A Symposium is Coming!

LTUE (Life, the Universe, & Everything: The Marion K. “Doc” Smith Symposium on Science Fiction and Fantasy) is coming February 13-15 to the Provo Marriott Hotel and Conference Center.  (101 West 100 North, Provo, Utah)

What is LTUE?  

It’s the longest-running science fiction and fantasy symposium in the state of Utah.  Now in its 32nd year, it has grown into a must-attend writers conference for anyone who wants to learn more about the craft.  And you don’t have to write just science fiction and fantasy.  Writers and would-be writers from many genres come for the panels, presentations and workshops on writing and world building.

But LTUE is so much more than just a writing conference!  There will be panels on art, media, filmmaking and literature.  There will also be a room for RPG and CCG games.  There’s even a celebrity Magic tournament! (Additional fee for Magic tournament.)

On Friday night there will be a mass autograph signing for most of our authors (look on the website for a list).  This event is open to the public.

Guests:

Orson Scott Card (Award-winning author of Ender’s Game and many other books)

Anne Sowards (editor for ACE)

Brandon Sanderson (Toastmaster)

David Farland

L. E. Modesitt, Jr.

(Check the website for more)

How much does it cost?

If you register before January 31, 2014 the cost is only $30/person.

At the door rate is $45.  

Students get in free.

Banquet

There will be a banquet on Saturday, February 15th.  The Toastmaster will be Brandon Sanderson.  Tickets are $30/person.  You don’t need to attend LTUE to attend the banquet.

Where do I get more information?

Go to ltue.net for all information on LTUE.

Don’t miss out on this year’s event!

Go to ltue.org and register today!

DEALS: Shop & Stay

Tis the season for shopping, snowball fights, hot chocolate, and gift giving. We understand how crazy the holiday season can be. To help make the season a little less stressful, we are offering 20% off your first night stay when you visit www.utahvalleyshopping.com to book your hotel. Come and visit Utah Valley this holiday season and stay in one of our many hotels and get your holiday shopping done at the same time! With so many places to shop, dine and stay, Utah Valley is the perfect place to get that to-do list all checked off.

Hidden Treasures: Spanish Fork

It's the last day of our Hidden Treasures segment and today we are highlighting downtown Spanish Fork! 

Spanish Fork was settled by Mormon pioneers in 1851. Its name derives from a visit to the area by two Franciscan friars from Spain, Silvestre Vélez de Escalante and Francisco Atanasio Domínguez in 1776, who followed the stream down Spanish Fork canyon with the objective of opening a new trail from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to the Spanish missions in California, along a route later followed by fur trappers.

In 1851 some settlers led by William Pace set up scattered farms in the Spanish Fork bottom lands and called the area the Upper Settlement. However, a larger group congregated at what became known as the Lower Settlement just over a mile northwest of the present center of Spanish Fork along the Spanish Fork River.

In 1852 Latter-day Saints founded a settlement called Palmyra west of the historic center of Spanish Fork. George A. Smith supervised the laying out of a townsite, including a temple square in that year.  A fort was built at this site. A school was built at Palmyra in 1852. With the onset of the Walker War in 1853, most of the farmers in the region who were not yet in the fort moved in. Some of the people did not like this site and so moved to a site at the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon where they built a structure they called "Fort St. Luke".

Between 1855 and 1860, the arrival of pioneers from Iceland made Spanish Fork into the first permanent Icelandic settlement in the United States. The city also lent its name to the 1865 Treaty of Spanish Fork, where the Utes were forced by an Executive Order of President Abraham Lincoln to relocate to the Uintah Basin.

Here is a brief look at some of the unique shops you can find downtown: 

Confetti Antiques -  You are sure to find that unique and special gift at this antique store! We had so much fun walking around and exploring everything offered in the store. They even have a tub full of buttons...yes a whole tub! 

Segway of Utah - Here's an idea unlike any other. Give the gift of a segway tour! They do tours through different parts of Utah. You can find out more by visiting their site, http://www.segwayofutah.com/

Granny Sue's Treasures - Talk about an adorable shop...Granny Sue's has everything cute! And when you get hungry trying to figure out which tops and leggings your going to get, head over to Kara's Bakery that is attached to the store!

