KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter
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Sat, Jun 13: Oremfest 2026 Mon, Jun 15: Micro Days:
Macroinvertebrates - Clark Planetarium
Tue, Jun 16: Sunset Yoga at the Gateway
Wed, Jun 17: Westfest 2026
Thu, Jun 18: 2026 Utah Arts Festival Fri, Jun 19: 2026 Utah Arts Festival
Fri, Jun 19: Chalk the Zoo
Fri, Jun 19: World Refugee Day 5K Run/Walk at Tracy Aviary's Nature Center at Pia Okwai
Fri, Jun 19: Salt Lake Juneteenth Celebration & Black Owned Business Expo
Tue, Jun 23: Paws and Perform - City of Lehi, UT
Thu, Jun 25: Taylorsville Dayzz 2026
Fri, Jun 26: Taylorsville Dayzz 2026 Tue, Jun 30: Sunset Yoga at the Gateway
Wed, Jul 1: Alphabet Soup: An LGBTQ+ Club for Teens - Sprague Branch Library
Fri, Jul 3: Cries of Freedom and the American Heritage Museum
Fri, Jul 10: 2026 Lavender Festival - The Lavender Apple |
Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers: When I was homeschooling Madison and Ella, one of my favorite sanity-saving tools was the Theme of the Week. If the theme was "Birds," then yes, we'd go on a bird walk. But we'd also read my favorite-ever children's book, talk about the physics of flying and of colors, and probably also do some math and logic involving eggs and
baskets. The theme made ordinary learning feel like an adventure, but more important, it gave us a focusing tool: It helped the girls connect with what they were seeing and doing, and it helped me feel that we weren’t wandering randomly through our days. Summer planning can benefit from that same kind of gentle structure. Last week, I wrote about how summer is not supposed to be a guilt-inducing race to cram in every concert, splash pad, festival, hike,
camp, road trip, library program, ice cream stand, and sunset before the school buses roll again. Trying to grab everything is a good way to miss the point; instead, to plan the summer without overstuffing it, we need to consider the kinds of experiences that make our family feel more awake, connected, and alive. The five summer lenses I keep coming back to are: music, motion, making,
nature, and food. Music helps kids hear the world differently and live what they love. Motion lets bodies teach what words cannot. Making reminds us that we can bring something new into the universe. Nature offers perspective and wonder. And food connects us to place, culture, and each other. Over the next
few weeks, I’ll address these one at a time—not as assignments, but as invitations. Even as the days fly by, a summer seen through some useful lenses can still be lazy, loose, spontaneous, and wonderfully imperfect.
—Debra Ross, publisher of KidsOutAndAbout.com, co-author of The Eclipse Effect: How to Seize Extraordinary Moments to Build Strong
Communities
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. If you like my publisher's column, you can easily scroll through past columns in the "Notes from Deb" section of our site. |
Please click through to our 2026 survey to vote for your top 3 places to take kids... it will be used to compile our 2026 Top 20 Places to Take Kids in the SLC area. Voting is live through June 20; believe me, winning a place on the Top 20 list matters to the people who
create amazing family-friendly experiences. Take 3 minutes to choose your favorites as your way of saying thank you... and use the list to build your summer bucket list at the same time! You have my personal and fervent thanks for your participation! —Deb |
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Experience the spirit of the Highlands at the Utah State Fairpark. From heavy athletics and Highland dance to clan tents and live entertainment, join us for a weekend of heritage and community. Our mission is to celebrate and promote the customs, civilization, and achievement of Scottish heritage.
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The 10th Utah Blues Festival returns to the Gallivan Center, in Salt Lake City, Utah on June 12-13, 2026! Come join us in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City to experience another unbelievable weekend of blues music! We’ll also feature our award-winning free workshops, unique artistic and non-profit vendors, great food trucks, beer, wine, hard seltzer, soda, and free water! It’s one of the finest blues festivals in the country, with our host hotel, the Marriott City Center, overlooking the venue.
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Family-friendly stargazing and activities at Wheeler Farm. See the stars and planets during an evening star party at Wheeler Historic Farm. Bundle up and come early if you'd like to stroll around the farm then join us for stargazing and fun activities provided by Clark Planetarium. Please park in the south parking lot and meet us in the north parking lot. This program is weather permitting and can be cancelled due to poor viewing conditions. Please only reserve the number of tickets that will be used as availability is limited.
