LAYTON — The Layton F.E.S.T. events are coming to an end for the summer, and the 2019 version has again seen attendance grow.
Now in its fifth year, the final F.E.S.T. of the summer will take place from 5:30 p.m. to dusk on Friday, Aug. 30, in Layton Commons Park, 437 N. Wasatch Drive. Admission is free.
“We’ve actually seen an increase in attendance, almost year after year,” said Michele McMillan, recreation events supervisor for Layton city, which sponsors the nights. “We’ve been getting between 500 and 1,000 people each evening.”
The Layton F.E.S.T. events typically start the Friday after July 4 and continue through the end of August.
One of the ways McMillan says she knows the Layton F.E.S.T. has been growing in popularity is that they haven’t seen the drop off in attendance that usually occurs toward the end of the summer. She attributes this to a growing fan base created by word of mouth.
“Typically, things like the first (high school) football game of the season or the county fair have affected our attendance,” she said. “Normally, in August when those other events start taking place, we see a decrease in crowds. But this year we saw a huge burst in attendance, even during those other events.”
The weekly event offers virtually everything you need for an evening of fun. The F.E.S.T. part of the name, McMillan says, is an acronym for “Farmers, Entertainment, Shopping, and Trucks” — that last one being shorthand for food trucks.
McMillan says the initial idea for the event, started in 2015, was to hold a weekly food truck rally. She says it “just sort of morphed into what it is now.”
Typically, Layton F.E.S.T. will attract between 10 and 12 food trucks each week. It also features produce for sale, about 40 vendors, and free entertainment.
The theme for this final F.E.S.T. of the year is “Guy’s Night.” To that end, McMillan said they’re offering a touch-a-truck event, with fire and police vehicles, public works trucks and other machines on display in the park.
“For some reason, guys love stuff like trucks, tractors, lawn mowers — things like that,” she said.
Entertainment for the evening will be presented by Half Step Down, a five-piece local band performing classic rock as well as more recent hits.
For those interested in eating at the food trucks, McMillan offers a little advice.
“If you’re looking for insider information, I recommend you get here by 6 or 6:30,” she said. “Because after 6:30, the lines get pretty long.”
Layton F.E.S.T. coincides with the Davis Arts Council’s final Free Friday Film Series offering of the summer. “Guardians of the Galaxy” will be shown at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Kenley Amphitheater, 403 N. Wasatch Drive. Gates open at 6:30 p.m., and the event features a costume night. Admission is free.
The 2014 film, rated PG-13, stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, and Dave Bautista — along with the voices of Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel — as a group of intergalactic criminals trying to stop a fanatical warrior’s plans to purge the universe.
For more information on Layton F.E.S.T., visit http://laytonfest.com or call 801-336-3900.
