AGP Executive Report

STEM + Art Spotlight: SUU’s former Miss Iron County and current Miss Color Country Shelby Springall is turning speed painting into a STEAM push, using upside-down portraits to get students excited about STEM. Utah Sports (NHL): The Utah Mammoth opened preseason with a 4-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, with third-period mistakes hurting but young prospects getting NHL minutes. Utah Sports (Football): Utah shut out Utah State 33-0 to move to 3-0, with Braden Pegan’s big day and a defense that kept the Aggies out of the end zone—though a scary injury to USU linebacker Harrison Taggart shook the crowd. Music in SLC: Grammy-nominated artist Masego brought “Fix Your Face” to the Union Event Center, with support from R&B opener Lekan. Reality TV Buzz: Peacock confirmed the full celebrity cast for “The Traitors” season five, including Kristin Chenoweth, Bianca Del Rio, and RHOSLC’s Bronwyn Newport. Local Arts Calendar: Utah Valley’s week ahead includes festivals, museum exhibits, and community events like Peak on Stage at the Covey Center. Weird News (UAP): New Pentagon UAP file releases include a 2010 report alleging unintended injury to human observers.

Live Music: Grammy-nominated Masego brought his “Fix Your Face” tour to Salt Lake City’s Union Event Center, with R&B opener Lekan and a set mixing new tracks and fan favorites. Local Theater: Utah State University’s Theatre Arts play reading series kept the momentum going with “The Wooden Heart,” drawing a standing-room crowd and spotlighting student performers alongside veterans Jordan Redford and Graydee Noyes. Community Arts & History: The First United Methodist Church marked 120 years in Salt Lake City, sharing its long-running mix of worship and community service. Utah Sports (Battle of the Brothers): The Utah Utes dominated Utah State 33-0, blanking the Aggies and turning the rivalry into a full-on home statement. Haunted Attractions: America Haunts named “Nightmare on 13th” in Salt Lake City among its Top 5 fan-favorite haunted attractions. UFO Buzz: New military-related UFO file details included a 1952 Utah sighting, keeping the mystery front and center.

Utah Jazz: Ryan Smith says “the best is ahead” after Keyonte George’s five-year, $157.5M extension, keeping the young guard locked in through 2031-32. Battle of the Brothers: Utah shut out Utah State 33-0 at Rice-Eccles, with the Utes’ defense dominating and the offense rolling early. Utah Royals: The Royals return home after a 1-0 road win over Houston, aiming to turn Sunday’s match into a playoff-style test against surging Angel City. UFC in Salt Lake City: UFC 332 lands at the Delta Center Oct. 3, with Natalia Silva vs. Wang Cong headlining and Deiveson Figueiredo facing Payton Talbott in the co-main—plus plenty of fan backlash. Haunted Attraction: America Haunts named Nightmare on 13th in Salt Lake City a Top 5 fan favorite. Local arts & culture: SUMA marks major anniversaries with curated exhibits, including Utah Summer Games, Utah Shakespeare Festival, and 10 years of SUMA. Community calendar: Utah Valley and Northern Utah listings highlight festivals, markets, and performances running Sept. 19-27. Weird news: New Pentagon UFO file releases include a 1952 Utah sighting tied to “orbs” reportedly filmed over the state.

Utah Sports: The Utah Jazz locked in Keyonte George with a five-year, $157.5M extension, a deal sources say is about 16% of the salary cap. Local Rivalry: No. 17 Utah hosts Utah State in the “Battle of the Brothers” at Rice-Eccles Stadium (FOX, 3:30 p.m. ET), with Utah riding a 2-0 start and Utah State still searching for its first win. UFO Watch (Utah ties): The Pentagon’s sixth batch of declassified UFO/UAP files includes new details tied to a 1952 Utah sighting near Tremonton, plus documents about a secretive military program studying futuristic tech. Music & Pop Culture: Juno-nominated band Valley announces its album Do You Need To Be Entertained? (Jan. 15, 2027) and drops the new single “Don’t You Forget About Me?” Live Entertainment: Garth Brooks is back in arena mode, with his September run continuing before he heads to Salt Lake City for a pair of early-next-month shows. Community Calendar: Northern Utah highlights include Ogden’s Harvest Moon Celebration and Peery’s Egyptian Theater picks like The Princess Bride and an Elton John/Billy Joel tribute.

