There are festivals for testicles, the guy who invented Rat Fink, outlaws, the dark arts, gentiles, Muslims, quilts and mountain men.
Cities honor fruits such as strawberries, peaches, apples, raspberries and melons. Others feature onions, lavender, lamb, trout and sauerkraut.
There are cultural celebrations for Swiss, Scandinavians, American Indians, Greeks, Italians, Scots, Asians and Welsh. Some cities honor the memory of Old West outlaws while others recall the exploits of miners, cowboys and mountain men.
While the diversity is astounding, the biggest summer holidays remain the Fourth of July, the day America declared independence from England, and July 24, when Mormon pioneers led by Brigham Young came into the Salt Lake Valley.
At least 50 cities celebrate the Fourth of July with fireworks, parades, carnivals and breakfasts, while about half have some sort of Pioneer Day celebration.
Cedar City Mayor Gerald Sherratt, whose town has copyrighted the name Festival City USA and sponsors 17 different special events during the year, founded four Utah festivals himself.
He said events not only celebrate the heritage of an area, but also bring a city's volunteers together to create a feeling of community. The biggest of Cedar City's festivals, the Utah Shakespearean Festival, brings 150,000 people into town each summer, a boost to the economy.
"We live on volunteer workers," Sherratt said. "It's part of the cost of living in a small town. People like to be part of these things. They come together and it brings a better attitude about the community. It is how you think of yourself."
Anna Boulton, community development program manager for the Utah Arts Council, said festivals play a vital role in community life, especially in rural areas. She said they help promote local pride, serve local artists and bring people together.
She also likes festivals with an educational component.
"I love the Park City Jazz Festival, because they have great educational outreach programs for students," said Boulton. "Students from as far away as Blanding that include Native American jazz combos come. The festival has a national appeal but reserves so many seats for community members."
wharton@sltrib.com
