October 14, 2025 - Sesquicentennial Celebration, Ladies Night, Doo Wop

What’s Up Provo! Happy Be Bald and Be Free Day everyone! 🧑‍🦲

(If you’re feeling left out ‘cause you’re not bald, don’t worry, you can celebrate National Dessert Day instead. 🍰)

Thanks everyone for responding to our last poll about the discount card. We received a lot more positive response than we expected—so I guess we need to make it happen!

The right time to hang your lights 💡

Christmas lights are magical. Hanging them? Not so much.

But actually, as much as no one likes hanging lights, this really is the right time to do it. It’s not too cold, it’s not icy or snowy, and according to science getting them up early makes you happier. 😃

And here’s another truth, (probably), you’ll enjoy those lights much more if someone else does them. So let us do the ladder climbing, the cord untangling, and the making sure all the lights actually work.

Last thing, if you schedule your install early (before it gets icy and cold) you’ll get a discount!

✨ Book now, relax later (and now too)

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🏛️ BYU getting a new admin building
BYU’s Board of Trustees has approved a plan to replace the current Abraham O. Smoot Administration Building (built in 1961) with a new facility to house central administrative and student services. The old building will be demolished by end of 2025, and construction on the new one begins immediately after. It’s expected to be ready by fall 2028.

🚧 Provo–Heber 4-Lane Upgrade
There’s a multi-year road project planned up the canyon. UDOT is going to turn the last single-lane stretch of US-189 between Wallsburg and Charleston into a split (dual) highway, adding two lanes cut into the eastern hillside. Construction began this week and completion is targeted by fall 2027.

🏈 Big Noon Kickoff Returns to Provo for “Holy War” Showdown
They’re calling it the biggest rivalry game in 16 years! It’s big enough that this saturday, Big Noon Kickoff will be rolling into Provo ahead of the game. Both teams are ranked (BYU #15, Utah #23) and it will be the second time this season the FOX pregame show comes to Utah. More details about the game day festivities to come in the Thursday edition.

🎃 2025 Ultimate Fall Guide
We released the 2025 edition of the Ultimate Fall Guide yesterday. If you didn’t see it in your email then check it out here.

Keep What’s Up Provo fun, free and casual by upgrading — plus you’ll get access to our Deals & Discounts page — never miss a local deal!

(We find tons of local deals as we scour the internet for stuff to do, so by accident we’ve become possibly THE source for local deals. Anyway, some of the deals you missed recently, free ice cream from Provo City 🍨, National Taco Day deals 🌮, and lots of “agritainment” ticket giveaways 🌽.) See Provo/Orem’s Current Deals & Discounts

🎂 BYU Homecoming and Sesquicentennial

BYU is turning the big 1-5-0 and so they are celebrating all week long. Here is a quick schedule of everything that’s happening (and even though this is the Today & Tomorrow section this list includes stuff happening throughout the week):

🎉 Homecoming Opening Ceremony - Tuesday, Oct 14 | 11:05 a.m. | Marriott Center - lots of performances, maybe some speeches and stories, and if you’re a student you can get a free lunch
🎤 BYU Spectacular: A Sesquicentennial Celebration - Wednesday, Oct 15 & Thursday, Oct 6 | 7:30 p.m. | Marriot Center - Starring Noteworthy and Vocal Point, and the Young Ambassadors and more.
🌠 Night(s) of Light Campus Experience - Oct 15–16 | Evening | BYU Campus
🎶 Living Legends Pop-Up Performance - Thursday, Oct 16 | Noon | Wilkinson Center Terrace
🧗 Hike & Light the Y - Thursday, Oct 16 | Evening | Y Mountain Trailhead
🏃 Cougar Run - Friday, Oct 17 | 7:00 a.m. | BYU Campus Routes - Run for glory (and probably a free t-shirt)
🏆 Alumni Achievement Awards - Friday, Oct 17 | Evening | Gordon B. Hinckley Alumni & Visitors Center.

And then of course there’s the football game at 6pm on Saturday. 🍦And last but not least, there’s the limited-edition “150 Swirl” ice cream at all BYU creameries. (white chocolate brownie and blue mint)

🎺 BYU Symphonic Band: Of Winds and Fall
Enjoy a breezy, family‑friendly concert as the BYU Symphonic Band brings wind‑band favorites to life.
Concert Hall, Music Building | Tue, Oct 14 | 7:30pm

📜 Papermaking in Territorial Utah
Free, one-hour public lecture hosted by the Utah Valley Historical Society with Richard Saunders on how paper was made in Territorial-era Utah—open to all, no registration, first-come seating, Q&A time permitting.
Provo City Library at Academy Square, Room 201 | Tue, Oct. 14 | 7pm-8pm

🖼️ 39th Annual Spiritual & Religious Art of Utah
Featuring pieces by Paige Crosland Anderson, Rebecca Klundt, and Anne Gregerson; info for artists and visitors available. Join the opening‑night reception and awards ceremony at 6:30pm, then feel free to wander the exhibition any evening from Oct 15 through Jan 7.
Springville Museum of Art | Wed, Oct. 15 | 10am-8pm

👻 Tour of Frights
Another reminder to get your neighborhood spook on. Last chance to add your haunted house to the map is tomorrow (Oct 15).

