BYU sports' fans gathered in Farmington, Utah on Wednesday night for a 'Fan Fest' to support the Cougars and to meet the athletes they cheer on during the year. This year's event was in person for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
'It's a great way for them to interact especially with the student athletes,' event planner Harrison Haycock said. 'Fan Fest is a great opportunity for them to engage with those athletes and talk to them about their sport and get to know them a little better.'
Cougar fans were able to connect with the teams they love and get excited for the upcoming sports seasons.
'It's a great time,' BYU fan Sean Savage said. 'I grew up in the area so I always just love watching the Cougars play sports.'
Fans ate food, played games with BYU players and received autographs from team members. The event also included booths set up for face painting, bouncy houses and activities to help fans engage with the athletes.
'We're just trying to get all the fans a great experience,' Haycock said. 'Especially those up in northern Utah since Provo is a little far away from them.'
The event gave BYU fans who live away from Provo a chance to directly interact with the players they love watching.
'We love BYU and we live up in Brigham City so it was a short drive,' BYU fan DJ Savage said. 'The 40-yard dash was my favorite and talking to Sitake was pretty cool, too.'
BYU has hosted fan fests all throughout the country, from Las Vegas to Tennessee. They will hold another fest in St. George on May 21.