What's Happening in Provo and Orem | December 4th, 2024

What’s Up Provo! Happy Earmuff Day👂️❄️

Today is also called Chester Greenwood Day but that doesn’t spark much excitement—not like Earmuff Day does!

Chester Greenwood invented earmuffs when he was 16 because he wanted to keep his ears warm while ice skating, but he was allergic to wool (and so couldn’t use wool caps which were common in the day). His first earmuffs were made of wire rings with flannel pads and apparently were “all the rage”.

A few highlights of today’s newsletter:

• Tons of great events, and with free food and drinks as well, including: Santa at City Hall 🎅 Beehive Bazaar 🐝 Art After Dark : A Roaring 20s Christmas 🥂 Creche displays and tree lightings 🎄

• BYU Football bowl predictions 🏈 

• Volunteer opportunities: Mary & Joseph, carolers, and others needed! 🎼 

The Bulletin 📌 

American Fork marching band places 8th in national competition 🥁 

Out of 100 of the top bands from across the country, American Fork High School made it into the top 30, then the top 12 and finally placed 8th. The last time American Fork made the grand national finals was in 1995. Article

Giving Machines open up ❤️

The Giving Machine will be open at University Place in Orem from now until Jan. 4, 2025. More Info

Sports 🏀🏐🏈

🏐 BYU men’s volleyball released its 2025 schedule (28 games, and 16 home games).
🏈 BYU football’s bowl projections include playing Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. See all the bowl predictions.
🏆️ Diljeet Taylor named NCAA women’s national coach of the year. Article
🏆️ Ed Eyestone named NCAA men’s national coach of the year. Article
🏀 BYU loses to Providence 64-83. Recap
🏀 UVU loses to Stanford 63-77. Recap

Today
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Santa Claus at City Hall 🎅

Despite what you see Santa doing above, no need to be quiet about this one! At this event, every child will receive a gift from Santa, and if you want to bring a letter to Santa, they will have a special mailbox for sending letters to him as well. (Just remember to include a self-addressed envelope, attached to your child’s letter.)
Provo City Hall (445 W Center St) | 3pm to 5:30pm | More info

The Beehive Bazaar 🐝 

The Beehive Bazaar in Springville started yesterday and is still going on today. Don’t miss any of their amazing vendors, we’ve included just a few above.

1520 N Main Street Springville Utah, Hitching Post Event Space (formerly Rustica) | 10am - 8pm | More info

⭐️ Away in a Manger (Interfaith Christmas Crèche Exhibit)  
Admission is free and the exhibit will run from Wednesday to Friday this week. The exhibit will be held in the chapel next to the Mount Timpanogos Temple in American Fork.
850 N 900 E, American Fork | Wednesday 5:00pm – 8:30pm | Thursday 12:00pm – 8:30pm | Friday 12:00pm – 8:30pm | More info

👻 A Christmas Carol : A One Man Band
“No space of regret can make amends for one life's opportunity misused” Dickens is right—so don’t miss out on this opportunity to see A Christmas Carol! And like you’ve never seen it before! And for free! (However, if you do miss it, the same performance will be at the Provo Library this Monday. I guess opportunities sometimes come more than once.)
Springville Library | 7pm | More info

Also:
👉️ 5th Annual Christmas Event - “if you need an extra hand this Christmas then please come! No questions or paperwork” | More info
👉️ Songwriter's Showcase at BYU at 7:30pm
👉️ Payson Community Creche indoor and outdoor exhibit with musical performances
👉️ Festival of Trees in Sandy (bid in the silent auction or check out the shops and activities) (this event runs from Dec 4th until Dec 7th)

Thursday
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Beehive Bazaar continued… 🐝 

A few more pictures for you… The Beehive Bazaar continues through the end of the week and will be coming back (but with different vendors) next week!

1520 N Main Street Springville Utah, Hitching Post Event Space (formerly Rustica) | Thursday, Friday, Saturday from 10am to 8pm | More info

🍔 Startup Stories + Free Lunch
RevRoad is holding another lunch-and-learn event, and this one features Lindsey Ivie of Ivie League Growth. Listen to startup stories, network, and eat!
1555 North Freedom Boulevard Provo | 11am - 12pm | More info

🎼 Holiday Concert Series: Utah County Flute Choir
Shoot. We just realized—we forgot to include something in The Bulletin📌 today. It was a news story about a flutist that got arrested... Yeah... She was in treble.
Ha. Anyway, this is a free concert in the Ashton Auditorium in the Orem Library and good for all ages! Doors open at 6:30pm.
Orem Library Ashton Auditorium | 7pm | More info

Also:
👉️ Every Christmas Story Ever told (and then some!) (This is their opening performance. They will have performances most days until Dec. 23rd.)
👉️ Sounds of the Season at the Noorda Concert Hall
👉️ Jazz Lab Band at BYU at 7:30pm (free)

Friday
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Art After Dark : A Roaring 20s Christmas 🥂 

Some less well-known 1920s slang you can use when you go to this event:
“Hotsy-totsy”: meaning something or someone is perfect or just right.
“Bank's closed”: Say this to a couple showing too much PDA to get them to stop.
"Know your onions": To know what's going on or to know what someone's talking about
“Bimbo”: Turns out in the 1920s this is what you called a tough guy. Maybe don’t use this one.

