Wondering what to do on Labor Day weekend?
100 years ago, Joe Hill was executed at the old Utah prison for two murders he probably didn’t commit. A public park now occupies the site of the former prison. Join several thousand of your Fellow Workers this Labor Day Weekend to celebrate the life and work of Joe Hill.
Don’t mourn. Organize!
WHAT: Joe Hill Centennial Celebration, a free, all-day concert
DATE: Saturday, September 5th (Labor Day weekend)
TIME: 11:30AM – 10:00PM. See full schedule.
WHERE: Sugar House Park, 1400 East 2100 South, Salt Lake City, Utah
WHO: Judy Collins, Joe Jencks, Mark Ross, the Guy Davis, Anne Feeney, Mischief Brew, and David Rovics on the main stage and many more performers the side stage.
The concert will be free and open to the public, but putting on an event this size does cost money. Help the Joe Hill Organizing Committee fund the concert. Make a tax deductible donation today.
Individual donors and local labor union sponsors make this free concert possible for all of us. Local Utah union workers will be at the concert organizing workers and telling the crowd about the realities of labor unions today.
Plan your day
Chairs, Blankets, and Umbrellas. The area around the concert stage rises up a hill that gives you a great view of the stage. Spread out a blanket. If you have a beach umbrella, that might save you from the probable beating sun. If you prefer lawn chairs, there is plenty of flat area near the stage to set up.
Water. Bring your water bottle, especially if you will be with us all day. There are water fountains in the park, and we will have water available, but you might want to carry your own water in to be sure that you have enough.
Food. Bring a picnic or eat at local food trucks just east of the concert area. Since there is NO VENDING ALLOWED in Sugar House Park, you will need to buy food tickets at the shop on Joe’s Hill (most know it as the Garden Center at the northeast corner of Sugar House Park just west of Highland High School). Tickets are $3 each. Pay for food and drinks at the trucks with tickets. Most will be 1 ticket for drinks, 2 tickets for appetizers, or 3 tickets for a meal with drink, but each truck will be different. You can buy tickets in advance at EventBrite or buy them on the day of the concert at the SHOP on Joe’s Hill. Trucks will be serving from noon until 9:00PM. Trucks organized by the Fantastic Food Truck League.
Shop on Joe’s Hill. No vending in the Park means you just need to take a short walk (about 3.5 minutes from the stage) to reach the shop, where you can find CDs and songbooks from the performers, T-shirts and concert posters with the Joe Hill Centennial artwork, more posters from our artist Ricardo Levins Morales, books about Joe Hill, and, of course, food tickets. Shop organized by Ken Sanders Rare Books.
Creative Activism. Since we’re focused on not mourning but organizing, we want you to build the skills you need to organize. Do activities with our partners near the food trucks east of the concert stage. Print a Joe Hill broadside with Saltgrass Printmakers. On Sunday, September 6th, they will host a workshop with Ricardo Levins Morales. Try out some protest poetry with the Salt Lake Community College Community Writing Center. Before the concert on Wednesday, September 2nd, they will host a protest song writing workshop with Duncan Phillips.
Planning a trip to Salt Lake City?
Lodging. The bad news: there are no union hotels or restaurants in Utah. If you are looking for somewhere to stay, there is an Extended Stay America (Sugar House) within a short walk of the park.
Public Transportation. You can get around Salt Lake City without a car. Try the Trip Planner at UTA to help you get where you are going. If you don’t mind a 15-20 minute walk at the end of your trip, you can even take the streetcar to Fairmont Park then walk east through the Sugarhouse Shopping Center to the Park.
Parking. If you drive, you will find parking lots throughout Sugar House Park. You can also park along the road that winds through the park. Signs will guide to you the north central area of the Park, the soccer field and Big Pavillion area, where the concert will be.
Walk to Dinner. If you want to take a break, the Blue Plate Diner is a short walk from the Park east on 2100 South to 2041 South 2100 East.