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Show 'Let there be light' at dedication Crystal chandeliers donated to State Fairpark "Let there be light" the four oldest words in the universe proved to be an apt choice to dedicate the newest addition to the Utah State Fairpark. When Mormon Church Presiding Bishop Robert Hales spoke that phrase at the ceremony Feb. 10, more than a ton of crystal chandeliers blazed into light over the Fairpark Grand Building's Grand Ballroom. The five massive chandeliers once graced the Hotel Utah's Grand Ballroom, but when the building was remodeled. they were out of place. The church's First Presidency then donated them to the Fair. "They are gifts to all the people of Utah, and to all the people who visit the Fairpark," said Fair Director Jackie Nokes. "We've waited several years to have a building worthy of displaying the chandeliers. Now that the Grand Building has been renovated, it's the perfect setting set-ting for them. She noted a little-known historic connection between the State Fair and the Hotel Utah. The former hotel stands on the site where an early version of the fair, then called the Deseret Agriculture and Mining Society, was set up back in 1856. The chandelier crystals were hand-cleaned by Utah State Fair workers to restore their sparkle. Each crystal is about 1 8 inches long and weighs more than a pound. There are over 500 crystals per chandelier. |
