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SALT LAKE CITY -- Two major annual events in Salt Lake City began Thursday: the Utah State Fair and Greek Festival.
300 S. & 300 West
Hours:
Thurs. 5 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Friday 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Sat. 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Sun. 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
$3 admission
Learn more here
At the Greek Festival, they're celebrating a big anniversary: It's the event's 35th year, and it draws about 50,000 visitors annually.
Salt Lake City has one of the largest Greek communities west of the Mississippi. The annual festival aims to share the Greek culture, everything from entertainment to cuisine.
The Greek Festival kicked off at 5 p.m. Thursday in the 300 South and 300 West "Old Greek Town" area of downtown Salt Lake City. It costs $3 for entry and will continue through Sunday.
Another big event started Thursday and will continue until Sept. 19 -- the Utah State Fair. Over the next 10 days, 300,000 people are expected to attend.
Sunday - Thursday
10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday-Saturday
10 a.m. - 11 p.m.
Ticket prices
Adults $9
Seniors 62 & over $7
Youth 6-12 $7
Children 5 & under FREE
Parking $6
Click here for more info.
If you're hungry, there are over 70 food vendors this year at the fair, many of them local. The fair can introduce you to foods never heard of, like a new item this year: deep-fried, chocolate-covered bacon
Something the fair prides itself in are the traveling shows it brings in. A highlight this year is a rain forest show.
"We have 25 different animals from all over the world," said Christine Mullin with Rain Forest Experience. "We try to educate people about animals and entertain them at the same time, let them see their natural behaviors and what they do."
One of the most popular exhibits at the fair each year is the butter cow, made entirely out of butter -- 700 pounds, in fact. This year the creation is a bull and a cow getting ice creamed served by a goat.
The fair is held at the Utah State Fairpark at 1000 West and North Temple. Admission to the opening day of the fair is $6, which includes entry to the rodeo. The remaining days, general admission is $9 with other rates for various people.
E-mail: abutterfield@ksl.com
