In Pleasant Grove, Utah, you can visit Evermore Park, an immersive fantasy land of imagination and family-friendly fun. Not to be confused with Taylor Swift's Grammy-winning album Evermore, this theme park is not your average amusement park. Evermore is a world built on play, mystery, and a place where history comes to life in a special world of its own.
It is hard to imagine that this spectacular place is in the middle of a bustling town. A place where reality and dreams collide, Evermore Park presents a unique theatrical experience for all who dare to enter its doors. Nestled just 30 minutes south of Salt Lake City, this experience park had its soft opening last September and is now open to the public.
The History of Evermore Park
The park's founder and creator, Ken Bretschneider, said the idea started when he was a 5-year-old boy. He remembers a Dutch family that lived in their neighborhood. The father would create elaborate tree forts, submarines, and interesting objects for his children as well as Bretschneider. This served as an important form of escapism from his unfortunate childhood abuse.
Through his adulthood, he gathered his family and friends and decided to create their own fantastical world at his home. Every Halloween, they would conjure up elaborately themed parties. They started small around 2009, but fast forward to 2013, which saw 11,000 come through Bretschneider's home every Halloween. In part with his travels to Europe, he wanted to create a European Village in the middle of Utah, a sort of living stage he calls it.
What to Expect at Evermore
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When asked what people should expect before visiting Evermore, CEO Ken Bretschneider says "that's an immersive, interactive experience...we combine a show, a living, walking experiential show where you can experience an adventure, then go into a festival environment and experience the festival. We also offer experiential retail, food, entertainment, and visual effects with different artistic-based entertainment. We'll have everything from music to acrobatics and magic shows all integrated into the storyline and cohesive to the storyline. That's what we do."
At Evermore, you choose your own adventure. You can meet the full cast of characters that you would expect to meet in an old English town. The fully immersive experience presents opportunities such a joining a guild, dining at Vanders Keep, watching the famous bird and reptile show, or seeing the late-night monster show. Other popular activities include archery, ax throwing, games and quests, train rides, and musical performances.
Important Theme Park Information
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Evermore Park operates in seasons (past seasons include Mythos, Pyrra, Lore, and Aurora). Each season has its own storyline, town theme, activities, and special magic for guests (called "World Walkers"). The next season is dubbed "Vinterlume" and opening dates have yet to be published.
In January of 2021, Evermore Park had to cancel its winter production due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, making it the latest Utah business to be affected by economic woes. If you're planning on taking a trip to Evermore Park in 2021, find out everything you need to know about your visit at the park's website, evermore.com.
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