Wrapping up the whole trip to Utah...just in time for my next trip to begin! This post is all about Pioneer Day. Now, for those that don't know - this is a state holiday in Utah. The 24th of July is celebrated as the day that the LDS Pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley, after months of crossing the plains of the central U.S. in 1847. It's a great celebration of the cultural heritage of Utah - and is something that is celebrated by groups of Mormons all over the world. In Utah, however, it's special. Things kick off with the Days of '47 Parade, in downtown Salt Lake City. Usually, you just watch the parade on TV - but this year, we made a special trip for G-Man to watch the "live" parade. After the great experience that he had watching the 4th of July parade in D.C. (here), we knew he would enjoy it. As the marching bands walked past us, G-Man was captivated:
The parade was fantastic - floats, horses, marching bands, local celebrities...and clowns ; ) The colors were amazing:
An awesome float - most were created by LDS Stakes in Utah
A marching band from the Tongan community - they were great
Another great float-combining square-dancing, flappers and kids from the 50s
At one point, I experienced something phenomenal. First, you have to understand that the people of Utah are fiercely patriotic. I could write several posts as to why that's the case...but it just is. They take the 4th of July quite seriously (it's one of the best places to celebrate the 4th, next to Boston & D.C.). During the parade, along came a group of soldiers, marching in formation. At the moment that they appeared, the entire crowd jumped to its feet and applauded. It was an emotional and spontaneous moment. Regardless of your politics - or feelings about what our military service is engaged in - supporting these young men and women is an important thing for all Americans.
Later that day, we went to the Taste of the Valley - at the historic Utah Valley Courthouse. This was a celebration of food, including many of the best restaurants in the area. It was a real treat to experience all of those different cuisines. While there, they entertained kids with face paint and balloons. I experienced a proud moment as G-Man had a BYU logo painted on his face:
It brought a little tear to my eye...
G-Man and his cousin then had the chance to pick out their very own animal balloons. What a great day!
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