For our first walkabout, our group went to Red Butte Garden, a botanical garden located just south of the University. That afternoon, the “Be Well Utah” fair was at the gardens, with booths of different health related companies, babysitting clinics, and events for children. The event was orientated towards children, with most of the attendees being mothers and their kids. These were generally young mothers, seemingly from middle class. Our group, however, was the only group of teenagers at the event. Most people, presenters and attendees alike were incredibly nice, but seemed to internally question why we were at the gardens, as our group did not fit the general demographic of the event.
The “Be Well Utah” fair was a large draw for the gardens. The organizers picked it because of its connection to the outdoors, a major portion of recreation in Utah. The event, free to the public, drew people to the gardens, tapping into a demographic that does not regularly attend the gardens. This event was geared towards young families, with the babysitting clinic acting as the biggest draw. Although the event was titled “Be Well Utah,” wellness did not seem to be the focus. Instead, parenting and associated family matters seemed to be the center of the event. This correlated with the moms and young children attending the event.
The event caused a lack of communication between groups. Presenters sitting behind their booths would smile, answer any questions, and carry on conversations, but families stayed away from each other, living in their own worlds. This could be due to the fact that mothers were trying to keep an eye on their children, but the lack of verbal communication between groups stuck me. There were a good amount of signs, reading material, other forms of non-verbal communication. This was because of the fair and the different presentations. Towards our group, individuals smiled, but were reserved. As college students, we definitely stood out among the young moms and children. People were nice, but stayed away from us, almost as if we shouldn’t have been there. I found this interesting, as we don’t look like an imposing or scary bunch; all of us are pretty innocent looking.
Overall, Red Butte is an incredibly beautiful place. In fact, our group even discussed how it would work well as a date spot. It’s proximity to the mountains, it’s connection to the land and nature’s beauty would make it a great place for a romantic picnic. Because of this, Red Butte is often used as a space for weddings, receptions, and other formal events. Certain areas, especially by the pond or around the benches reminded me of settings from a romantic movie. It truly is a romantic place.
I think this attitude could stem from the weddings and receptions that are often held at the gardens. I have attended receptions here before and so I associate Red Butte with feelings of romanticism.
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