Utah Jazz: Keyonte George has signed a five-year extension with the Utah Jazz, reportedly worth $157.5 million, a deal that would be about 16% of the salary cap. TV & Reality: Peacock revealed the full cast for The Traitors Season 5, including Utah-area reality star Bronwyn Newport and Kristin Chenoweth, with the season set for 2027. Music: Garth Brooks added a third Salt Lake City show after overwhelming demand and bot-activity disrupted ticket sales for his Oct. 9 and 10 dates at the Delta Center. Film & Streaming: A new Resident Evil movie review says the horror leans hard into bloody thrills. Sports (Utah): BYU heads to Colorado State with a spotlight on Bear Bachmeier’s deep-ball weaponry, while Utah and Utah State meet Saturday in the rivalry at Rice-Eccles. Local Culture: Solvang’s 89th annual Danish Days kicked off with food, tours, and torchlight parades. Arts & Community: A new Thomas Jefferson bronze sculpture has been installed at the Utah State Capitol. Weird/Pop Culture: A viral popcorn-eating moment at a baseball game has fans comparing it to classic TV-style food antics.

Reality TV: Peacock has revealed the celebrity cast for “The Traitors” Season 5, sending 23 famous faces to the Scottish Highlands for a 2027 launch—featuring “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Bronwyn Newport, drag legend Bianca Del Rio, “Wicked”/Broadway’s Kristin Chenoweth, plus athletes and reality vets like Chloe Kim, Cody Simpson, Craig Conover, and NFL’s Rashad Jennings. Performing Arts: “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” arrives in Utah for the first time at Salt Lake City’s Eccles Theater, bringing the story set “Nineteen Years Later” to the stage starting this weekend. Music & Local Culture: Southern Utah University kicks off Homecoming Week Sept. 21–26, including free Pixar’s “Cars” screening, a World Grand Prix International Food Fair, and a ribbon cutting for the new George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Music Center. Sports (Utah): The Utah Jazz locked in key guard Keyonte George with a five-year, $157.5M extension, and the Utah sports calendar also includes major TV coverage notes for upcoming games. UFO Files (Utah tie-in): The Pentagon released a sixth batch of declassified UAP records, including newly highlighted 1952 footage tied to Tremonton, Utah.

Music & Live Events: Metallica announced major 2027 stadium dates, with Salt Lake City’s Rice-Eccles Stadium landing June 19 (Limp Bizkit and Avatar on the bill; public tickets start Sept. 25). Performing Arts: Julien Baker kicks off a 2026 fall residency run in Salt Lake City at Kilby Court Oct. 15–17. Community Arts: The Tooele Renaissance Faire returns Sept. 25–27 in Stansbury Park, aiming for 5,000+ guests with armored combat, bards, and vendors. Local Culture Spotlight: The Carmelite Monastery in Holladay opens its grounds for the annual Carmelite Fair, a fundraiser supporting cloistered nuns. Utah Heritage Moment: The Salt Lake Temple will open to the public for six months in 2027 (April 5–Oct. 1) with timed tickets, guided tours, and live music. Scam Alert: Lindsey Vonn warns fans about fake accounts impersonating her online.

Music & Live Events: Metallica is extending its M72 World Tour with 12 new North American stadium dates for spring 2027, with Limp Bizkit and Avatar as openers; the run includes a June 19 stop at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, with general tickets on sale Sept. 25. Local Arts & Culture: Salt Lake Film Society has kicked off an $8.5 million capital campaign to renovate the historic Tower Theatre, aiming to bring the century-old movie house back to full strength. Literary Arts: Mengxi Seeley and Shadow Mountain Publishing released “Silk and Sensibility,” a Ming-dynasty retelling of Jane Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility.” Visual Arts: Astoria Visual Arts in Utah is hosting “Adoration of Light,” a natural-dye installation running through Oct. 5, with a dye workshop on Oct. 4. Sports Entertainment: Shriners Children’s announced a long-term partnership with the Dallas Cowboys to host the Shriners Children’s East-West Bowl at AT&T Stadium through 2031.

