Wilderness festivities tonight at Gallivan

Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. will speak at the Utah Wilderness Day celebration at Salt Lake City's Gallivan Center at 7 p.m. today, and Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson also will make an appearance there.

The Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance is hosting the celebration of Utah's wild lands with food, drinks and music from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. to help draw attention to wilderness issues. Acclaimed singer and songwriter Greg Brown and local favorite Kate Macleod will provide the evening's music.

Part of the events will be welcoming the "Hybrid-pedal" cyclists who have just completed a 1,000-mile journey through Washington, Oregon and Idaho, ending their travels in Salt Lake City.

A $5 donation (free for children), which includes a SUWA membership and a chance to win door prizes, is requested at the door.

The event coincides with today's opening of the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Tradeshow, which runs through Sunday at the Salt Palace Convention Center.

According to the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau, outdoor recreation contributes nearly $6 billion annually to Utah's economy and supports 65,000 jobs in the state.