Where's Nemo - are you a brave parent who's willing to get their child a pet for the holidays? Make sure you stop by Where's Nemo to get all of your aquarium and other pet needs!

Ream's Western Outfitters - here is a store you and the kids will love to visit together! Planning on attending a rodeo anytime soon? This store has everything you could possibly need to fit in at any Western event. Such a fun store! 

Hidden Treasures: Downtown Springville

First explored in 1776 by Father Silvestre Vélez de Escalante, a Franciscan, Springville was originally settled in 1850 by eight pioneer families who crossed the plains to Salt Lake Valley from the East and were subsequently directed by Brigham Young to settle 50 miles (80 km) further south. Incorporated in February 1853, the city was first called Hobble Creek by the early pioneers, because their horses were often hobbled (by loosely tying their front feet together) and left along the stream to graze in the lush grass. If the horses wandered into the creek, the hobbles came off in the water. Thus, the settlement earned its original name. Later, as the town grew, the name was changed to Springville, after the Fort Springville.

It was a cold and wet day when we visited downtown Springville, but we found the cutest stores while we were there! 

Funfinity
They have every toy and game you could ever imagine! I felt like a kid again when I walked through the store. They have hundreds of games to choose from. They even have a wide variety of books. The owners have 6 kids and only carry toys and games in their store that will last a long time and are super fun. Funfinty even carries fudge made by the owner's mother. Known as Grandma Ruby, she makes some of the best fudge I have ever had!  

Dragon Fly & Company Boutique 
Let's talk adorable for a minute...this cute boutique has all the clothes the fashionista in your family will be looking for this holiday season. From printed leggings, chunky jewelry, and other trendy styles, this boutique has it all! 

The Retreat
This gorgeous and full service salon would make the perfect gift card for any woman in the family!

The Nest on Main
Another trendy boutique that would make the perfect gift for any fashionista! They even carry home decor and more importantly, chocolate! 

Two Buck Tuesday

I'm pretty sure at some point in all of our lives we were fascinated by dinosaurs. Truth is, I still am. Maybe it's because Ross from Friends was a Paleontologist and he is one of my favorite characters or maybe it's because dinosaurs really are just that cool. Either way I've wanted to go to a dinosaur museum for months now. And thanks to Thanksgiving Point's, Two Buck Tuesday's, we were able to do just that.

Every Tuesday in the month of August, Thanksgiving Point allows you to get in to all of the attractions for just two bucks! What a deal!

So yes the Museum of Ancient Life is targeted towards children, but it's for adults too! I don't think I've learned about dinosaurs since elementary school so it was great to re-learn all those fun facts. We had so much fun wondering around the museum. There was so much to see and explore. It fulfilled my childhood (ok fine, adult dream) of going to see the dinosaurs. It was the perfect night out for us. And you can't beat the price tag that comes along with it!

My cute boyfriend reading up on his dino facts

 

I really wish we would have had more time to check out the gardens while we were there. That's another gorgeous place to visit. Not only do the adults appreciate how beautiful the landscape is, but the kids get to run around; win, win.

 

There's only one day left of Thanksgiving Point's Two Buck Tuesday so grab the family (or just your spouse) and head on over! For a complete list of all deals that take at Thanksgiving Point on their Two Buck Tuesday check out this page. 

 

Big Things in Our Valley

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We would like to send out a giant congratulations to Utah Valley University! Today they officially announced their membership in the WAC conference beginning in the 2013 school year. With this new commitment, they have also secured a bid into the NCAA tournament. We had the wonderful opportunity to be at the press conference this morning and let's just say the environment was electric. Good things are happening all around in Utah Valley and UVU has raised the bar to yet a higher standard.  Congratulations Wolverines! 

Beach Cruisin in the Fall?

Before it gets too cold! Cruise on down to Provo Beach Resort and rent a bike; a beach-cruiser to be exact! Yes, you heard us right too, you absolutely can rent beach cruisers right here in Utah Valley. You can take them up the Provo Canyon trail-way and embrace the fall colors even more.  What activity would be better for a family, date, or individual?

