Taste of Orem 2025 (post-event summary
Taste of Orem
In 2025, Utah Live Concerts Foundation (ULCF) partnered with the City of Orem to launch a brand-new community celebration: the Taste of Orem Festival. Building on the success of our Come Together Festival, this new city-wide event was designed to blend food, music, and culture into a vibrant gathering that fostered community spirit and connection. The festival debuted on September 19–20 at Orem City Center Park, welcoming thousands of attendees for two full days of entertainment and cuisine.
Food
The food experience featured 20 local restaurants, each offering entrée-sized samples from a wide variety of cuisines, including Korean, Italian, Hawaiian barbecue, Brazilian, and more. Booths stretched across the Southwest side of the park, creating a lively “taste tour” where guests could explore new flavors and revisit familiar favorites. Food trucks also joined in on Friday evening, offering full dinner options for concertgoers during the kickoff show.
"Live Music"
On the North end of the park (see map), ULCF hosted the entertainment stage with 18 live bands performing across the two days. Friday evening opened with a five-band kickoff concert that set the tone with high energy performances from 5–10 p.m. Perfect weather made it an unforgettable night, free from the heat challenges of past August festivals. Saturday expanded the entertainment with a full schedule running from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., featuring a mix of youth groups, local bands, and cultural performances across two stages—a first for our festivals.
The music lineup covered an impressive range of styles, from folk rock, bluegrass, and country to classic rock, pop, and current hits (see the Band lineup)
Cultural Arts
Between music sets, audiences were treated to cultural performances (on a second stage) that highlighted the diversity of Utah’s communities, including Haitian dancers, a Scottish pipe and drum band, Polynesian dance, Bolivian performers, and Chilean folk traditions. This blending of music and cultural arts brought a unique richness to the event, keeping audiences engaged throughout the day.
Success!
The festival received enthusiastic support from Orem’s mayor and city council, who joined us on stage Saturday evening to celebrate its success. Attendance exceeded expectations—more than tripling turnout from past ULCF festivals—while bringing thousands of people together in celebration of food, music, and community unity, which aligns perfectly with Utah LIve Concert Foundation's non-profit mission. The inaugural Taste of Orem Festival was a resounding success!
Entertainment Schedule (at a glance)
Friday, September 20, 2025 - Kick off Concert
- 5:00 to 10:00 pm - 5 bands, Orem City Center Park - click here for more info
- Food Trucks onsite
- Prize giveaways including a Sewing Machine from Dave's Bernina, Free meal certificates from local Orem restaurants, and more
Saturday, September 20, 2025
- 9:30 am to 12:00. Start your morning with youth bands from Dave Wilbur's Rock Lab rocking the park, just in time for the official Taste of Orem food festivities to open at noon.
- 12:00 noon to 10:00 pm, the stage will be packed with an exciting lineup of local talent, featuring bands representing multiple genres. With a new act every hour, there’s something for everyone.
- Enjoy food from 20+ of the best restaurants in Orem, serving sample foods from their menus (12:00 noon to 8:00 pm)
- 14 bands on the schedule for Saturday, Orem City Center Park — click here for more info
- Between sets, stick around as the MC leads audience games, prize giveaways, and fun activities like music trivia, air guitar contests, and more!
- All performances at the entertainment stage are FREE to attend and although some seating will be available, we encourage you to bring your own chairs or blankets for additional seating throughout the day so you can enjoy the music in comfort.
- Catch Cultural Arts performances on the Cultural Arts stage, including: Hope of Haiti at 11:45 am, Polynesian Dancing by Ali'itasi Productions at 2:45 pm, Bolivian Traditions by Latin Dance Heritage at 3:45 pm, and a performance by Vive Chile Utah at 4:45 pm -- click here to see a listing of scheduled, cultural performances
The Entertainment Stage is made possible through a partnership with Orem City, Taste of Orem, and Utah Live Concerts Foundation:
Taste of Orem is a vibrant food and cultural arts festival designed to celebrate the rich variety of food, cultures, music, and art within Orem's community. Select restaurants, entertainers, cultural groups, and art vendors have been invited to showcase their talents and services. This unique experience aims to foster a deeper connection with the people, music, food, and art that make up the City of Orem’s community. For more information about the Taste of Orem event, see www.orem.gov/taste
Utah Live Concerts Foundation is a Section 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission to celebrate “live” music performances to enhance civic/community unity. For more information about Utah Live Concerts Foundation, see www.utahliveconcerts.org
Buy discounted, advance tickets for the Taste of Orem Food Festival (served 12 noon - 8:00 pm). Redeemable from Orem's favorite restaurants serving a variety of delicious mini entrées crafted just for the event (onsite)!
Kickoff Concert, Band Lineup, Friday, September 19th
5:00 pm - Moe Low
Get ready for a blast of youthful, hard-rocking energy from a band that lives and breathes modern rock-n-roll. This is Moe Low! Fueled by guitar virtuosity and a stage presence that hits like a freight train, these guys bring the kind of power that makes crowds move. Moe Low is no stranger to turning up the heat. Click here for more info.
6:00 pm - Sonestone
Sonestone. Performing classic blues, rock & originals, featuring a female vocalist; covering bands such as Heart, Sarah McLachlan, Linda Ronstadt, Alanis Morisette with a smoky twist on the blues. Click here for more info.