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You spin me right round so join us for Fun Science Friday as we combine art and physics with spirographs! Join us for Fun Science Friday as we use spirographs to create artwork and learn how geometry can inform art and creativity. This is a free drop-in program for all ages located in the Clark Planetarium Learning Space.
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Suns out, funds out! Kids Markets are making waves at the Wander Summer Pool Party. Come support kid-run businesses full of crafts, treats, and big ideas while you soak up the summer fun!
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Come enjoy this weeks Outdoor Movie Night in The Orchard with: Raising the Bar: The Alma Richards Story. Bring your blankets and chairs. Free popcorn while supplies last and refreshing KONA ICE will be for sell. Yard Games & free giveaway’s while we wait for it to get dark enough. Grab some dinner from one of our many food options and turn it into a picnic. Click HERE for our many food options.
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West Valley City is thrilled to announce the return of West Valley Pride, a vibrant celebration of love and community. This event will provide a welcoming space for residents and visitors to come together, learn, and enjoy a day filled with entertainment, resources, and fun. Whether you’re a longtime advocate or new to Pride, this event offers something for everyone—live performances, delicious food, local vendors, and interactive art experiences. More than just a celebration, this event is a reflection of the unique culture of West Valley City—a diverse, dynamic community where people from all backgrounds come together to create something truly special. Join us as we make history and honor the unity, pride, and progress of West Valley City!
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Join us for a joyful, family-friendly celebration of nature, Pride, community, and the connections that bring us together. This year’s theme, Rooted Together, reminds us that gardens are strongest when many plants share the same soil, each with its own color, shape, and story. At the Garden, we believe that plants are for everyone, and we all deserve a place where we can grow, belong, and bloom. Spend the day surrounded by color, plants, and connection as the Garden comes alive with art, immersive experiences, and opportunities to celebrate the beauty found in nature and the strength we find when we come together. Witness a living art display of vibrant plant installations created by local florists, horticulturists, and artists.
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Join us for Daybreak Pride, a free, family-friendly celebration held in Daybreak's Highland Park, that brings neighbors together to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and the diverse stories that make Daybreak feel like home. Our theme this year is "Growing Together." Community is something we nurture and build side by side, and like a garden shaped by many hands, Daybreak continues to grow stronger when everyone belongs. This vibrant festival has the feel of a hometown gathering, with games and crafts for kids, local vendors and artists, food trucks, booths, and live entertainment. It is a place where families connect, friendships take root, creativity grows, and visitors can experience the welcoming spirit of Daybreak. Daybreak Pride is both a celebration and an invitation to celebrate love and identity, to foster belonging, and to learn more about the community we are building together. Whether you are here to celebrate, support, or simply learn, you are welcome. This event is…
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The amazing world of STEM takes center stage at Thanksgiving Point. Each Super STEM Saturday transforms one of our discovery centers into a hands-on adventure zone where kids and families can explore science, technology, engineering, and math through exciting, themed activity tables and programs. From rocket launches and coding challenges to pollinator labs and farm tech experiments, every Super STEM Saturday invites kids and families to discover the wonder of how things work.
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Children ages 2 - 9 years old will bike, run, and go down an inflatable water slide on their way to the finish line! This is a recreational, not competitive, event, which encourages young children to get out and get active. Everyone who crosses the finish line receives a medal. Foam play area available after the finish!
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Salt Lake City area. From Arcades to Ziplines our Big List will help you think outside the box and plan the party of your kids' dreams! KidsOutAndAbout has dozens of ideas!
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The KidsOutAndAbout annual guide to summer camps in the Salt Lake City area is back! You can search by date, age, or categories like day/overnight, sports, drama, music, theatre, arts & crafts, technology, robotics, horseback riding, preschool, &
more. Our guide puts summer fun right at your fingertips!
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Listed below are farms in and near the Salt Lake City area that offer pick your own fruits, berries, and vegetables. And... to make the most of your experience, check out our article 10 Tips for Berry Picking with Kids. Tags
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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