🏆 The Wasatch Front's Top 10 Upcoming Events
Updated Nov. 8, 2026
The Holy War Is Settled. The Playoff Chase Is Not.
Utah won the Holy War 28-20 and is 9-0. Now both teams play for something bigger. The Utes visit Arizona protecting a top-three playoff ranking, while BYU hosts Baylor needing to win out, and get some help, to reach the Big 12 title game. Before that, the state's best high school teams take over Rice-Eccles for the semifinals. Giannis and Wemby headline a big week for the Jazz, Broadway's The Outsiders comes to the Eccles, and the holiday season arrives in force as Luminaria opens in Lehi and Utah's biggest Christmas market fills the Expo Center. Real Salt Lake made the playoffs, and the ski resorts are counting down to opening day. This is a living list. As one event passes, another takes its place, so check back before you make your weekend plans.
BYU's road to Arlington starts Saturday. (AI-generated illustration)
#1 THE PLAYOFF CHASE: BAYLOR AT BYU, UTAH AT ARIZONA
Sat., Nov. 14 | Baylor at BYU, 1:30 p.m., LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo | Utah at Arizona, 5:30 p.m., Casino Del Sol Stadium, Tucson | Tickets: byucougars.com | How to Watch: Both games on FOX
Utah is rolling. The Utes rallied from a 20-14 halftime deficit, shut out BYU in the second half and intercepted Bear Bachmeier four times. At 9-0, Utah owns the longest winning streak in the country at 15 games, a No. 3 College Football Playoff ranking worth protecting and a No. 2 spot in the new AP poll. Arizona, 7-2 and tied for third in the Big 12, is a real test in Tucson.
BYU's path is narrow, but it's there. At 7-2, the Cougars need to beat Baylor, Kansas and Cincinnati to finish second in the Big 12 and reach the title game in Arlington on Dec. 4. They also need help: Texas Tech, Houston and Oklahoma State each have to lose once. One of those losses is guaranteed the same Saturday, when Texas Tech plays at Oklahoma State. We lay out every scenario in Does BYU Still Have a Playoff Path?
It's also Bachmeier's first chance to answer after the hardest day of his career. Every great quarterback has a game like that one. What separates them is the next one.
(Editor's Note: The new College Football Playoff rankings come out Tuesday night, Nov. 10, on ESPN. BYU has two home games left, Baylor and Cincinnati on Nov. 28, so this is one of the last chances to see the Cougars in Provo this season. Buy from byucougars.com or a resale site with a buyer guarantee. The games are back to back on FOX, so you can watch BYU in the afternoon and Utah in the evening.)
#2 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SEMIFINALS AT RICE-ECCLES
Thu.–Fri., Nov. 12–13 | Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City | Championships for 3A, 2A, 1A and 8-player: Sat., Nov. 14, Southern Utah University, Cedar City | Tickets: uhsaa.org | How to Watch: Many games stream on NFHS Network
Same field, same week. Five days after the Holy War, the state's best high school teams play on the same turf. There are three games each day, and the 4A, 5A and 6A championships are back at Rice-Eccles on Friday, Nov. 20.
Thursday, Nov. 12
- 6A: No. 1 Skyridge vs. No. 4 Herriman, 11 a.m.
- 6A: No. 2 Mountain Ridge vs. No. 3 Corner Canyon, 2:30 p.m.
- 4A: No. 1 Ridgeline vs. No. 5 Crimson Cliffs, 6 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 13
- 5A: No. 1 West vs. No. 4 Bountiful, 11 a.m.
- 5A: No. 2 Orem vs. No. 14 Woods Cross, 2:30 p.m.
- 4A: No. 2 Hurricane vs. No. 6 Skyline, 6 p.m.
How they got here. Skyridge held off American Fork 28-21, Herriman beat Davis 36-22, Mountain Ridge routed Lone Peak 42-3 and Corner Canyon beat Syracuse 42-6. In 5A, top-seeded West blanked Fremont 49-0, and No. 14 Woods Cross keeps knocking off higher seeds, beating Alta 31-24. Skyline won on a field goal with two seconds left against Provo, and Crimson Cliffs is headed to the semifinals for the fourth straight year.
