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St. George Combines City Hall Grand Opening with Heritage Day Celebration This Saturday

St. George marks a historic milestone on January 17, 2026, combining its annual Heritage Day celebration with the grand opening of its new $45 million City Hall at 61 South Main Street.

St. George Word of Mouth
January 14, 2026
3 min read
Featured image for St. George Combines City Hall Grand Opening with Heritage Day Celebration This Saturday - St. George marks a historic milestone on January 17, 2026, combining its annual Heritage Day celebration with the grand opening of its new $45 million City Hall at 61 South Main Street.

St. George will mark a historic milestone this Saturday, January 17, 2026, as the city combines its annual Heritage Day celebration with the grand opening of its new City Hall at 61 South Main Street.

Mayor Jimmie Hughes announced the dual celebration, calling it an opportunity to honor the city's pioneer past while welcoming its civic future. The day's festivities begin with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11 a.m., followed by the traditional Heritage Day root beer floats from noon to 2 p.m. inside the new building's Civic Room.

"One of my favorite annual traditions is serving root beer floats on Heritage Day to celebrate St. George's birthday," Hughes stated in a message to residents. "Talking to residents as they make their way through the line gives me a sense of connection that is so uplifting."

A Nod to Pioneer Heritage

The celebration coincides with St. George's 164th birthday. The city was founded in October 1861 when 309 families were called to establish what became known as the Cotton Mission under the direction of LDS Church leader Brigham Young. The settlement was named in honor of George A. Smith, an LDS Church apostle who helped organize the pioneering company.

The new City Hall's address pays tribute to that heritage. According to the City of St. George, the number 61 in the address serves as a deliberate nod to those 309 founding families who settled in 1861. The building sits across from the Historic Tabernacle, the Dixie Academy building, and Historic Town Square, near the original Pioneer Courthouse.

A $45 Million Investment in Growth

The $45 million facility was constructed to address significant growth the city has experienced since the previous City Hall was dedicated in 1980. At that time, St. George had a population of approximately 11,350 and employed about 100 full-time staff. The city has since grown to over 100,000 residents, requiring 847 full-time and 500 part-time employees to deliver services.

The new three-level building encompasses approximately 69,500 square feet and offers several improvements over its predecessor:

  • Council Chambers capacity expanded from 150 to 300 persons, with flexibility to serve as a community room, training center, or public forum space
  • A 4,350-square-foot indoor civic space on the ground level for civic events, art installations, and informational exhibits
  • A new parking structure tripling available parking with 290 stalls accessible around the clock

Former Mayor Michele Randall, who broke ground on the project in September 2023, noted during the groundbreaking ceremony that the facility was designed with transparency and public accessibility in mind.

"City Hall belongs to the people, so with that in mind the facility will have an open, clean, well-lit, safe and friendly environment that the community will easily identify as welcoming and open to all," Randall stated at the time.

Free Community Activities

In addition to the City Hall celebration, residents can enjoy free admission to several city amenities throughout the day, including:

  • St. George Carousel
  • Thunder Junction train at Thunder Junction All Abilities Park
  • SunTran bus rides
  • St. George Recreation Center
  • Sand Hollow Aquatic Center
  • St. George Museum of Art

The previous City Hall building will be repurposed for use by the St. George Police Department, providing training facilities and office space to augment the department's headquarters.

City Hall hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, residents can contact the city at 435-627-4000 or visit sgcityutah.gov.

Event Details

Join the celebration at the City Hall Grand Opening and Heritage Day Celebration this Saturday, January 17, 2026.

Sources:

  • City of St. George official website, "City Hall at Town Square" (sgcityutah.gov/government/city_hall_at_town_square.php)
  • Wikipedia, "St. George, Utah" (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._George,_Utah)
  • Utah History Encyclopedia via Utah Education Network (uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/s/ST_GEORGE.shtml)

Mentioned Businesses

Town Square

Parks • St. George

Historic downtown park with water feature, carousel, and venue for community events and farmers markets.

(435) 627-4530
50 South Main Street
Sand Hollow Aquatic Center

Recreation & Fitness • Hurricane

Sand Hollow Aquatic Center in Hurricane, Utah features indoor and outdoor pools, water slides, a lazy river, splash pad, lap swimming, and swim lessons for all ages.

(435) 635-0906
1144 W 4000 S

Thunder Junction All Abilities Park in St. George, Utah is Southern Utah's first fully inclusive playground designed for children of all abilities with sensory play, adaptive swings, and dinosaur themes.

(435) 627-4500
1851 S Dixie Dr
St. George Recreation Center

Recreation & Fitness • St. George

St. George Recreation Center offers an indoor pool, gym, basketball courts, racquetball, fitness classes, and affordable family memberships for year-round recreation in St. George, Utah.

(435) 627-4560
285 S 400 E