A group of Utahns gathered to watch the sunset on Saturday, getting closer to each other and further away from their screens.
The event, hosted by Conner Simmons — the founder of by Happenstance, a community building group — began at 7 p.m. at the Utah Capitol, which had been reserved for the occasion.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Crowds gather to watch the sunset at The Capitol without using phones or technology, on Saturday, May 10, 2025.
At 7:30 p.m., attendees were asked to turn their phones off ahead of the sunset at 8:20 p.m.
On an Instagram post, Simmons noted that cameras were OK for what he called a “Slow Down Social.”
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Clara Stephens and Sabrina Miner pass the time thing to make a whistle using blades of grass as they gather to watch the sunset at The Capitol without using phones or technology, on Saturday, May 10, 2025.
“Our souls ache to experience connection and beauty — but we find ourselves clinging to screens designed for both, yet leaving us with neither," says a webpage with details about the evening.
People were encouraged to bring books, games, guitars, blankets or simply themselves to enjoy the sunset. The event was free, though on the webpage Simmons asks for donations of $5 to cover costs.
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Kira Johnson runs with her dog Otis as she plays tag with her niece and Nephew, at The Capitol, as she gathers with others to watch the sunset without using phones or technology, on Saturday, May 10, 2025.
Saturday’s gathering was in the same spirit as a movement spreading across Europe, called The Offline Club, in which people hang out without their phones. The club, according to its Instagram account, has had events recently in Amsterdam, Barcelona, London, Paris, Milan and Copenhagen.
