GREEN RIVER — As KUGR celebrates its 50th anniversary, the station is taking a look back at how Green River has changed since it first signed on the air.
This week, we’re exploring the history of Flaming Gorge Days and some of the biggest musical acts that have performed at the annual celebration.
Before Flaming Gorge Days existed, Green River hosted Mickey Finn Days, a community event that TRN’s own Al Harris described as little more than a large beer festival.
The buckets of beer sold at Mickey Finn days funded the fireworks show for the Fourth of July celebration, but the population of Green River was only about 4,000 at the time.
As the town grew, city leaders decided to discontinue Mickey Finn Days and they needed a new way to raise money for the annual fireworks show. That effort eventually led to the creation of Flaming Gorge Days.
In addition to parades, family activities and community gatherings, Flaming Gorge Days has brought nationally known musicians to Green River over the years. Among the most memorable performances in recent years were concerts by Papa Roach, the Eli Young Band, Styx, and Ned LeDoux.