Big Stage Music: Metallica just added 12 more 2027 stadium stops to its M72 World Tour, with Limp Bizkit and Avatar as support, including a major Utah date at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City on June 19. Local Arts & Community: Ogden City struck a deal to preserve and renovate the former U.S. Forest Service Building, protecting its Art Deco façade while turning it into arts-and-housing space. TV & Utah Pop Culture: The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City returned with a Season 7 premiere centered on Mary Cosby’s late son Robert Jr., with multiple outlets spotlighting her decision to keep filming and the cast’s grief-driven unity. Arts Spotlight: Park City’s Pendry Park City closes out its summer Live Jazz series at The Pool House tonight (6–9 p.m.). Community Fundraising: Bridge21 Park City topped its $75,000 goal at its Songwriter Sessions and Art Auction, supporting neuroinclusive housing for adults with autism and intellectual/developmental disabilities.

Metallica Stadium News: Metallica just extended its record-breaking “M72 World Tour” into 2027, with the big Utah stop set for June 19 at Rice-Eccles Stadium (Limp Bizkit and Avatar opening). Tickets go on sale Sept. 25 at 10 a.m., with fan presales starting Sept. 21 and Citi/Verizon presales following. Local Music Buzz: The tour’s new run also includes Highmark Stadium in Buffalo (June 8) and Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville (May 26), keeping the stadium-rock momentum rolling across the region. Utah Arts & Film: A BYU alumni-produced indie comedy, “Edie Arnold Is a Loser,” is sitting at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and has been accepted into South by Southwest. Community Calendar: Salt Lake City event listings are out for Sept. 16 and beyond, including talks and library programming. Reality TV (RHOSLC): Mary Cosby says Bravo offered her time off after her son’s death, but she chose to return to filming.

Reality TV & Utah Culture: Mikayla Matthews says she’s leaving Hulu’s “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” citing discomfort with “behavior” she says she can’t support and concerns about profiting from it. Faith & Community Events: More free Salt Lake Temple open house tickets are being released after 1 million reservations were claimed in under 24 hours, with another batch set for Oct. 1. Local Arts & Entertainment: Utah State’s Theatre Arts program resumes its contemporary play reading series Sept. 18 with “The Wooden Heart.” Music & Pop Culture: Jelly Roll says he’s stepping back from touring to “go talk to God” about what comes next. Family Fun: Ogden’s Harvest Moon Celebration returns Saturday with live music, kids activities, a produce market, and a big crowd expected. Sports Spotlight: BYU guard Rob Wright III earns preseason All-American honors, while Utah Mammoth’s rookie showcase finale ends in a 4-0 loss to the Kings. Utah Business/Branding: Black Diamond releases “The Founder: Peter Metcalf,” the latest film in its Heritage Series.

Performing Arts & Music: Bob Dylan is expanding his Rolling Thunder Revue legacy with a massive 39-CD box set, The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1976 Live Recordings, featuring 371 previously unreleased tracks from the 1976 run that ended in Salt Lake City. Touring & Live Events: Mastodon tapped Grammy-nominated guitarist John Baizley (Baroness) to join their fall Poisonous Weapons Tour, with the band noting it’s their first major tour since Brent Hinds’ death. Film in Concert: Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet (30th anniversary) is heading into a global run of Film in Concert screenings with live orchestras synced to the movie. Utah Arts & Community: The Utah Catholic Conference drew 1,100+ registrants to Draper for Mass, bilingual keynote talks, and workshops. Local Culture & Hospitality: Hilton’s Canopy brand debuted at Deer Valley, adding new dining concepts and year-round programming. Utah Spotlight: BYU Kennedy Center director Vincent Stanley Benfell was identified as the man killed in a Provo bicycle crash. Reality TV: Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives returns with Season 5 drama, including Mikayla Matthews’ exit announcement.

