1. The first known Leap Year celebration in Utah occurred in 1876, when a group of 40 bachelors in Salt Lake City hosted a Leap Year ball at the Walker House hotel. According to tradition, women were allowed to ask men to dance or even propose marriage during Leap Year.

2. In 1916, Utah observed its first presidential primary on Leap Day. The Republican primary garnered national attention as former President Theodore Roosevelt, running against incumbent President Woodrow Wilson, won a surprising victory in Utah.

3. Legendary Utah Jazz basketball player Karl Malone was born on February 29, 1964, in Summerfield, Louisiana. Despite technically only having a birthday once every four years, Malone is considered to celebrate on March 1 and has joked that he is only a quarter of his age.

4. The Sundance Film Festival, one of the largest independent film festivals in the world, has frequently taken place over the Leap Day weekend. The festival was founded in 1978 by Robert Redford, a longtime resident of Utah.

5. In 2002, the Winter Olympics were held in Salt Lake City. The opening ceremony took place on February 8, but the Leap Day fell during the second week of competition. The United States went on to win the most gold medals of any nation in the games.