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Trolley Square hosted a Fall Fest this year that included trick or treating for the youngins, aerial dancers, a car show, and what really grabbed my attention: a pumpkin drop from the water tower! So, we made our way down to come check out the festivities. I am not sure if this is a one time thing or a yearly event, but this is the first I have ever heard of it. I would love to come back and do it again though!
Quick Details:
Length: I didn’t turn my pedometer on today, but I imagine we probably did about a mile wandering around.
Trail Type: meander.
Difficulty: Paved and flat. DR2.
Elevation Gain: NA
Restroom: Yes.
Dogs? No.
Other Info: The event itself was free, but the trick or treating, and pumpkin drop costs money (plus whatever you pay for the pumpkin, from the Whole Foods right there, or elsewhere).
To Get Here:
Take i15 to 600 South and head east. Just before 700 East it will be on the left. Additional parking on the right.
602 E 500 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84102
I love when the clouds are low enough to obscure the top of the mountains (Passenger Seat Photography (PSP)). I love it even more when the canyons are visible under them too.
Even better when you can see blue skies through the canyon (PSP).
The South Salt Lake Water Tower (PSP).
The Thickener Bridge (PSP).
The Adventure:
Dilapidated house at the north end of the overflow parking lot. I wonder what might become of it.
The stairs and elevator to Thickener Bridge.
Again.
Trolley Square.
Thickener Bridge again.
Honestly, we just should have used that to get across 600 South, but meh there is a alert light to activate to cross 600 South here.
Oh, this is the first time we have seen this Historic Marker.
“Central City Historic District
Utah Light and Railway Co. Car Barns (Trolley Square)
Salt Lake City was one of the first cities in the U.S. to introduce a trolley car system, electrifying its first line in 1889. Railroad magnate E.H. Harriman purchased a controlling interest in Utah Light Railway Company with plans to build a state-of-the-art trolley system as a model for the world. He invested $3.5 million in this site, constructing the unusual mission-style car barn complex during 1908-10. The largest building was used as the berth for the trolleys. The middle building served as the machine or "rip" shop and blacksmith shop. The north building was the paint and carpenter shop. The smaller east building was the sand house. The water tower was designed to hold 50,000 gallons of water in case of fire.
The railway venture operated out of this location until August 19, 1945, after which the Salt Lake City buses were housed here until 1970. Trolley Square was one of the first large-scale adaptive reuse projects in the country when the historic buildings were converted into a festival marketplace. Relics from around the West were rescued and installed as accent pieces. Trolley Square opened in June of 1972.
Marker placed in 1997 in recognition of Trolley Square's 25th Anniversary.”
Then we arrived to the fest!
The first thing we saw was the small car show. I love the skellies on this one.
Then there was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle themed one. Yay!
Pretty yellow one.
More.
Hah! I love the tentacles.
Aerial artist. I think this is from the Salt Lake City Circus Center. Neat. Looking back, I wish I had stopped by to see what's up… but you know, I was on a mission today!
The Trolley Square Water Tower.
Again.
Pumpkin carnage below it.
The top of the tower. It looks like the Salt Lake Police Department is coordinating the pumpkin drop.
People heading up. It looks like they were limiting groups to about 10 or so for safety reasons.
Getting ready to toss a pumpkin.
There it goes.
Woo!
Splat! hahaha Yay! I don’t know why, but this is amazing.
Tossing a white pumpkin.
Then we wandered over to the east side.
The tower.
Getting ready to toss a pumpkin.
There it goes.
Again.
Into the pile of smashed pumpkins.
The next pumpkin.
There it goes.
Down.
Into the pile.
Video.
Here comes another one.
There it goes.
Woo.
Splat!!!
There goes a white one.
The neat water tower.
From the side directly.
Smashed pumpkins.
Here comes another group.
The tower again.
Again.
Some of the pumpkin pieces escaped the netting.
Getting ready to toss another pumpkin.
There.
It.
Goes.
Splat!
HAHAHAHA I don’t know why, but this is super fun!
I really wish I had done it myself. But I didn’t think today was the day to discover if my fear of heights would let me get to the top or not.
Another video.
Here comes another.
Woo!
Splat!
Another video.
The line waiting for their turn to drop a pumpkin.
Another white one.
Splat!
Well that was fun! But we decided to go find some coffee and maybe do a little shopping.
Between the buildings.
The new café in the trolley. We figured they might have coffee, but I guess they were closed for a private event.
I don’t think I like it’s facelift. It’s… not exactly dignified is it? It used to be Trolley Wing Company and I believe they kept the original paint job.
A model of the original buildings.
We found Happy Camper Deli and Bakery, we correctly assumed they would have coffee. I love the little National Forest themed sign. They appear to like alternative malls. There is another location out at Gardner Village.
The neat fountain.
They are running the little train today. Fun.
They moved this car.
This one too.
A new jewelry store being put together.
We didn’t fully explore the mall, since we did that just a few months ago.
The trolley car again. Again, I am not a fan of the facelift.
The water tower again.
Another video.
Pumpkin guts. You can also see a large pile from the ones that missed in the garden there LOL. I am guessing this is one of the reasons they are limiting the group sizes. They don't want anyone climbing up the tower to get beaned by an errant pumpkin.
The tower again.
Closer.
The festival is starting to cleanup for the day. They sure weren’t kidding about the 3 PM end time.
Another group heading up, and I think I solved the mystery from last time. That appears to be a gate on the 2nd spiral. I knew they wouldn’t just leave it open for the public to use randomly haha. I just didn’t see it last time.
The giant pumpkin.
The tower.
Smashed pumpkins.
Another video. I got some good debris flying out with this one.
Here we go!
Woo!
Splat!
Another pumpkin.
Just before impact lol.
Almost all cleared out.
The giant pumpkin.
The last remaining cars.
The main building.
Thickener Bridge again.
Squirrel! Quite the tail on that one.
Stairs and elevator to the Thickener Bridge.
The bridge again.
The dilapidated house again.
With the water tower.
I wasn’t fast enough with the camera, but we drove by again a little bit later and the SLPD had a good dozen or so bags of pumpkin bits in a truck. That was so awesome of them to coordinate it safely, and clean up after it. I imagine that parking lot might not smell the greatest until after a good rainstorm or 2.
Anyway, that was way more fun than I thought it would be! Who knew watching pumpkins go splat would be so neat! Again, I kind of wish I had done it myself, but meh. It was still neat just watching other people do it. 10 for 10. I would absolutely come back if they do it again!
As for difficulty, it is flat and paved. DR2.
Dogs are not allowed, so be sure to leave Fido home for this.
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