Pioneer Day - Utah State Holiday

Today we celebrated Pioneer Day. This is a Utah State holiday celebrating the pioneers entering the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. It is also and LDS holiday celebrated throughout the world by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

In our little community the day starts with a flag raising ceremony and then a pancake breakfast at the park. Chuck took the kids today since I had to work, but they did bring me a plate of food. It was very good despite being a bit cold hehe.

Later in the day there is a parade on Center Street, this parade is mostly the kids in the community walking, riding bikes, riding horses or riding in one of the town's two fire engines. It probably takes longer to get every one ready to walk the 1/4 mile (if that) than it does to actually have the parade. The last entry in our little parade is always one of the fire trucks ready to get spectators nice and wet, the front window of my van is nice an clean now hehe.

After the parade the citizens and guest of our fine little community move on over to the park. The activities at the park this year includes 4-H horse exibits, the kids showed off the things they've learned this year with their horses. I think all the participants enjoyed riding around the arena holding an egg on a spoon to see who could go the longest without letting it fall and break. They also did some timed events racing through a serpintine of poles and other riding techniques.

There was also plenty of water activities. A huge water slide was the main attraction. Stacia and Shayla loved going down this. Makiya and Joshua not so much. Joshua enjoyed the bounce house and I think we all loved the potluck dinner and mingling with our friends and neighbors. Another new event this year was a greased poll. Joshua even forked over his $1 to hug the pole.

We headed home about 7:00 pm and had to get the van loaded for Chuck's trip to the SLC farmer's market tomorrow morning and then I headed into Richfield for gas so he wouldn't have to try and find an open gas station at 3:00 in the morning. It is now a great end to a great day, rain is falling and it has cooled off considerably. AND, it will be too wet for me to mow the lawn in the morning (darn hehe).

I'll post pictures tomorrow of the parade, that's the only place I had the camera with me.