Championship Saturday in Cedar City, Sat., Nov. 14, Southern Utah University
- 3A: No. 1 Morgan vs. No. 3 Logan, 10 a.m.
- 2A: No. 1 San Juan vs. No. 2 Delta, 1 p.m.
- 8-player: Milford vs. Rich, 4 p.m.
- 1A: No. 1 Duchesne vs. No. 3 Beaver, 7 p.m.
Morgan scored 37 straight points to beat Richfield 37-9 and return to the title game. Logan outlasted No. 2 Juab 53-45 in a 98-point shootout to reach its first championship game since 2011, the last time the Grizzlies won it all.
(Editor's Note: TRAX's Red Line stops at the Stadium station next to Rice-Eccles, so you can skip the parking hunt on a weekday.)
#3 JAZZ AND MAMMOTH COME HOME
Jazz home games: Miami, Tue., Nov. 10, 7 p.m. | Orlando, Wed., Nov. 11, 7 p.m. | San Antonio, Sun., Nov. 15, 3 p.m. | Phoenix, Fri., Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m. | Dallas, Sun., Nov. 22, 5 p.m. | Mammoth home games: St. Louis, Thu., Nov. 12, 7 p.m. | San Jose, Sat., Nov. 14, 7 p.m. | Vancouver, Mon., Nov. 16, 7:30 p.m. | Colorado, Wed., Nov. 18, 7 p.m. | Anaheim, Sat., Nov. 21, 7 p.m. | Delta Center, Salt Lake City | Tickets: utahjazz.com · utahmammoth.com | How to Watch: Jazz on KJZZ 14 and Jazz+; Mammoth on Utah 16 and Mammoth+
Star-power week downtown. The Miami Heat bring Giannis Antetokounmpo to Salt Lake City for the first time with his new team, and Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs follow for a Sunday matinee. Both are chances to see Jazz rookie Darryn Peterson against the league's biggest names.
The Mammoth's longest early homestand. After a road-heavy start to the first 84-game NHL season since 1993-94, the Mammoth come home for five straight, starting with St. Louis on Nov. 12. The Avalanche visit Nov. 18.
(Editor's Note: The Delta Center sits in the downtown Free Fare Zone, and the Arena TRAX stop is at the door. The Sunday 3 p.m. Spurs game is the easiest one to do with kids.)
#4 BROADWAY'S THE OUTSIDERS COMES TO THE ECCLES
Tue., Nov. 10–Sun., Nov. 15 | Evenings Tue.–Thu. at 7 p.m., Fri. at 7:30 p.m., Sat. at 1 and 7:30 p.m., Sun. at 1 and 6:30 p.m. | Delta Hall at the Eccles Theater, 131 S. Main St., Salt Lake City | Tickets: saltlakecity.broadway.com
The 2024 Tony winner for Best Musical, in Salt Lake for one week. The Outsiders turns S.E. Hinton's novel into a musical. The story follows the greasers and the Socs in 1960s Tulsa: two gangs split by money, a Sunday-night fight that goes too far, and a 14-year-old named Ponyboy trying to stay gold. The novel has been on middle-school reading lists for decades, so this one works for parents and teens to see together.
This is a Salt Lake City premiere and the second big Broadway at the Eccles show of the season, after Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. It's a short engagement, eight performances in six days, so the best seats will go first.
Video: The Outsiders tour video, posted in 2025.
(Editor's Note: Recommended for ages 10 and up. The Eccles is a cashless venue for concessions and merchandise. It's a short walk from the City Center TRAX station in the Free Fare Zone. Buy from the official Broadway at the Eccles site or ArtTix to avoid resale markups. If you're looking ahead to December, Beauty and the Beast plays the Eccles Dec. 8–19.)
