Author: John Yelland

  • From Backyard BBQ to Main Street: The Evolution of Grillfest

    From Backyard BBQ to Main Street: The Evolution of Grillfest

    Taking the Leap

    Reigniting GrillFest in 2025 was a true leap into the unknown. I had never organized a concert on my own, let alone an entire festival. “Meat before milk,” as they say! My original vision was modest: one day, indoors, keep it simple.

    But things snowballed.

    So many bands wanted to join that we expanded to two days. Then, after talking with the venue owner about what made the original GrillFest special, he suggested we close down Main Street and bring in food trucks and vendors. That felt right. It was a valid way of capturing the original spirit of Grillfest and scaling it up.

    And then it just kept growing. The Order of the Silver Rose reached out, offering to bring medieval combat to the festival. The Lucha Project wanted in with high-energy wrestling performances. Grillfest grew not because of me alone, but because the community caught the vision and added their own fuel to the fire.

    A Smash Hit in 2025

    By all measures, Grillfest 2025 was a smash hit.

    We drew strong crowds, generated buzz, and earned media across the board:

    While we didn’t quite sell out, attendance was robust—and more importantly, the energy was unforgettable. I was inspired not only by what went right, but also by the blind spots we discovered. Each one is a chance to build a stronger, smoother, more spectacular Grillfest.

    It reminds me of scaffolding for a great cathedral: you can see the shape, the blueprint, the promise of what’s to come. You know that if you just keep building, the result will be magnificent.

    Onward to 2026

    Now that the dust has settled, my attention is fully fixed on Grillfest 2026 and beyond.

    We sent surveys to both bands and attendees, gathering feedback on what worked well and where we can improve. That input, combined with our own lessons and vision, is already shaping our plans.

    I can tell you this: Grillfest 2026 will be bigger, bolder, smoother, and unforgettable.

    I’m excited—excited for the growth, the music, and the community we’re building together.

    Hope you’re hungry, because Grillfest is serving up seconds.

    Stay tuned. Grillfest ’26 dates will be confirmed soon.

  • Guest opinion: Why I brought back Grillfest — and why Utah needs it

    Guest opinion: Why I brought back Grillfest — and why Utah needs it

    This op-ed originally appeared in Standard-Examiner on 30 July 2025, and was written by John Yelland, Festival Director of Grillfest and Executive Director of the Meat and Metal Guild.

    In the early 2010s, a group of us in Utah’s underground music scene came together to transform a backyard into an amphitheater. We brought together all the things we loved most — tasty food, good music and each other. We called it Grillfest — a cheeky name for what was really just a family reunion for Utah’s music community. But over time, it grew into something more. Over the course of a few years, it became a small but beloved fixture in the community.

    To read the full op-ed, click here.