Utah Summer Games Announces 40 Anniversary Celebration Schedule
Published: April 28, 2026 | Read Time: 4 minutes
Summer in Iron County has never been so full of family fun, with the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games (USG), an outreach department of Southern Utah University (SUU), announcing its season-long 40th Anniversary celebration.
Weekly community engagement events highlight the schedule for the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games 40th Anniversary Celebration Series, Presented by Leavitt Group and Auto-Owners Insurance, with at least one signature event taking place per week in Iron County from Memorial Day to Fourth of July weekend. The highlight of the schedule is the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games Opening Ceremony, Presented by State Bank of Southern Utah on Friday, June 5.
"The Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games is a love story - a shared purpose that unifies our community, University, and state," said Jon Oglesby, Executive Director of the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games. "One of the truest depictions of love comes in community, and we are excited to welcome the community, both local and regional, to take part in a series of events that unify people in celebrating the legacy, impact, and opportunity that has been uniquely created through the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games."
Sponsoring the 40th Anniversary Celebration Series is a natural fit for Leavitt Group and Auto-Owners Insurance as part of their ongoing commitment to community.
"Our family have been long-time supporters and volunteers of the Summer Games since its inception, and it's been meaningful to see how the games have grown and benefited the community over the past 40 years," said Eric Leavitt, CEO of Leavitt Group. "Giving back to our community matters deeply to our family and our organization, and sponsoring this event is one of the ways we are able to do that."
Events for the 40th Anniversary Celebration Series, sponsored by Leavitt Group and Auto-Owners Insurance, will notably include a season-long celebration of the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games at the Southern Utah Museum of Art (SUMA), which will run in a special exhibition from June 5 through Sept. 26. The exhibition will tell the story of the Utah Summer Games, including memorabilia and other rare historic items celebrating various USG accomplishments. For more information, visit the SUMA website.
The weekly engagement event series will begin with the Special Olympics Utah Summer Games (SOUT) Opening Ceremony event, which celebrates SUU's partnership with Special Olympics Utah, on Thursday, May 28 at 8 p.m. in the Eccles Coliseum. The event will feature a drone show, a special performance of the Utah Shakespeare Festival, and a special graduation ceremony of SOUT athletes who have completed an SUU certificate program.
The community is also invited to the State Bank of Southern Utah Community Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, May 30 at the J.L. Sorenson PE Building, 8 to 10 a.m. The complimentary annual event features free breakfast, along with various games and contests for and kid races for ages 2-12.
A star-studded celebration of the history of the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games takes center stage on Friday, June 5, at Eccles Coliseum with a multitude of events. The Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games Block Party, presented by KSL 5 TV, will start at 5 p.m. at the West Parking Lot of the stadium, featuring vendors, appearances from USG partners, and live media coverage by KSL TV and KONY Country. Doors will open for the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games 40th Anniversary Opening Ceremony, presented by State Bank of Southern Utah, at 8 p.m. The show features Southern Utah's largest fireworks show, live music, the annual Parade of Athletes, and appearances by various political and sports dignitaries. More information about the show, including ticket information, will be available in a future release.
The Games are also partnering with the America 250 - Iron County committee, Festival City Farmer's Market, and Cedar City Events to host the Summer Street Fest on Saturday, June 13 in historic downtown Cedar City on 100 West from Center Street to 100 North. The event will run from 5 to 10 p.m., and will feature vendors, entertainment, and a celebration of Flag Day festivities.
Other notable events on the 40th anniversary calendar will include an event at Brian Head Resort on Saturday, June 20, with more information to come in a future release. The Brian Head event will also include a Utah Summer Games sanctioned cornhole event, in addition to vendors and entertainment.
The season-long celebration will conclude with 'Utah Summer Games Night at the Utah Shakespeare Festival', featuring discounted ticket opportunities for USG participants and their families to attend USF's performance of Twelfth Night on June 27 at 8 pm. Registered athletes are eligible for two free tickets and up to four half-price tickets for this performance which they can reserve by calling or visiting the Utah Shakespeare Festival Ticket Office at 800-PLAYTIX. Athletes must be wearing their Utah Summer Games athlete t-shirt or have proof of registration when picking up their tickets. In addition, athletes can also purchase additional tickets for the rest of the 2026 season running June 26 - Oct. 2 at a 10% discount. Visit bard.org for more information.
For more information on the 40th Anniversary events, visit https://utahsummergames.org/sports/2026/3/28/40th-anniversary-celebration-series-page.aspx. Registration is now open for the Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games, with a sport-by-sport listing available at https://utahsummergames.org/sports/2024/1/3/sport-registration-table.aspx.Contact Information
Brooke Heath
435-586-5400
brookeheath1@suu.edu