#5 COLLEGE HOOPS: WASHINGTON TESTS UTAH, THE AGGIES ROLL IN LOGAN
Utah State vs. Utah Tech, Tue., Nov. 10, 7 p.m. | Utah State vs. UC San Diego, Fri., Nov. 13, 8 p.m. | Utah State vs. Weber State, Wed., Nov. 18, 7 p.m. | all at Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, Logan | Utah vs. Weber State, Tue., Nov. 10 | Utah vs. Washington, Sat., Nov. 14, 5 p.m. | both at Jon M. Huntsman Center, Salt Lake City | BYU vs. Queens, Tue., Nov. 10 | BYU vs. Montana State, Thu., Nov. 12 | BYU vs. Northern Colorado, Wed., Nov. 18 | all at Marriott Center, Provo | Tickets: utahstateaggies.com · utahutes.com · byucougars.com | How to Watch: Utah State–UC San Diego on The CW; check each school's site for the rest
The Aggies look like a team to watch. Ben Jacobson's first Utah State team pulled away from Idaho State for a 94-58 opening win, with redshirt freshman Kingston Tosi scoring 26. The Aggies stay home for three more in Logan. The Friday night game against UC San Diego, an NCAA Tournament team two seasons ago, is the best early read on how good this team can be. Then it's a Thanksgiving trip to Palm Desert to face SMU and USC.
Washington is Utah's first big test. The Huskies are the Runnin' Utes' first power-conference opponent of the season, coming to the Huntsman Center for a Saturday 5 p.m. tip. Weber State makes the short trip south first, on Tuesday.
BYU already passed its first test. Kevin Young's Cougars rallied from a halftime deficit to beat Ohio State 94-83 in their opener at the Delta Center. Now comes a softer three-game home stretch at the Marriott Center before the Maui Invitational later in the month.
(Editor's Note: Early-season games are the easiest tickets of the year to get, which makes them a good weeknight outing with kids. The Spectrum is one of the loudest gyms in the West once it fills up, and the Huntsman Center is a short walk from the Stadium TRAX station.)
#6 SALT LAKE FAMILY CHRISTMAS GIFT SHOW
Thu., Nov. 12–Sat., Nov. 14, 10 a.m.–9 p.m. | Mountain America Expo Center, 9575 S. State St., Sandy | Tickets: familychristmasgiftshow.com
Utah's largest holiday market kicks off the season. Hundreds of vendors fill the Expo Center with holiday décor, handmade gifts, toys and treats, so you can knock out a big piece of your list in one trip. It's built for families, too, with Santa's Village, the Holly Jolly Stage and artists working in front of you.
(Editor's Note: Parking at the Expo Center is free. Weekday mornings are the least crowded, so go Thursday if you can, before the weekend rush. Buy online ahead of time for the best ticket price.)
#7 HOLIDAY LIGHTS SEASON BEGINS: LUMINARIA AND THE AQUARIUM LANTERN FESTIVAL
Luminaria: Opens Thu., Nov. 12; Mon.–Sat., most nights 4–9 p.m., closed Sundays; through Jan. 9 | Thanksgiving Point, Lehi | Tickets: thanksgivingpoint.org | Lantern Festival: Nightly, 5:30–10 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving | Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, 12033 S. Lone Peak Pkwy., Draper | Tickets: livingplanetaquarium.org
Utah's biggest light show opens Thursday. Luminaria fills 50 acres at Thanksgiving Point with 10 million lights, music and walk-through displays. New this year are Christmas on the Lake, with lit trees over the water, and Ignite the Night, a seven-minute show in the amphitheater. Admission is by timed entry, with slots every 15 minutes, and prices vary by date, so weeknights early in the season are the best value.
The lanterns are already glowing in Draper. The aquarium's Lantern Festival lights up its outdoor plaza with larger-than-life animal lanterns, and your ticket also gets you inside the aquarium until 9 p.m. Adults from $18.95, teens from $15.95, children from $13.95, and 2 and under free.
(Editor's Note: Both are outdoors, so dress warm. Luminaria and the aquarium are about 15 minutes apart along I-15, close enough to do both in one night if you start early. Luminaria tickets are final sale, so pick your night carefully.)