7:00 pm - Denovo
8:00 pm - Flashback Brothers
The band's philosophy is vividly expressed through vibrant costuming and dynamic stage presence. Denovo delivers fresh interpretations of the greatest rock classics in history and modern hits offering guilt-free, raw energy rock n' roll experience. Click here for more info.
8:00 pm - Flashback Brothers
8:00 pm - Flashback Brothers
8:00 pm - Flashback Brothers
Known for their musicianship and tight harmonies while providing a varied repertoire of Classic Rock songs spanning the 50's through the 80's. All hits. Always an event! Click here for more info.
9:00 pm - Monkey Friday
8:00 pm - Flashback Brothers
9:00 pm - Monkey Friday
This one-of-a-kind, Funk/Rock/Pop cover band brings their infectious energy, irresistible rhythms, and funky style to provide a unique, goove filled adventure. Click here for more info.
Entertainment Stage, Band Lineup, Saturday, September 20th
9:30 am - Dave Wilbur's Rock Lab
9:30 am - Dave Wilbur's Rock Lab
9:30 am - Dave Wilbur's Rock Lab
Enjoy high-energy performances from three talented youth bands, igniting the stage with fresh sound and raw passion. Powered by Dave Wilbur’s Rock Lab, these young rockers bring serious talent and a whole lot of fun—don’t miss the chance to see the future of live music in action! Click here for more info
12:00 Noon - Cover Girls
9:30 am - Dave Wilbur's Rock Lab
9:30 am - Dave Wilbur's Rock Lab
All-girl band from Southern Utah, playing together for 5 years now; they're a bunch of 30-something-year-olds with 12 kids and a few cats between 4 of them. They love to play the greatest music of all time...the 90's.
1:00 pm - The Alex Elggren Band
9:30 am - Dave Wilbur's Rock Lab
1:00 pm - The Alex Elggren Band
The Alex Elggren Band brings a fresh country-rock vibe with a blend of familiar hits and southern-infused rock ‘n’ roll. With a lineup featuring guitar, banjo, fiddle, bass, and drums, this talented teen group (ages 15-18) — winners of the Highland Battle of the Bands—delivers a fun and crowd-pleasing performance. Click here for more information about this band.
2:00 pm - Tri-Chevys
1:00 pm - The Alex Elggren Band
The Tri-Chevys are a crowd-pleasing oldies band from Utah Valley, known for their fun, family-friendly covers of Elvis, Buddy Holly, The Beatles, and more. Named after the classic, collectible ’55–’57 Chevrolets, they blend vintage rock and roll with surf and roots vibes. Voted "Best Local Band" by the Daily Herald, they’re a local favorite. Click here for more info
3:00 pm - Best in Music
Catch two standout bands from Best in Music’s group instruction program as they bring fresh sound and serious skill to the Taste of Orem stage! Featuring top performers from their Summer Rock Band and Bluegrass programs, this showcase set is a great way to experience the next generation of local talent. Click here for more information about Best in Music
4:00 pm - Paradox
Paradox electrifies audiences with soaring dual lead guitars, rich harmonies, and a fearless setlist packed with classic and soft rock favorites. Hailing from right here in Utah Valley—with original members from Orem—they bring passion, precision, and serious stage presence to every performance. This is live music at its best—bold, dynamic, and unforgettable. Click here for more information about Paradox
5:00 pm - AndBeyond
This Utah County band delivers spot-on renditions of classic hits from the '60s, '70s, '80s—And Beyond! With standout musicianship and faithful performances of songs by artists like STYX, Loverboy, and more, AndBeyond brings a timeless rock experience to the stage. Click here for more info on AndBeyond
6:00 pm - Ronstadt Live
Ronstadt Live celebrates the legendary Linda Ronstadt with powerful vocals, authentic arrangements, and timeless energy. Featuring hits like Blue Bayou, You're No Good, and Heatwave, the band captures the spirit of one of music’s most iconic voices. More than a tribute, Ronstadt Live delivers a heartfelt journey through the golden era of rock, pop, and country. Click here for more information
7:00 pm - Made for Midnight
8:00 pm - Everett Lincoln Band
Made for Midnight is an 8-piece party band, specializing in the most iconic, upbeat, danceable tunes of the 70's & 80's and today. Well known for their incredible multi-part harmonies and super-engaging stage presence! Click here for more information about Made for Midnight.
8:00 pm - Everett Lincoln Band
8:00 pm - Everett Lincoln Band
8:00 pm - Everett Lincoln Band
Everett Lincoln was formed in Provo in 1973 and quickly became a favorite act throughout the intermountain region and was regularly featured at the Ice House in Provo. They play popular classic rock from the 60's, 70's and 80's staying close to their musical roots. Click here for more info.
9:00 pm - Exit Strategy
8:00 pm - Everett Lincoln Band
9:00 pm - Exit Strategy
Exit Strategy is a Utah-based band that describes itself as a group of "tech nerds turned 80's and 90's pop-rock heroes." The play high energy, danceable music and are known for their unique stylings of funk and classic rock covers. Get ready to get up and dance as Exit Strategy brings the house down as the last band of the event. Click here for more information about Exit Strategy.