Lagoon Frightmares: Lagoon Amusement Park’s Halloween haunt is now open for fall weekends through Nov. 8, with free tickets available and even no-scare glow sticks for visitors who want the spooky vibes without the jump scares. Campus Culture: The University of Utah’s A. Ray Olpin Student Union hosted Bopsim, Utah’s largest Korean festival co-hosted with Cupbop, drawing about 15,000 attendees and featuring food, brands, and vendor zones. Performing Arts: Laguna Playhouse kicked off its fall season with the world premiere of “Wild Child,” a teen-focused contemporary musical running through Oct. 4. Community & Faith: Salt Lake Temple open house reservation releases are expanding (Sept. 15 and Oct. 1), after the first million reservations were claimed in under 24 hours. Local Sports Spotlight: Utah’s defense is turning heads early—Jireh Moe’s breakout vs. Arkansas and BYU’s latest injury update set the tone for this week’s Utah sports buzz. SUU Student Life: Southern Utah University is offering free SUU Zumba nights Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7–8 p.m., for students and faculty. Film Incentives: Summit County approved a new feature film for Utah’s incentive program, with additional projects also cleared for production.

Performing Arts Spotlight: Utah Symphony’s Logan stop features cellist Zlatomir Fung, with Access Utah also checking in on the wider performing-arts landscape and USU’s arts partnership. 9/11 Remembrance: Utahns gathered at the State Capitol for a 25th anniversary Sept. 11 commemoration with music from Canyon Winds and a bagpipe “Amazing Grace.” Local Arts & Culture: UtahPresents’ 11th season is set to keep momentum rolling across dance, music, and local stage offerings, while Park City’s Kimball Art Center hosts the 10th Monster Drawing Rally Sept. 19. Community Creativity: West Jordan unveiled the “Vida Del Valle” water-tank mural, and Provo’s Fablehaven fans helped launch a 20th anniversary illustrated edition. Music News: Julien Baker announced multi-night Salt Lake City dates at Kilby Court in October. Food/Pop Nostalgia: A St. George shop is bringing back VHS rentals—and even VCRs—for a throwback movie night feel.

Utah Music & Culture: The Red Spirit Singers bring intergenerational Ute voices to a new album, “Land of the Sun (Ute Nation Utah),” rooted in the Uintah and Ouray Reservation and recorded with elder approval. Local Sports Spotlight: Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo’s Giants debut turned into a feel-good Utah-to-NFL moment, with Dart throwing 3 TDs and Skattebo adding a rushing score in a 28-20 win. Utah Hockey: The Utah Mammoth fell 3-1 to the San Jose Sharks at the rookie showcase, with puck luck and goaltending doing the damage. Film/TV Streaming: Peacock’s fall slate includes Justin Timberlake & Camila Cabello’s comedy and Emmy night coverage, plus “The Traitors: New Blood.” Pop Culture & Utah Fans: “First Down Provo” drew BYU fans downtown with live music, vendors, and a pregame vibe built to turn game weekend into a full outing. Community & Arts: Legacy Media Digital in St. George is reviving VHS rentals for a throwback movie-night experience. Sports Business/Local Growth: Reed Hastings’ Powder Mountain push continues with major new investments and expansion plans. Politics in the Headlines: A Charlie Kirk statue in Phoenix was vandalized with red paint days after unveiling, sparking renewed debate and memorial responses.

Box Office Buzz: Sandra Bullock’s “Practical Magic 2” opened to about $30M domestic, landing in the same neighborhood as her recent hits and showing a strong older-female audience profile. Utah Sports Community: Utah Youth Sports Giving Day hit its $1M goal fast during the Salt Lake Bees game, aiming to cut costs for kids by funding scholarships and lower dues. Local Arts & Events: SUU is taking submissions for “PLAY!”—a juried exhibition exploring play in art—running Oct. 26–Dec. 7 at the Gerald R. Sherratt Library. Rodeo Traditions: A feature spotlights the Rosser family keeping rodeo skills and safety-focused bullfighting traditions alive for a new era. Film/TV Spotlight: “Sons of Anarchy” star Kim Coates appears as Brigham Young in Netflix’s “American Primeval,” sparking fresh debate over historical portrayals. Sports on Ice: Utah Mammoth kicked off the rookie showcase with a 3-0 win over the Vegas Golden Knights, going 3-for-3 on the power play.