St. George Scoop - Week of April 20, 2026

After two weeks of fair crowds, concerts, and demolition derbies, things downshift a little this week. And honestly, that's welcome. This is one of those stretches where the best stuff in southern Utah isn't on a schedule. The Lyrid meteor shower peaks on Wednesday morning under dark, moonless skies. Mindy Gledhill brings her album release tour to town the same evening. The farmers’ market wraps up its last month of winter hours. And MAMMA MIA! keeps rolling in Hurricane if you want a fun night out without driving far.

Sometimes the quieter weeks are the best ones.

Peak: Early morning hours of Wed, Apr 22 Best viewing: After midnight through predawn, looking northeast Free (obviously)

This is the week's best excuse to stay up late, or set an alarm. The Lyrid meteor shower peaks in the early hours of Wednesday, April 22, and conditions this year are unusually good. The moon is a thin crescent and will be out of the sky well before the best viewing window, which means dark skies from about 1 AM through dawn.

Expect 10-20 meteors per hour under clear skies, with the chance for brighter fireballs. The Lyrids are one of the oldest recorded meteor showers, dating back to 687 BCE, and they're known for occasionally producing unexpected surges.

Where to go: Snow Canyon State Park, which earned its International Dark Sky designation just last year, is the closest premium dark sky spot. The Red Mountain Trailhead on SR-18 between Diamond Valley and Dammeron Valley is another solid option with minimal light pollution. Or just drive 10-15 minutes outside of town and find a dark pulloff. April is Dark Sky Month in Utah, so this is the perfect week to take advantage of it.

Link: earthsky.org - Lyrid meteor shower guide

Link: Snow Canyon Dark Sky info

Wed, Apr 22, 7 PM Utah Arts Academy, St. George Tickets from ~$15 on Eventbrite

Mindy Gledhill brings her "Phone Booth Sessions" release tour to St. George on Wednesday night. If you're not familiar, she's a Utah-based indie pop artist with a big following, known for songs like "I Do Adore" and "Anchor," plus a feature on Kaskade's Grammy-nominated album. Her live shows are intimate and personal, with stories behind each song.

The Utah Arts Academy is a smaller venue, which means this one could sell out. If you're interested, grab tickets sooner rather than later.

Link: mindygledhill.com/tour

Through May 9 | Hurricane City Fine Arts Center, 92 S 100 W, Hurricane Mon, Fri, Sat at 7 PM | Sat matinee at 2 PM Ticketed | General admission seating

Hurricane Theatrical's MAMMA MIA! keeps going strong through May 9. Theatre doors open 30 minutes before showtime, and there's a cast meet-and-greet after every show. This is a fun, easy Friday or Saturday night option, especially now that the fair crowd has cleared out and parking in Hurricane is back to normal.

MAMMA MIA

Downtown Farmers Market Sat, Apr 25, 10 AM-2 PM | Vernon Worthen Park, 300 S 400 E, St. George | Free

This is one of the last Saturdays of winter hours (10 AM-2 PM). Starting in May, the market shifts to summer hours (8 AM-12 PM) and the whole vibe changes, with earlier mornings and the season's first real heat. Take advantage of the 10 AM start while you can. 50+ vendors, live music, local produce, baked goods, and handmade goods.

Link: downtownfarmerstg.com

Tuacahn Saturday Market Sat, Apr 25, 10 AM-2 PM | 1100 Tuacahn Dr, Ivins | Free

Also on winter hours (10 AM-2 PM) through the end of April. The market shifts to 9 AM-1 PM in May. Local artwork, crafts, food, free live entertainment, and the Tuacahn Cafe pancake breakfast until noon.

Link: tuacahn.org/saturday-market

Sun, Apr 26, 6:30-8:30 PM (doors at 6 PM) Kayenta Outdoor Stage, 881 Coyote Gulch Court, Ivins

The Center for the Arts at Kayenta kicks off a Sunday evening music series with The Remains on April 26. If you haven't spent time in the Kayenta Art Village, this is a good excuse. The setting is beautiful, the Xetava Gardens Cafe is right there for dinner, and a casual outdoor concert in the canyon at sunset is a pretty ideal way to close out a weekend.

Link: kayentaarts.org/upcoming-events

Unbound: Art of the West On view through May 30 | St. George Museum of Art, 47 E 200 North, St. George Free admission

Still the top gallery recommendation in town. Twenty-one artists rethinking Western art, from modernist abstractions to contemporary pop-Western painting. Collaboration between the St. George Museum of Art and Modern West Fine Art out of Salt Lake City. Easy to pair with downtown lunch or a Main Street walk.

Link: sgcityutah.gov - Museum of Art

This is one of those transitional weeks that longtime residents know well. The farmers markets are about to flip to summer hours. The evening light is stretching later. Daytime temps are pushing into the 80s. The fair is done, the snowbirds are starting to head home, and the canyon trails are in that sweet spot where it's warm enough to hike comfortably but not yet hot enough to regret it.

If you have a favorite trail you've been putting off, this is the week. Pioneer Park, the Red Cliffs Desert Garden, the Rim Trail at Snow Canyon. The window between "perfect" and "bring four liters of water" closes fast in southern Utah.

A warm start to the week cools off midweek before settling back into classic late-April conditions.

Wednesday's cooldown is worth noting. It actually works in your favor if you're planning to watch the Lyrid meteor shower that night, since cooler air often means clearer skies. The weekend looks comfortable for markets and outdoor plans.

This week's a good one for doing less and enjoying more. Catch the meteor shower Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. See Mindy Gledhill on Wednesday evening. Hit the farmers' market on Saturday before it shifts to summer hours. And if you need a night out, MAMMA MIA! in Hurricane is a reliable, fun pick.

Sometimes the best weeks are the ones without a headline event. Just good weather, good skies, and the kind of spring that makes you remember why you live here.

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