The MOA at BYU is celebrating the work of 1920s cartoonist John Held, Jr. So get your glad rags on and enjoy live jazz music, swing dancing, contests, hot cocoa, a photo booth and a screening of the 1929 film So This is College! Free and open to all!

BYU MOA | 7pm - 10pm | More info

Old Fashioned Christmas 🎅 
Relive Christmases past in Heber with cookie decorating, reindeer, a tree lighting, horse-drawn wagon rides, music, and a good ol’ fashioned drone show… Also, Rocky Mountain Chocolate is providing free hot chocolate! This event is free to attend.
Heber City Main Street Tabernacle (75 North Main Street) | 6pm - 8:30pm | More info

👯 Christmas Around the World
Mele Kalikimaka and Frohe Weihnachten, It’s Christmas Around the World at BYU! BYU International Folk Dance Ensembles will be performing with Mountain Strings, and this year there will be two special guests Rhythm ’N’ Soul and Rocky Mountain Express Cloggers.
BYU Marriott Center | Friday @ 7:30pm; Saturday @ 2pm & 7:30pm | More info

🌟🎵 Crèches, Art, Live Music
“The Provo Community Congregational United Church of Christ will be kicking off holiday festivities with sights, sounds, and tastes of Christmas!” Over 120 crèches will be on display, and performers include: Wasatch Chorale, OneVoice in a Chord, James Moyar and Heritage Bagpipes, Wasatch A Cappella, Peter Johnson, and members of the Utah Valley Interfaith Choir. Also, they will have drinks and light refreshments and everyone from the community is invited!
Provo Community Congregational United Church of Christ (175 North University Ave.) | 6:50pm to 10:15pm (however their flyer says 6pm-9pm) | More info

Also:
👉️ A Christmas Story: The Musical at the Scera
👉️ Downtown Provo Art Stroll from 6pm-9pm
👉️ Provo Masquerade: The Winter Ball (live jazz, music, food, dance lessons, more)
👉️ Pond Town Christmas Boutique in Salem

🎸 Live Music

@ The Velour
TODAY - Open Mic
Thursday - Hollow Hill, Forest Slater, Kieren Hellum
Friday - Joshua James & Julianne Brough
Saturday - Paige Fish, c a n d i d ! (Sold out)

@ The Boardwalk
Friday - Mia Parrish, Liam Lars, Dropout Convention
Saturday - Southernmost Gravy, Billy Marchiafava

Wellness Wednesday: Service Opportunities 💝 

A few holiday-related opportunities, as well as a few ongoing opportunities.

🎸 Teach Guitar Lessons in the South Franklin neighborhood - Ongoing
“The United Way Community Center at South Franklin offers free music lessons to kids and adults during the school year. We're currently looking for individuals interested in teaching one-on-one beginner guitar lessons. Each lesson is a half hour, and you can take on as many students as you'd like. Afternoon and evening availability is best. Lessons are weekly throughout the school year, ending with a recital in April.” More info

🌍️ Refugee Family Mentor - Ongoing

“Volunteers are asked to set aside 2-5 hours a week for 6 months. If possible, we’d like Family Mentors to commit to a year of service.

Refugee Family Mentors reinforce the work of CCS staff by supporting clients in their cultural adjustment to the United States during their first year of resettlement. CCS provides Family Mentors with tasks to work on with client families in their journey toward self-sufficiency.” More info

⛪️ Multiple opportunities @ Provo Community Congregational United Church of Christ
“Take down, loading and unloading displays” [crèche displays] | More info
“Volunteers are needed every Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to noon to help with cleaning and maintenance” | More info
Mary & Joseph Needed for Carols by Candlelight Event (Dec 8th and 9th, dress rehearsal on Dec 7th) | More info

🎶 Carolers Needed for A Provo Pioneer Christmas
“Carolers are needed for each of the three nights of “A Pioneer Christmas”. Gather your friends or family members and step back in time to help us celebrate an old-fashioned 1800’s Christmas in Provo, Utah. Volunteers will dress in period-appropriate winter apparel and sing carols from the pioneer time-period. Help with clothing items and guidance on music selection will be provided.” More info

Thanks!

Thanks for reading! Enjoy the beautiful December weather! 😉 

-Nicole, Josh, & Carlie

p.s. If someone forwarded this to you, and you aren’t part of the group yet, then sign up here! 👈️