Pioneer Days--Utah Style

I am sure I have mentioned before that I grew up celebrating Pioneer Day-July 24th- in my ward. What that meant was that the Primary children would dress up in pioneer clothes and make a covered wagon with their red flyer wagon and paraded around a local park then the whole ward had a potluck dinner. It was tradition---and I think I may have thought that the whole Church was celebrating Pioneer Day in this way.

In fact, the summer our family moved to Amarillo when I was 16, it was reassuring to be attending the Ward Pioneer Day Potluck just a week after we arrived--maybe I wasn't in the middle of no-where. There were kids in pioneer clothes and sack races. Some of the food was different than we were used to--think okra-- but familiar enough.

However, the whole state of Utah celebrates the Days of 47s. It is a state holiday and a time of rodeos, parades, and fireworks. It has not been the same experience that I had growing up.  

All of these words serve as introduction to my first ever Days of 47s parade.  After all of these years of living in Utah, we had never attended one.  First, I am not a big fan of parades in general.  Second, big crowds are not appealing, and third--the traffic.  (For a football or basketball game, I can do traffic, but a parade--not so much.) However, since we literally lived a block from the parade route, it only made sense that we watch it.  Then we got a generous invitation to watch the parade from some of our senior service missionaries who live in an apartment with a balcony that overlooks the beginning of the parade...so the date was set and plans made to enjoy the Days of '47 Parade from the Pierponts' balcony on July 24--which everyone knows is Pioneer Day....

but while I was floating in the pool at Eileen's house, Gary texted me to tell me that the parade was actually on Friday, July 23rd, not on Saturday, the 24th like we thought.  That required a rearranging of our plans for Friday and Saturday, but glad he discovered that BEFORE we heard the noise of the parade on Friday morning.

This was one of the cleanest parades I have ever seen...because no candy was thrown or flyers passed out along the parade route.  After the crowds left, there was no garbage to be seen which was great.  We enjoyed the parade from our vantage point and were able to hear the announcers as they described the floats, marching bands, and other traditional parade entrants.  We enjoyed watching it with Pierponts who are transplants from New York.

Here are some photos from our birds-eye view:

The crowds gathering at the street before the parade

The color guard representing the Mormon Battalion 

He guarded the beginning of the route at State Street and South Temple

Here we are waiting for the parade

Our view from the balcony

To take photos, I had to zoom under the Eagle Gate which is

why you see the frame of it on the side of most photos.

The handcarts

The mototcycle police man had gathered in the road in front of us.

It was very noisy when they all started their motors

to take their spot in the parade.

Very impressive to see them weave in

and out as they went down the road.

Helicopter--probably from a local news station

right over our heads

Loved this truck float

The construction of the Salt Lake Temple float

Look at the head gear on these dancers!

There were a number of floats that feature bees

and beehives.  I guess that makes sense in the Beehive State.

In Texas, they would use Longhorns...

Lots of marching bands--

it is a summer band type of thing to do.

This was dedicated to missionaries around the world--

I wonder if that counted those serving in Salt Lake!

More floats---

People are so creative.  Many of these were designed by stakes in the area.  They must take a ton of time and manpower to create.

Happy Pioneer Day!  Do you know if there is a potluck at the park???   :)