Also there’s the Orem Farmers Market tomorrow (Oct. 15) from 5pm - 8pm, and a neighborhood District 2 meeting (pizza available!) tomorrow as well at 6pm.

Later this week

🍂 Ladies' Night at Painted Tree
Pumpkin-flavored retail therapy. Local boutiques with live music, amazing sales, and a chance to win a $100 gift card.
Painted Tree | Thu, Oct. 16 | 6pm-9pm

🎪 The Venardos Circus
Step under the big top for a Broadway‑style, animal‑free circus packed with world‑class acts, live vocals, and classic carnival treats.
Outlets at Traverse Mountain | In town from Oct 16 until Oct 26 | 7pm

🔭 Planetarium Show
There are a bunch of 15-minute shows happening between 6pm and 8pm — registration required (hopefully there are some spots still left!)
Orem Public Library, Library Hall - Ashton Auditorium | Thu, Oct. 16 | Various start times (from 6pm-8pm)

🦢 Swan Lake
Whether you’re a ballet aficionado or just curious about the famed “swans,” it promises an elegant evening that’s easy to enjoy.
Covey Center for the Arts | Fri, Oct 17 | 7pm

👻 Night of the Unknown
Free and open to everyone: the Western Paranormal Society gives a talk on real ghost-hunting methods, tools, evidence, plus guided, hands-on investigation!
The Mystic Frog | Fri, Oct. 17 | 7pm

🎃 Orem City Truck-or-Treat
Explore garbage trucks, construction rigs, and police/fire vehicles, plus a ride-on train, face painting, live entertainment, and free parking.
The Orchard at University Place | Sat, Oct. 18 | 11am-2pm

🎤 The Doo Wop Project: Echoes of the Street
Broadway vets from Jersey Boys, Motown, Beautiful, and Hairspray revive classic doo-wop inspired by The Flamingos, The Five Satins, The Miracles, and The Four Seasons—tickets $29-$59. (The website says it’s on Oct 29 in at least one place, but the tickets are for Oct. 18.)
Covey Center for the Arts | Fri, Oct. 18 | 7:30pm

Utah’s theatre scene is getting a jolt of adrenaline — thanks to Whispering Room Theatre. (Check them out on Good Things Utah).

Dylan and Clara Wright, both LAMDA-trained actors and BYU grads, bring their sharp, London-honed edge back to Provo with a performance of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Performances start this November.

📅 Nov 4–8 at The Hive Collaborative
🎟️ $25 general | $15 students | Code Caesar5 for $5 off
👉 Get Tickets

Sponsored by Whispering Theatre

Definitely a change in the weather recently. By the way, here are the results of the poll about which month of the year has the best weather:

#1 October - 35% of the vote
#2 September - 30% of the vote
#3 May - 20% of the vote
#4 June -12% of the vote

(Our vote would probably be May, if anyone’s wondering.)

Weather this week:

(today) Tuesday - 70° | ⛅️ | 15%

Wednesday - 55° | 🌧️ | 59%

Thursday - 50° | 🌧️ | 49%

Friday - 58° | ⛅️ | 10%

Saturday - 62° | ☀️ | 3%

Sunday - 69° | ⛅️ | 1%

(next) Monday - 53° | 🌧️ | 35%

@ Velour Live Music Gallery
Wednesday – Open Mic Night
Thursday – Bleu Grave, Mortal American Body, Midnite Judges
Friday – JakDel, Sweet Tangerine, Asher Hunt
Saturday – GOTH PROM

@ 3hive Record Lounge
Friday – Venus Death Trap, Willoh, Unseen

@ Java Junkie
Thursday – gemma & kate, Jefferson, Isabella Contadini, Clayton Campbell, Samuel Charles
Friday – Open Mic Night
Saturday – Grace Wawro (release party)

@ BYU (Concert Hall / Recital Hall)
Tuesday – BYU Symphonic Band: Of Winds and Fall
Thursday – BYU Symphony Orchestra: Of Stage and Screen
Friday – Aba Diop & the Yermande Family
Friday – OcTUBAfest

@ The Rise
Wednesday – Open Mic Night
Friday – 1RXYL, VBXCH, GstarB. CLu$TEr, PÆ, MTMOBBiN, Joshua Brown

@ House Show
Friday – Always Her, Moving Company, Seven Seater

@ Angelus Theatre
Thursday – Take My Death Away (Halloween musical)

Thanks for reading and please forward this to someone who has never hiked the Y. 😉

-Nicole, Josh, & Carlie

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