Fort Herriman Towne Days, MGK in West Valley

Herriman throws its biggest party of the year this weekend. Towne Days fills the city's center with a carnival, food trucks, live music, a parade, and the kind of small-town energy you do not get downtown. It is the rare festival out on the southwest edge of the valley, and locals plan their whole weekend around it.

The Cottonwood Fire is still burning in the mountains near Beaver, south of the valley. Crews have been working it for days, and the smoke and conditions are worth watching if you are heading south this weekend. One family lost a cabin that had been in their family for generations, and folks in Beaver have been pitching in to support the firefighters.

The Italian diner Cosmica in Salt Lake City now has a full liquor license. That means cocktails are on the table alongside the pasta, which opens up date-night options at one of the city's well-liked spots. It is a small change that regulars will notice the next time they sit down.

MGK brings the Lost Americana Tour to the outdoor amphitheatre in West Valley City tonight. It is a big summer show under the open sky, with the lawn and the seats both in play.

The Crane Wives play The Complex downtown tonight, with guitarist Yasmin Williams opening. It is a folk-leaning indie show in one of the city's go-to mid-size rooms.

The Utah Great 8's host the Las Vegas Rockers at the Maverik Center in West Valley on Saturday. It is an easy, affordable night of live pro basketball close to home.

A diner built around a 1930s trolley car up Emigration Canyon, serving mile-high biscuits with every meal for nearly a century. The creekside patio is the seat to ask for.

Under a mile up an exposed hillside to a marker that overlooks the whole valley, the Great Salt Lake, and the surrounding ranges. Bring water and time it for evening light.

A tram climbs 2,900 feet to 11,000-foot Hidden Peak with an open-air rooftop deck, the only one of its kind in the country. Hiking and wildflowers fan out from the top in summer.

Reggae night Friday at The Union Event Center in Salt Lake City.

An all-ages indie show Friday at Kilby Court in Salt Lake City.

Hip-hop Saturday at The Complex in Salt Lake City.

The future of the famous Coachman's sign in Salt Lake City now depends on a community fundraiser. The sign is a piece of old roadside Salt Lake that longtime locals know well. Supporters are trying to raise the money to keep it standing rather than let it go.

The South Salt Lake Planning Commission approved a plan for a new VA outpatient clinic along State Street. That puts veterans' care closer to home for a lot of folks in the central valley. It is part of the steady build-out happening along the State Street corridor.

Sandy's Planning Commission approved a pitch for new townhomes along 7800 South. It is another sign of how fast the south end of the valley keeps growing. More homes mean more neighbors, and more traffic on a road plenty of you already drive.

A mixed-use project with apartments and retail has been pitched for Rose Park along 1000 North. It would bring homes and shops to a part of the city's northwest side that has been quieter on the development front. Plans are still early, but it signals more change for the neighborhood.

The District North apartment project in Salt Lake City's Hardware District filed for building permits. That is the step before construction, so dirt could start moving before long. The Hardware District just west of downtown keeps filling in with new housing.