#8 WIN OR GO HOME: REAL SALT LAKE AT SEATTLE
Thu., Nov. 19, 8 p.m. | Lumen Field, Seattle | How to Watch: Apple TV
RSL made it. Sergi Solans and Zach Booth scored three minutes apart early, and Real Salt Lake held on to beat the LA Galaxy 2-1 on Decision Day, grabbing the West's last playoff spot. That makes five straight postseasons for RSL, the longest active run in the Western Conference.
Now it's one game. As the No. 9 seed, RSL plays at No. 8 Seattle in a single-elimination Wild Card match. Win, and top-seeded Vancouver awaits in a best-of-three series. Lose, and the season is over.
(Editor's Note: It's a road game, so this is one to watch with friends. Check rsl.com and RSL's social accounts for watch parties around the valley.)
#9 SKI SEASON IS ALMOST HERE
Park City Mountain, Alta and Solitude: Opening Fri., Nov. 20 | Snowbird and Snowbasin: Fri., Nov. 27 | Deer Valley: Sat., Dec. 5 | Brighton: Date to be announced | All dates depend on snow | Info: skiutah.com
Opening day is less than two weeks out. Three of the Wasatch's biggest resorts are targeting Nov. 20, with Snowbird and Snowbasin following the day after Thanksgiving. Early-season terrain is limited, but nothing beats the first chair of the year.
What's new. Snowbird replaced its Chickadee beginner lift with a new four-seat chair and added snowmaking, Solitude expanded its snowmaking to open more terrain early, and Alta's renovated Albion Day Lodge opens this winter.
(Editor's Note: Opening dates move with the weather, so check each resort's site before you go. Now is the time to get gear tuned and passes sorted; shops get busy once the first storm hits.)
#10 BUY NOW: TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA
Tue., Nov. 24, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. | Delta Center, Salt Lake City | Tickets: deltacenter.com
A holiday tradition that sells out every year. Trans-Siberian Orchestra brings The Ghosts of Christmas Eve back to the Delta Center for two shows the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. It's a rock opera built on Christmas classics, with a wall of guitars, a full string section and enough lights and pyrotechnics to fill an arena. The best seats go well before show week.
Video: Trans-Siberian Orchestra performs "O Come All Ye Faithful / O Holy Night" in Green Bay, Wis., Nov. 13, 2025.
(Editor's Note: The 3 p.m. matinee is the better pick for younger kids and for anyone driving in from Utah or Weber County. For more holiday shows to book now, see our Christmas & Holiday Events guide.)
BONUS DEADLINE ALERT: FREE TABERNACLE CHOIR CHRISTMAS TICKETS
When: Register by Sun., Nov. 15 • Concerts Dec. 17–19 at 8 p.m. | Where: Conference Center, 60 W. North Temple, Salt Lake City | Tickets: Register at thetabernaclechoir.org →
Last week to register. Free tickets to the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square's Christmas concerts are awarded by random drawing, and registration closes Sunday, Nov. 15. Each household can enter once for a pack of four tickets, and guests must be 8 or older. Pick every night you could attend to improve your odds. Winners are notified by email by Dec. 1.
Who's singing? The 2026 guest artists haven't been announced yet. Past guests include Kristin Chenoweth, Lea Salonga and Stephanie J. Block.
If you don't win, a standby line forms in the Tabernacle on Temple Square 90 minutes before each concert. The choir also performs a Christmas "Music & the Spoken Word" broadcast on Sun., Dec. 20, at 9:30 a.m. in the Conference Center. It's free to attend with a reservation at TempleSquare.org, and reservations weren't open yet as of early November.
More From Mountain & Main
The holidays are here, and the calendar is filling fast. Our Christmas & Holiday Events guide has the lights, concerts, markets and family traditions along the Wasatch Front, from Temple Square to the Hogle Zoo, with dates and ticket links. Many of the season's biggest shows sell out early, so plan ahead.
There's more to read, too. Visit the Mountain & Main home page for our latest stories on Utah sports, the Great Salt Lake, local people and places, and the newest issue of the magazine, free to read online.