Brigham City Peach Days continues despite local peach crop loss

BRIGHAM CITY — For 122 years, Peach Days has celebrated Brigham City's harvest and the peaches that helped put the community on the map.

But this year, a spring freeze wiped out the local peach crop, forcing organizers to get creative to keep the longtime tradition alive.

The annual celebration continues to draw thousands of people to Brigham City for food, entertainment, hundreds of vendors, a parade and a massive classic car show.

"It's the highlight of almost everyone's year," said Katia Holdway, an office aide with the Box Elder Chamber of Commerce. "Locals love it. We get almost 70,000 people in town during Peach Days."

While the festival has plenty to offer, peaches are normally at the center of the celebration.

That changed this year after a spring freeze devastated crops across the area.

"No peaches," said Cari Tagge, CEO of Brigham City Peach Days. "It was heartbreaking, but we're crying inside because, like every farmer, things happen every summer, and we have to pivot and do something different."

Organizers turned to neighboring Idaho for help.

"But the good thing is that we have friends in Idaho who have our backs, and they're giving us their peaches, and we're bringing them down," Tagge said.

While the source of the peaches may have changed, the demand for the festival — and its peach-themed treats — has not.

Vendors continued serving food as crowds filled the streets throughout the celebration.

"We've been talking to our vendors, and they're all doing really well," Holdway said. "Our event has not suffered. There's people out, and everyone's having a great time."

Even without a local peach harvest, organizers say the festival is still delivering the community celebration Brigham City residents have come to expect.

After 122 years, Peach Days has become about more than what is growing in the orchards. It is also about the people who return year after year to celebrate their community.

Organizers are already looking ahead to next year, hoping the peaches — and the tradition built around them — will be back in full bloom.

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