It was a crisp spring evening on Main Street USA as locals and visitors alike packed an old J.C. Penney store turned art gallery. The crowd was singing along with every word as remnants of Code Blue Revival played Don McLean’s “American Pie.” In the back room, artists of national acclaim were holding court on a joyous evening in the tiny east-central Utah town.

It was Saturday night in Helper, Utah, with lights adorning the half-mile stretch of Main Street as families went shop to shop, gallery to gallery, enjoying a weekend together.

Helper’s early growth period began in the 1880s, when the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad built a rail terminal there. Nearby coal mines kept the economy thriving well into the 20th century. The notorious Butch Cassidy also did a stint in Helper, robbing a local coal company.

Thirty years ago my wife, Carole, and I first stumbled onto Helper, making our way back from a Jeep adventure to Moab. We wandered into an antique store, commenting on how this town had a lot of potential. Fast forward to today and that hometown America feel has turned into a vibrant community with an alluring retro image and a welcomeness that beckons you in. 

Whether you enter from the north or south, you are greeted by restored vintage gas stations. Amy and Jaron’s year-old Helper Beer is packing in pizza lovers with some truly notable brews. Its community bulletin board showcases art, writing, and acting classes.

For more than three decades, Helper has been known as Utah’s Christmas Town. The annual holiday festival attracts thousands for a craft show, luminary memorial and an electric light parade over a series of weekends.

The town knows how to have a good party. Helper Vibes, a street festival held on many Saturdays throughout the summer, has added yet another dimension to town with live music, vendor booths and a welcoming vibe.

I wandered into the Vintage Motor Company in the restored Lincoln Hotel. Owner Gary DeVincent, a Salt Lake City transplant, showed me around his collection of meticulously restored Harley-Davidson and Indian motorcycles. I was more attracted to the collection of brand new-looking retro highway signs on the walls.

“They’re all originals,” said DeVincent.

In the adjoining garage, I stood in awe at a 1967 Chevrolet Sting Ray into which DeVincent had just dropped a brand new 427 under the hood. Out front at a busy hot dog stand and malt shop called The Filling Station, DeVincent’s wife Malarie had a line of customers.

Just a few doors down, Mayor Lenise Peterman was hanging out in the K2 Gallery, talking with visitors and locals. I was mesmerized by the paintings of cars on the wall, chatting it up with artist Kate Kilpatrick about her work and her passion for cars. 

Despite being a tiny old mining town, Helper’s artist scene is burgeoning. Native son David Dornan is known broadly, as are the likes of Ben and Melanie Steele, Anne Jespersen and Steve Adams, who turned the old J.C. Penney into a gallery.

At the end of the evening, bartender Eddie served me a Helper Beer Circle Back IPA as I sat at the Regis Club on Main Street, reflecting on the evening.

There’s a welcoming aura winding a thread through Helper. I came as a tourist to see what all the commotion was about, landing on a Main Street with real character.

But what I actually found was a lot more. I discovered a community that opened its arms to me like a local in a town that found a vision and followed it for others to enjoy.

Next time you’re heading to Moab, stop and check it out. Better yet, just make it your destination for the weekend. 

DETAILS

Drive: Helper is about a two-hour drive from Park City, through Provo Canyon, Spanish Fork Canyon and over Soldier Summit on U.S. 6.

Big Weekends: Check out the schedule for Helper Saturday Vibes, the Helper Arts Festival in mid-August, the the First Friday Gallery Strolls into the fall.

What Else? Lots to do over a weekend in Helper. In town, visit the Helper Museum. Consider a drive through Nine Mile Canyon to see rock art, take a hike in Spring Canyon just outside Helper or explore dinosaurs in the Jurassic National Monument south of Price.

Dining: Stone-fired pizza and sandwiches at the new family-friendly Helper Brew restaurant and brewpub at the US6 exit in Helper, or Balance Rock on Main Street (if you’re there for breakfast, try the Gomer Pile).