IN SPANISH FORK & SALEM BUSINESS SUMMIT 88

Business leaders from throughout southern Utah County will come together for an event this fall where they will network and learn how to better navigate the current local business climate. The annual South County Business Summit is a one-day event featuring speakers with expertise in business and related topics and provides time for those attending to get to know each other and share information about their businesses. The event is held during October; it is offered by the Spanish Fork Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and members of the Payson Santaquin Area Chamber of Commerce and the Springville-Mapleton Chamber of Commerce are invited to attend. Registration is required; visit the Spanish Fork-Salem Area Chamber of Commerce website for more information.

Scarecrow Contest 86

Each October, the Spanish Fork Salem Area Chamber of Commerce sponsors the Scarecrow Contest, a competition encouraging local businesses and individuals to design a creative scarecrow and put it up for display in the community. Through the contest, 20 to 30 scarecrows are set up along Spanish Fork’s Main Street in the area between Center Street and 400 North, adding fun decorations to the historic downtown area during the Halloween season.

Cornbellys 87

Cornbelly’s offers a long list of autumn activities from picking your own sunflowers and pumpkins to hayrides and a corn maze. There’s also tons of games and playground-type activities such as a ropes course, swings and slides. Cornbelly’s is located at 577 S. 3600 West in Spanish Fork.

Field Of Fright

This haunted attraction is not for the faint of heart. Each year during the Halloween season, the undead souls of the farm emerge, waiting in the shadows for unsuspecting passersby to wander in. They might come after you when you least expect it! The Field of Fright is presented as part of Glen Ray’s Corn Maze at 1750 W. 8000 South, Spanish Fork. Tickets may be purchased online.

Main Street Trick Or Treat 90

October 28

Each year, the Spanish Fork-Salem Area Chamber of Commerce sponsors the Trick or Treat on Main event in Spanish Fork. Local businesses are invited to participate by handing out candy to trick-or-treaters during the event. The trick-or-treating takes place on Main Street between Center Street and 400 North.

GORDO’S FUN FARM 91

To enjoy some farm fun, visit Gordo’s Fun Farm at 3259 W. 5600 South in Spanish Fork. This family-run farm offers fall activities such as a petting zoo, pumpkin patch, corn maze and corn pit, all while also offering delicious fruits and vegetables for sale at its produce stand. The produce stand is open year-round; the fall activities are open from mid-September through the end of October. Tickets may be purchased online.

Salem Goosebump Gala 92

Celebrate the scary season in an un-scary way. Each October, Salem City presents its Goosebump Gala, an event full of family-friendly Halloween fun such as a costume contest, a trunk or treat, games and a spook alley. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Salem City website.

Perform The Messiah 93

Perform Handel’s “Messiah” this Christmas season. The Nebo Holiday Chorus & Orchestra was established by residents of Spanish Fork to promote the performing arts and provide quality performances of large choral works free of charge for the southern Utah community. Each Christmas season, the NHCO brings together more than 100 choir members and instrumental performers to present Handel’s “Messiah.” Rehearsals take place from the end of October through the middle of December. Membership in the chorus and orchestra is open to auditioned participants living within the Nebo School District area of southern Utah County. Community members ages 16 and older are encouraged to audition. This year’s auditions are scheduled for Oct. 15 and 22; performances are scheduled on Dec. 16 and 18. Visit the NHCO website for more details.

Indoor Tennis 94

Play tennis — in the winter! The Spanish Fork Indoor Tennis Courts are located at the Spanish Fork Fairgrounds, 475 S. Main, in a building originally constructed as an indoor rodeo practice facility. It was converted to house four tennis courts with net dividers between the courts. These courts are utilized by the city recreation department for programs, by citizens through an annual membership and by high school tennis teams. The courts are also used at various times throughout the year for special events, shows and boutiques.

NOVEMBER 7 95

Do your civic duty — vote. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7. All the information you need to register, learn how to vote and see election results can be found at utahcounty.vote. Voter registration is open to citizens of the United States and those who have been residents of Utah for at least 30 days prior to Election Day. Registration can be completed online, by mail or in person.various times throughout the year for special events, shows and boutiques.

Drive through a twinkling holiday wonderland. Beginning Thanksgiving night and continuing through New Year’s Day, Canyon View Park in Spanish Fork is lit with more than a million colorful holiday lights as part of the annual Festival of Lights. Large pictures are created with lights including a castle, dinosaurs, toys and a Nativity scene. Admission is charged per carload. Listen to holiday music on 99.7 FM while you drive through the displays.

Pond Town

Gaze at floating Christmas trees. Each year from the Friday after Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, Salem Pond is decorated with Christmas lights designed to resemble Christmas trees floating on the water. Known as Pond Town Christmas, this display is free and open to the public. The reflections of the lights in the water amplify the overall effect, making this a truly unique and beautiful sight. Admission is free. The Pond Town Christmas lighting ceremony is held on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

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November 25

Enjoy a glowing parade at night. On the Friday evening after Thanksgiving each year, Main Street in Spanish Fork is lit up with festive floats and wagons as part of the Winter Lights Parade, an event sponsored by the Spanish Fork Salem Area Chamber of Commerce. Businesses, families and other groups participate in the parade each year, with the parade attracting entries such as hay wagons, city floats, horse riding clubs and marching bands. Musical groups also participate, including Christmas carolers, and the parade ends with a visit from Santa Claus, who rides through the city on his sleigh. After the parade, there is a tree-lighting ceremony held at the city building and Santa is available to visit and take pictures with the children.

The Fifth Water Hot Springs up Diamond Fork Canyon is a perfect winter hiking destination. The 5-mile hike (roundtrip) leads to a number of naturally heated pools. The traffic on the trail will depend on the weather, although, if snowy, the trail is still typically packed down. If the gate on Diamond Fork Road is closed (as it frequently is in winter), an extra 2 to 3 miles walking alongside the road to the trailhead will be added to your mile total, though it is still doable and well worth it. Expect to spend anywhere from four to six hours hiking. Feel free to bring a towel, water and change of clothes if you plan to get in the pools. To reach the trailhead, follow US-6 up Spanish Fork Canyon to mile marker 184 and turn left onto Diamond Fork Road. After turning on Diamond Fork Road, the destination is approximately 9.8 miles in on the right.

Silent Santa 100

Have a quiet visit with Santa. Silent Santa is a one-on-one event where children and adults with sensory sensitivity can spend quiet time with Santa without crowds and noise. There is no age limit for this event. Participants can sign up online at spanishfork.org/events for an individual 10-minute time slot with Santa, and parents can add notes to the registration form to let Santa know the best way to interact with their child.

Light The Night On Christmas Eve 101

Through the annual Candles at the Cemetery tradition in Salem, residents are invited to go to the Salem Cemetery, 965 S. 140 East, between dusk and 10 p.m. on Christmas Eve and leave a lit candle or luminary on the grave of a loved one. Those who do not have a loved one in the cemetery but would like to participate can “adopt” a burial marker or leave a candle at the Veterans Memorial.