For information about Provo Beach Resort click here:  http://www.utahvalley.com/things-to-do/default.aspx?detailID=2885

  

Did You Know?

The Utah Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau often posts contests on our Facebook account about free ticket opportunities! Today, we featured admission to the Utah Valley Renaissance Faire--all you needed to do was post on our feed!

Over the past couple months, we also gave away several tickets to the Sundance Outdoor Theatre, Thanksgiving Point, Princess Festival, and more. Why are we posting about this? Because we want to you join in on all the freebies! If you aren't friends with us on Facebook yet, make sure to join us. Click the Facebook link on the rigth side bar to take you there.

Or click here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/PlayinUtahValley

Congratulations!

We would like to congratulate Utah County on their first ribbon for the Utah State Fair County Booths Contest in history! Great work Utah County on this accomplishment.

Wiggy Wash Offers Free Carwashes for Servicemen

It has been brought to our attention by one of the great Utah Valley bloggers, Utah County Mom, that Wiggy Wash in Spanish Fork is honoring all first responders and their families tomorrow (in honor of 9/11) by giving them FREE car-washes. What a great way to say thank you to all of these incredible people and their service. Thank you Wiggy Wash for your dedication to our great country and our servicemen-

Details: 

First responders include all EMTs, Firefighters, Paramedics, and Police Officers. (Offer not valid for government vehicles)

The wash that is offered is the Ultimate Wash, which is the best exterior wash that Wiggy Wash offers. It includes a warm water wash with soap, undercarriage flush, wheel cleaner, triple-shine foam, clear-coat protection, and Rain-X complete surface protection

Reception highlight: Wadley Farms

 

We thought we'd do a highlight on one of the gorgeous, premier reception centers right here in Utah Valley (located in Lindon, just up the street from Pizza Factory to be exact).  This past weekend one of our employees held an event here and it was wonderful.  Wadley goes out of their way to accommodate their guests and even provides parking assistants. And did we mention how beautiful and open the property is? Who wouldn't want to take a stroll through these beautiful gardens? Make sure you check out Wadley Farms for your next event and give us call if you'd like us to help connect you.

Also, we'd like to remind you that there are reasons to stress about over hosting an event, but there isn't a reason to get overwhelmed with planning! The Utah Valley Convention and Visitor Bureau offers free services for planning. They'll hook you up with hotel rooms, venues and everything you could possibly need, for FREE! This means the best deals and accommodations for your every need will be addressed, saving you hours of research. 

Give us a call. We cater all group sizes and parties. We would love to help you find your fairytale location for meetings, receptions, parties, dinners, etc. Stress less with our free help. 

Call us at 801-851-2100 or meetinutahvalley.com for a RFP or visitutahvalley.com for venue information. 

What's New at the CVB?

We have a video contest right now that is offering over $2,000 in prizes! We want you to experience Utah Valley to the fullest so we are giving away highly-valued products from our partners, including: Sundance Resort, Frontier Airlines, Provo Beach Resort, and 7 Peaks.

Check out the videos that are posted right now on our page. We promise you'll get a laugh or a get a glimpse of sweetness from the videos.  After you watch, place your vote! You can do it all here:

http://www.uvtogether.com/video_contest

To enter yourself please read the following instructions and have fun with your video! Remember, it can be a quick, webcam video or a cinematographic masterpiece. It's up to! Just show us why you love the Valley.

For additional information and to watch all our entries, please visit:

http://www.uvtogether.com/video_contest

Win a Complete Utah Valley Vacation

One video will be selected as the winner of a complete Utah Valley vacation that includes:

1. 4 hotel rooms for 3 nights
   
2. $1,000 Frontier Airlines Fly-Bucks
   
3. Admission to Thanksgiving Point Gardens and Museum (16)
   
4. $200 Sundance Gift Card
   
5. $400 Voucher to Seven Peaks Resort or Provo Beach Resort
   

How to Enter

Enter a 2 minute video or less about why you love or would like to visit Utah Valley for a chance to win a free vacation. Here are the rules:

1. Videos must be 2 minutes or shorter
   
2. Describe why you love or why you would like to visit UV
   
3. Submit video by 9/19/2012
   
4. Video with most likes by 12 noon MST on 9/19/2012 will win a free Utah Valley vacation
   

What's with Education Week?

