WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — Crews are preparing for WestFest, one year after a shooting at last summer's festival killed three people.
West Valley City says additional security measures are in place to keep people safe this year, including:
- Enhanced coordination with police, fire, and emergency response teams
- Increased public safety presence throughout the event grounds
- Additional training for staff and event personnel
- Proactive monitoring and response to concerning behavior
- Strengthened event safety and emergency preparedness planning
- Improved communication between event organizers and public safety agencies
- Ongoing review and refinement of safety procedures
- Continued commitment to providing a safe, welcoming environment for all attendees
The city has changed the schedule this year, too. WestFest starts this Wednesday and continues through Saturday, instead of Thursday through Sunday. The carnival will run from 5-10 p.m., except for Saturday, when it runs from 1-10 p.m.
Jaqueline Diviney, who grew up in Kearns, spent a lot of time at WestFest growing up. She says her parents were vendors at the festival in the '90s when it was held at Granger Park.
“My dad Larry regularly took me to WestFest, so I have that childhood experience,” she said while inside her West Valley City home. “I got to wander around and see what other folks in the community were selling.”
“It was a really fulfilling childhood. It was something I loved,” she added.
But the festival she loves has seen tragedy. Police say three people were killed at WestFest last summer, including an 8-month-old baby, as well as an 8-week-old unborn fetus. Police say after a fight broke out between two groups that night, one teen pulled out a gun and fired multiple shots.
WATCH: Family 'devastated' after 8-month-old killed in WestFest shooting
“Having a lot of guns at those events doesn’t keep people safe,” said Nancy Halden, the communications director for the Gun Violence Prevention Center. "I know it makes the gun owner feel safe, but I think you really want the trained people, the police, to be the people who are managing safety in those large groups of people."
Erika Viapiano, who has lived in West Valley City for over 20 years, says she went to WestFest last year but left before the shooting that summer.
“I was terrified when I found out a baby didn’t have a chance to live their life,” Viapiano said. "I realized that could’ve been me. That could’ve been my daughter. That could’ve been my parents, brothers — it’s scary.”
Diviney says she isn’t attending this year, but she’ll see how things go before taking her loved ones to the festival in the future.
“It should be an open and fun space, but it doesn’t feel that way,” she said. “Maybe it’s because that tragedy is still so new, so fresh. I’ll see how it goes this year before taking my niece out to the festival next year.”
