Bluegrass Music, Native American dancers, and dozens of artisans on site make Alpine Mountain Days a must stop during a Star Valley summer. (SVI Photo)

Alpine’s 36th annual Mountain Days runs this weekend Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 26-28 with festivities for the entire family offered all weekend. The opening ceremony is at noon on Friday, and the fun doesn’t stop until Sunday afternoon.

“Join us in Alpine as we celebrate 36 years of Mountain Days,” said Melody Leseberg, who serves the Town of Alpine as Public Works Administrator, in an email to SVI Media. Leseberg recounted the history of the festival that began in 1990 “through the vision and dedication of Jan Rollins and Marge Grover, the founders and co-chairs of this annual community celebration for 36 years. From the very first Mountain Days event, they envisioned a festival that would bring together residents, visitors, local businesses, artisans, entertainers, and volunteers to celebrate the unique heritage, culture, and community spirit of Alpine and the surrounding region.”

Though the tradition began as a “small community gathering,” it has grown into a “tradition that showcases local history, family-friendly activities, live entertainment, Native American cultural demonstrations, food and merchandise vendors,” and is one of the “largest and most anticipated weekend festivals in the area,” said Leseberg.

With an opening ceremony scheduled for noon on Friday, this year’s festivities offer breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, pony rides, bounce houses, music, food and product vendors. Folks are invited to collectively create the annual banner that will be displayed on the wall of the civic center.  Guests can expect a chili cook-off, cultural presentations by Native Americans and Star Valley Circus, as well as live music with Carson Hasher in concert on Saturday evening at 7 p.m.

“Today, Alpine Mountain Days continues to honor the vision of its founders by creating an event that brings people together to celebrate the beauty, traditions, and welcoming spirit of Alpine,” said Leseberg. “We are proud to continue this tradition and extend our gratitude to all of the volunteers, sponsors, vendors, performers, and visitors whose support has helped make Alpine Mountain Days a lasting success for more than three decades.”

For a full schedule and more information, visit svinews.com/event/alpine-mountain-days.