St. George Scoop - Week of May 24, 2026

Happy almost-summer, St. George. The big season has officially landed at Tuacahn, with Les Misérables and a brand-new Finding Nemo both running under the red rocks this week. Downtown, Once Upon a Mattress is partway through its run, the farmers market has switched to early summer hours, and out in Hurricane, there's a free off-road expo if you'd rather spend the weekend kicking tires than sitting in a theater seat. Here's what's worth your time.

Dates: Tuesday, May 26, Thursday, May 28, and Saturday, May 30

Time: 8:45 p.m.

Location: Tuacahn Amphitheater, 1100 Tuacahn Drive, Ivins

Price: Tickets start around $80-$135 depending on the night

Tuacahn's 2026 season opened this month, and Les Misérables is the headliner. The company first staged it back in 2008, and it's the kind of big, sweeping production the outdoor amphitheater was built for. Expect a full orchestra, a large cast, and the canyon walls doing their part as a backdrop once the sun drops.

Shows start at 8:45 p.m., which is later than many folks expect. The upside is you're watching under a genuinely dark sky; the practical note is that it runs close to three hours, so it's a late night. Bring a layer. Even in late May, the canyon cools off once the sun is down, and you'll be glad you packed one by intermission.

Tickets and the full performance calendar are on Tuacahn's website. Parking fills up, so plan to arrive 30 to 60 minutes early.

Dates: Wednesday, May 27, and Friday, May 29.

Time: 8:45 p.m.

Location: Tuacahn Amphitheater, 1100 Tuacahn Drive, Ivins

Price: Tickets start around $50-$75

If Les Mis is the grown-up night out, Finding Nemo is the one to bring the kids to. This is a regional premiere of a condensed, 70-minute family musical version of the Disney and Pixar film, so it's a shorter, more kid-friendly evening than the full Broadway shows.

The 70-minute runtime is the selling point for families. It's long enough to feel like a real show but short enough that younger kids can make it to the end. Same 8:45 p.m. start as the other productions, so it's still a late one for little ones, but the shorter length helps.

You can buy tickets through Tuacahn's website. The earlier-week dates tend to have more availability than weekend nights.

Dates: Now through June 6

Location: Historic Opera House, 212 N Main St, St. George

Price: Check the SGMT website for showtimes and pricing

SGMT's spring production is Once Upon a Mattress, the musical comedy spin on "The Princess and the Pea." Princess Winnifred has to pass Queen Aggravain's impossible tests to win over Prince Dauntless, and the whole thing leans into slapstick, big songs, and a tower of mattresses. It's a good family option that doesn't require a drive out to Ivins.

This is one of the last seasons at the historic Opera House before SGMT moves into its new custom in-the-round theater. If you've enjoyed the intimacy of the current space, this run is a chance to catch it before the change. Showtimes and tickets are on the St. George Musical Theater website.

Dates: Friday, May 29, and Saturday, May 30

Time: Friday noon to 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Location: Washington County Legacy Park, 5500 W 700 South, Hurricane

Price: Free

For the side-by-side and overlanding crowd, the Backcountry Offroad Expo lands at Legacy Park in Hurricane this weekend. It's free to walk through, with vendors, gear, and rigs on display across two days.

Friday runs into the evening, and Saturday is the full daytime slate, so Saturday morning is your best bet if you want to see everything without the heat building. Legacy Park has plenty of room to spread out, and it's the same venue that hosts the county fair later in the year.

The Downtown Farmers Market is back on summer hours, running Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at Vernon Worthen Park (300 S 400 E). Over 50 vendors bring produce, meats, baked goods, and crafts, with live music starting about a half hour after the market opens. Get there early if you're after something specific, and bring a bag and some sunscreen since the morning heats up fast this time of year.

Out in Ivins, the Tuacahn Saturday Market also runs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on summer hours, with local art, crafts, and food set against the canyon. It's a nice pairing with a show if you're already heading that direction.

This is your last weekend for Unbound: Art of the West at the St. George Museum of Art (47 E 200 N). The traveling exhibition, curated by Modern West Fine Art in Salt Lake City, closes May 30 and brings together 21 artists who reframe what Western art can look like, from mid-century abstractionists to contemporary names. Admission is free, donations welcome. The museum is open on Fridays and Saturdays during the day, so plan accordingly before it closes.

This week's adoptable spotlight goes to Davey, a one-and-a-half-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog and Border Collie mix at the St. George Animal Shelter. He's about 50 pounds, house-trained, neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped, so he's ready to go home.

Davey is an outdoors dog through and through. The shelter says he was raised with room to roam and would do best in an active home with space to explore or a job to do, which makes him a fitting match for the trail-and-tailgate crowd around here. He's reported to get along with kids, other dogs, cats, and even chickens and ducks, so he could slot into a busy household or a place with a little acreage.

The adoption fee for dogs is $60 and includes vaccines, microchipping, and spay/neuter. The shelter is at 605 E Waterworks Dr and runs by appointment, so call 435-627-4350 to set up a visit. You can see Davey's full profile and other adoptable animals on the St. George Animal Shelter's Petfinder page.

First-timers at Tuacahn almost always ask the same thing: why does the show start so late? The answer is the sky. The 8:45 p.m. curtain is timed so the first act begins as the light is fading and the second act plays out under a full canyon-dark sky. By the time the big numbers hit, you're watching live theater with stars overhead and the red rock walls lit up behind the stage.

A couple of things locals know that visitors don't. The canyon funnels a breeze after sundown, so even on a 90-degree day, you'll want a light layer by the second act. The Tuacahn Café and grill open before the show if you want to grab dinner on-site instead of fighting the post-show drive on an empty stomach. And the parking crunch is real, so treat the 30-minutes-early advice as a minimum, not a suggestion. Get it right, and it's one of the best nights out in Southern Utah.

A warm, mostly dry stretch this week, cooling off a bit midweek. Good conditions for outdoor markets and off-road expos, and comfortable evenings once the sun drops for Tuacahn shows.

Bring a layer for any Tuacahn show, since the canyon cools down fast after dark. Saturday morning at the farmers market and the off-road expo should be pleasant if you go early, before the afternoon heat.

It's a strong week for live theater: Les Mis and Finding Nemo are both running at Tuacahn, and Once Upon a Mattress is downtown through June 6. If you'd rather be outside, the Backcountry Offroad Expo is free in Hurricane, the farmers markets are back on summer hours, and Unbound is in its final days at the Museum of Art. Pick a show, pick a morning at the market, and you've got the week covered. Know about a local event we should cover? Reply to this email and let us know. See you out there, St. George.