Quintessential Utah

Kathy from Read This Instead posted things on her blog that say, "Utah" to her. I thought it was a great idea, so I decided to do it myself. 

These are things that--to me--are quintessentially Utah:

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The Holy War

The rivalry between BYU (the best team EVER) and UofU (those other guys), that began in either 1896, or 1922--depending on who you ask. Also known as: The Rivalry That Divides Families Once A Year. Or if you're my family, it's a year-round light-hearted battle. 

Sadly, this year it was announced that the Holy War will be put on hold for two years. 

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Fry Sauce

This one was on Kathy's list, but I had to put it on mine as well. I used to hate this stuff, until my taste buds inexplicably changed about a year ago; now I can't get enough. Fry sauce is a Utah/Southern Idaho tradition, and if you haven't had it with your fries, you're missing out! It's basically just ketchup and mayonnaise, but some people put other things like pickles (mmm) and onions (ew) in theirs. It's served at all the restaurants, including big fast-food chains. If that doesn't show how big of a deal fry sauce is in Utah, I don't know what will.

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Potlucks/Big Gatherings
Along the lines of food: It isn't just Utah that does potlucks and big gatherings, but they're pretty frequent happenings around these parts...which is good, because potlucks are my favorite type of gathering. The food is always delish!

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Delicate Arch
It's everywhere; from our travel brochures and websites, to our license plates. This geologically carved sandstone is next to the beehive, in nationally recognized Utah symbols. Although I prefer this one over the beehive, since it gives you a peek at all that Utah has to offer (do you know how many THINGS there are to do in this state? 5 national parks, 6 national forests, and 43 state parks. Craziness!).

SHeDAISY, The Osmonds, MoTab and other famous groups

Believe it or not, there are a lot of famous musicians--and even actresses and actors--who come from utah. We're pretty proud of them 'round here. (And as I found out from Kathy's post, the Neon Trees began their road to fame in Utah!)

Author Events

No, I didn't just put this on here because this is a book blog. I really mean this one. Utah isn't the only state to have author events, but I have to say that I have been present at some pretty awesome events. Because of places like the Provo Library, the Salt Lake Library, and The King's English, Utah consistently has visits from some of the coolest authors in town, with large auditoriums that are full of fans. We're big on books and reading here...which means we're also big on authors.


What are some things that stand out in your own state?