The Utah Music Association hosted the first-ever Timpanogos music festival Saturday as volunteers, workers, sponsors and attendees endured the heat and listened to their favorite bands.
The family-friendly environment and the variety of music genres from local bands accomplished a successful festival for the Utah Valley area. Tyler Monks, executive director of the festival, estimated 5,000 people in attendance and called it a “huge success.”
Jake Coulson, a Utah Valley University student and volunteer for Red Yeti, said, “I haven’t been here long, but my hips are swayin’.” He’d only heard Static Waves and Festive People before the festival but was introduced to many other groups.
Suzanne Tschannen, a volunteer working at the Quarry, had her booth set up in between the stages and loved being able to hear the staggered lineups. She said the House of Lewis was her favorite. “I haven’t heard of them before, but just listening to them, I think they’re my favorite,” Tschannen said.
Attendees drove, biked or walked, and enjoyed the outdoor scene and experienced unique food from local food trucks. Families that biked had Mad Dog Cycles valet their bikes as they camped out with chairs and blankets to listen to the music.
Tschannen mentioned the unique factors of the festival being free. “It’s amazing,” she said. “I’m from California, and it’s $300 to go to Coachella, so it’s nice the sponsors can do this.” Other festivals in Utah cost $30 or more.
Monks wanted to make the festival free so the festival could “accommodate a lot of musicians, because there’s a lot of talent in Utah that we wanted people to recognize.”
Monks and his team are committed to have a yearly festival indefinitely, if possible. “We would love to have two days next year,” he said. “Maybe just an additional stage that would accommodate a lot more artists.” Monks and the Utah Music Association work hard to get recognition for local musicians in the Utah Valley.
Tschannen said she wished the festival had done more advertising beforehand. “I think their advertising could have been a little better,” she said. “Attendance is lower than I expected.” All advertising for the event happened through social media.
The Utah Music Association hopes the festival will be back next year, bigger and better.
