said. “We will have an indoor stage in the event center and one outdoor venue.”

She said she heard attendance struggled when they held it at the fairgrounds in the past. The fairgrounds was built for events like this, Thatcher said.

Kassie Weyand sings while her husband Austin accompanies her with a band called Culprit at Summerfest 2019.

“The biggest advantage of the Tabernacle grounds is it drew a lot of attention from people driving by on Main Street,” she said. “We are going all out on advertising this year to try and get people to go to the fairgrounds.”

Thatcher said they will be using both social media and traditional media to get the word out.

“The Plein Air entries will all be displayed indoors this year,” she said. “We have most of the same performing artists back all from Utah.”

On June 19, Junteenth is known as Freedom Day or a holiday celebrating the emancipation of slaves in the United States in 1865. In celebration of that occasion Summerfest will have a Motown group from Salt Lake performing on stage.

There is a better parking situation at the fairgrounds than the Tabernacle,” Thatcher said. “Cache Valley Transit District has agreed to provide transportation to and from the fairgrounds.”

She said 80 to 90 percent of the performers are from Cache Valley and about 60 percent of the booths are from northern Utah.

Glass Artist Nikki Root from Providence visits with patrons at Summerfest 2019.

With an event this size there is a need for volunteers. It takes over 300 volunteers to run Summerfest in a variety of assignments. There is a need for scouts who want to earn their Eagle Scout Award, church groups, clubs and individuals who want to help. For people who want to help with this event, they should contact this year’s volunteer coordinator at (435) 770-1531.

“In 2019, Summerfest generated $1.9 million for Logan and Cache Valley,” she said. “It brings in sales tax, motel, restaurant revenues and notoriety.”

Thatcher has been the executive director of the Summerfest for seven years and she said this will be her final season.

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