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SALT LAKE CITY — No matter what you’re looking for in your weekend plans, there’s something for everyone.
“We’re trying to find ghosts right now,” FanX attendee Eric Little said.
Little brought his family to the Salt Palace for the first day of FanX dressed as the Ghostbusters. Friday and Saturday, they’ll be back dressed as Star Wars characters and Batman, Robin and Batgirl.
“You don’t get to do it very often, to get dressed up and be somebody else and see all the other people who are being somebody else,” said Michelle Lockhart, dressed as a vampire.
Thursday’s crowd was one of the biggest opening day crowds that FanX organizers have seen. This year, FanX is already on track to pass last year’s attendance of more than 100,000 people.
“It’s very rewarding because these people have become a family and, you know, it’s a big tribe of geeks and nerds,” said FanX co-founder Bryan Brandenburg.
The Utah State Fair also started Thursday. The Greek Festival starts on Friday.
“We really welcome these all the time and it’s great to have so many coming in at once this weekend,” said Salt Lake City Deputy Director of Economic Development Ben Kolendar.
If you’re planning to go to downtown Salt Lake, expect parking garages and street parking to fill up fast. Everything, including the fair, is accessible by TRAX. There also will be an impact on local businesses. Restaurants will be busy with people visiting. Some people even traveled to downtown to stay the weekend.
The bigger impact comes from having so many activities that celebrate the whole community.
“This is not the same crowd that goes to sporting events. This is not the same crowd that goes to the theater,” Stan Lockhart said. “Then we’re all nerds, we love to nerd out.”
FanX also brings in celebrities each year. Chuck Norris, Freddie Prinze Jr. and Kevin Sorbo are just a few who are expected to attend.
If you’d like to attend FanX, you can find information at fanxsaltlake.com.
For details on the Greek Festival, head to saltlakegreekfestival.com.
If you’d like to attend the Utah State Fair, you can learn more at utahstatefair.com/welcome.