The name BYU Education Week might ring some bells for most in Utah County, but you might not know quite what it is. We're here to answer your questions!

Basically, Education Week is a tradition started in 1922 that focuses in on adult education. You can practically take a class on everything or rather listen to a speaker for some motivation to realignyour life goals. The classes run for one week and utilize Brigham Young  University (Provo, Utah) to present more than 1,000 classes.  Like we said, you basically can take a class on anything! Including: education, religion, marriage,  family relations, health, history, genealogy, science, youth interests, and many other areas.

If you'd like to volunteer to help with BYU Education Week, jump on over to our website at: http://www.utahvalley.com/events/details.aspx?ID=41 and give the program a call.  If you work for 4 hours, you can snag yourself a free class pass.

Let's Talk About - Two Buck Tuesday

Every Tuesday in August, Thanksgiving Point offers their Two-Buck Tuesday deal. The $2 deal gives you and your family or friends the opportunity to experience everything Thanksgiving Point has to offer for just $2/venue! You can venture on over to any of the following venues for the deal: 

•  Farm Country
•  Thanksgiving Point Gardens
• Emporium 
• Museum of Ancient Life

One of our personal favorite deals is at Emporium where cooking classes are just $2 on Tuesdays as well.  Here, you can learn all sorts of recipes to thrill your very own guests at a dinner/party/celebration/etc. Don't forget to bring a friend or a good notepad for little reminders! Before you show up for the class however, make sure you give Thanksgiving Point a call so they can prepare class space for you! Call them at 801.768.2300. Get more information as well here: http://bit.ly/MqOpk9

Lastly, here is the hidden gem about the Thanksgiving Point Gardens that most people don't know about (unless you have visited the Gardens before).  Vespas and golf carts are available for rent at the check-in station. This spices up the Gardens trip for your young ones and helps make the Gardens more accessible for those who need a lift.  Don't forget about this option when you are planning out your Thanksgiving Point Trip! 

As always, check out utahvalley.com or the Thanksgiving Point Two-Buck Tuesday page here http://bit.ly/MqOpk9 for more information.

Photo Locations

Summertime is full of weddings, which means there are lots of engagements, bridals, and wedding day photos to be taken. We thought we would post a little something to make your life easier when researching good spots for Utah Valley photos! With fall just around the corner, it might be a good idea to get planning out your locations for this year's family photo. Enjoy!


Utah Lake Boat Docks:
 http://www.utahvalley.com/things-to-do/default.aspx?detailID=182

 Salomander Flats- American Fork Canyon:
http://www.utahvalley.com/things-to-do/outdoor/scenic-drives.aspx

 Lehi Roller Mills

 Nebo Loop:
 http://www.utahvalley.com/things-to-do/default.aspx?detailID=125

 Sleepy Ridge Golf Course & Surrounding Area:
  http://www.utahvalley.com/things-to-do/golfcourses.aspx

 Deer Creek Reservoir:
http://www.utahvalley.com/things-to-do/default.aspx?detailID=198

 Southridge Farms:
http://www.utahvalley.com/things-to-do/default.aspx?detailID=153

Sundance Resort: http://www.utahvalley.com/sundancefamily.aspx

 Springville Main Street

 Provo Center Street

 Provo Courthouse

 Provo Library

 Covey Center for the Arts

Thanksgiving Point and Thanksgiving Point Gardens:
http://www.utahvalley.com/thanksgivingpoint.aspx

Other fun places/looks to think about: 

*Apple Orchards just East of the Timpanogos Hospital on 800 N 

*Vivian Park and Big Springs Park (just north of Vivian Park) up Provo Canyon 

(get the directions here: http://bit.ly/NaRDfM)

*Railroad tracks at Vivian Park (up Provo Canyon)

*Lehi Mainstreet

*Open hayfields near Cabelas in Lehi 

Where else have you been or seen that would be great for photos? We want to hear!