- The Special Olympics Utah Summer Games Block Party will Take Place at The Orchard on Friday, June 2 from 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
- Festivities Include the Arrival of the Flame of Hope, the Lighting of the Cauldron, Games, Music and More
Orem, UT (May 30, 2017) – University Place, a 112-acre mixed-use development project
formerly known as University Mall, today announced that on Friday, June 2 it will be hosting the official community block party to kick off Special Olympics Utah’s 2017 Summer Games.
The block party is a free event open to the public, beginning at 5:30 p.m. A brief opening ceremony will start at 6:00 p.m., which includes the arrival of the Flame of Hope carried by the athletes as well as representatives from Orem City and other law enforcement agencies. This will be followed by the lighting of the cauldron, Knights of Columbus Color Guard, and presentation of awards honoring excellence across several different areas. Immediately after the ceremony there will be games, music and the “Victory Dance” until the party ends at 8:00 p.m.
Special Olympics Utah uses the power of sports to help individuals with intellectual disabilities to focus on what they “can do” and in doing so be active and engaged in their community. This year’s Summer Games will be held in three venues in the Utah County area from June 2-3, with nearly 1,300 athletes and Unified Sports partners expected to compete.
“One of the cornerstones of Special Olympics Utah is creating inclusive communities, and University Place is the perfect location to do that,” said Wendy Kelly, director of community outreach and partnerships for Special Olympics Utah. “The Orchard is a beautiful venue, and we’re really excited to use it to kick off our 2017 Summers Games.”
Located in the heart of University Place, The Orchard is a large outdoor and versatile gathering space. Designed to bring a renewed sense of community to the area and provide people a place to come together, The Orchard is scheduled year round with activities, concerts, markets and more.
“We hope many will come and join us at the Summer Games block party as we celebrate these incredible athletes and the people who support them,” said Randy Woodbury, president of Woodbury Corporation. “This is just the first of many community events we have planned at The Orchard throughout the summer, and we encourage people to come visit us often throughout the season.”
To see a full list of Special Olympics Utah’s Summer Games events, visit www.sout.org.
About University Place
Originally developed in the early 1970s in Orem, Utah, University Place (formerly University Mall) is a 120-acre mixed-use redevelopment project that initially only included retail. Having completed the initial phases of a $500 million revitalization program, University Place is now home to upscale apartments, Class-A office space, an indoor and outdoor kid’s play area, and green space called The Orchard, that features a choreographed show fountain and is programmed year-round with events for the community. University Place was first developed and is still owned and operated by Woodbury Corporation, a 4th generation family-run business, and one of the oldest and most respected full-service real estate development and management companies in the Intermountain West. For more information about University Place and updates on the project, visit http://www.universityplaceorem.com/. For more information about Woodbury Corporation, visit http://www.woodburycorp.com/.
Press Contact
Amanda Butterfield
Woodbury Corporation PR
A_butterfield@woodburycorp.com
801-440-9837