Seems the official greeting for July 4th is "Happy 4th", and this is said to everyone you meet, whether a family on a hiking track, missionary serving in the Family History Library, close friend, family member, or complete stranger.
The SLC heat is rather getting to me, so on the July 4th holiday I was delighted to be invited on a friend's day trip to Little Cottonwood Canyon. We started 6.30am to miss the traffic and get an early start for our hike of about a mile to the Cecret Lake with Joyce and Bo. Once we cleared the weedy zone around the carpark we were into the native flora, and though all the forest trees were unaccustomed conifers, it was a delight to see the large range of interesting and delicate native species, many in colourful flower.
The track wasn't too steep, but better because we were walking in the cool of the morning, and It was interesting to see a forest with no gum trees. Also a pleasure to see there were still a few small drifts of snow, even though Salt Lake temperatures were daily in the 80's and 90's Fahrenheit.
Clearly this public holiday was a family day, for the many large groups we met on the track, and it was a delight to see them swarming over the rocks and around the lake.
Apparently no snakes here, but no shortage of 'fat guts' squirrels, a ground hog, and later tiny striped squirrels darting about to collect our dropped crumbs and discarded bits of biscuit.
Following the walk we retired to our friends' campsite, after a short detour to the Alta luge track.
The setting was delightful, with translucent deciduous trees and gigantic boulders by a pristine mountain stream. I was astounded to see how close the tents were set among the trees. Clearly no sudden gum tree limb drop here.
After a welcome nap and refreshing stroll around the camp city, they taught me essential missionary skills of how to throw dice and eat s'mores around the campfire.
The drive home reminded us how pleasant and cool it had been in the mountains, and the day ended with sounds of firecrackers and a TV broadcast of July 4th celebrations in the Capital.
"Don't expect too much on July 4th" many people had told me, "in Utah the day is July 24th; that's Pioneer Day, and that's the big celebration here."
And they were right. Between July 4th and July 24th I personally attended at least the following celebrations:
- Two or three Relief Society lessons on various aspects of pioneer life and achievements
- At least two major concerts featuring the military band of the Utah National Guard, along with other pioneer stage performances
- Weekly mission devotional with music and historical talk about the pioneers
- Sacrament meeting talks for most of July, and a medley choir item of stirring pioneer songs
- Tabernacle Choir broadcasts themed on the pioneers
- Pioneer Day Concert featuring actor Santino Fontana with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra
And if this wasn't enough, I even found an inspiring pioneer message myself, when I happened to go into the city building of BYU Business School. The foyer painting depicts a wide variety of Utah pioneers and their achievements, and the statement of Prophet Hinckley that informed the painting, also inspired me.
All the pioneer messages I have heard, have been inspiring and wonderful, and today the celebrations have been lots of fun. Reminded me a bit of ANZAC Day in Australia - a community defining itself - but with a slightly greater focus on Utah pioneers and less on the Australian military forces.
Our group started the morning by meeting before 7, for the dawn celebration with Sons of the Pioneers. In the Tabernacle, this included a wonderful choir and other performers with patriotic and stirring songs about the nation, and especially the wagon train pioneers. Quite a few people enjoyed dressing in period costume. Uniformed soldiers (as they would have been in the Mormon Battalion days) hoisted flags for the national anthem, and there was an inspiring talk about pioneers by Elder L. W. Clayton of the Seventy.
Then there was breakfast. After a few minutes of jam in the traffic we arrived at the 20th Ward LDS chapel in The Avenues, and joined the long queue. And what a breakfast! Following what I understand to be a 40 year tradition for this group, we became part of about 1,000 people who were treated to a wonderful meal.
Then it was time for the parade - a real American parade - I was excited, and it was just as much as fun as I imagined, with floats and bands and clowns blowing bubbles from a penny-farthing bike. There were horses and mules and princesses, and beautifully restored vintage cars, There was a jazz band, and Momma's evangelical church turned out in gold and purple, and more messages about families and emergency preparedness, and young women values than I care to remember. There were rocket ships and sparklers and globes of the world, and more than one patchwork quilt! Real cowboys in authentic pioneer dress. And there were marching bands; school bands, all turned out in matching dress, with flag twirlers and feathered hats, and in every band a row of shining tubers along with the drums and trumpets and other instruments.
But for all the wonderful things we saw, I have to say that my favourite was the parade of horses that made up some type of cavalry group, and that didn't really seem to be part of the parade at all!
And after the parade I went home to put my feet up; and in the spirit of the day, watched some of the lectures from the Men and Women of Faith series.
Wonderful pioneers.
