Pioneer Day (Utah)

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Pioneer Day
WagonTrn.jpg
Re-enactment of Mormon pioneers in the 1912 Pioneer Day Parade at Liberty Park, Salt Lake City, Utah
Observed by Utah, United States
Significance commemorates the entry of Brigham Young and the first group of Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847
Celebrations parades, fireworks, rodeos, and other festivities
Date July 24
Next time July 24, 2024 (2024-07-24)
Frequency annual

Pioneer Day is an official holiday celebrated on July 24 in the U.S. state of Utah,[1] with some celebrations in regions of surrounding states originally settled by Mormon pioneers.[2][3] It commemorates the entry of Brigham Young and the first group of Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847,[4] where the Latter-day Saints settled after being forced from Nauvoo, Illinois,[5] and other locations in the eastern United States.[6] Parades, fireworks, rodeos, and other festivities help commemorate the event. Similar to July 4, most governmental offices[1] and many businesses are closed on Pioneer Day.[7]

In addition to being an official holiday in Utah, Pioneer Day is considered a special occasion by many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).[8][9] On Pioneer Day, some Latter-day Saints walk portions of the Mormon Trail or reenact entering the Salt Lake Valley by handcart.[10] Latter-day Saints throughout the United States[11][12] and around the world may celebrate July 24 in remembrance of the LDS Church's pioneer era, with songs, dances, potlucks, and pioneer related activities.[13][14]

While the holiday has strong links to the LDS Church, it is officially a celebration of everyone, regardless of faith and nationality, who emigrated to the Salt Lake Valley during the pioneer era, which is generally considered to have ended with the 1869 arrival of the transcontinental railroad.[15] Notable non-LDS American pioneers from this period include Episcopal Bishop Daniel S. Tuttle, who was responsible for Utah's first non-Mormon schools (Rowland Hall-St. Mark's) and first public hospital (St. Mark's) in the late 1800s.[16] The Intertribal Powwow at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City honors the rich cultural heritage and contributions of the area's Native Americans, helping Utahns to gain a deeper understanding of the region's history.[17][18]

History

The interior of the Salt Lake Tabernacle as decorated for the Deseret Sunday School Union's July 1875 Pioneer Day celebration.

The earliest precursor to Pioneer Day celebrations in Utah occurred on July 24, 1849,[19] when the Nauvoo Brass Band led a commemoration of the second anniversary of the Latter-day Saints entering the Salt Lake Valley.[20]

The first celebration of Pioneer Day in 1857 was interrupted with news of the approach of Johnston's Army, heralding the beginning of the Utah War.[21] During the following occupation of the Utah Territory by federal troops, Pioneer Day was not celebrated.[22] Once President Abraham Lincoln initiated a hands-off policy on Utah in 1862 during the American Civil War[23] Pioneer Day was once again observed, and expanded into the surrounding areas as the Mormon Corridor spread throughout the Intermountain West.[22] In 1880, Latter-day Saints commemorated the Golden Jubilee of the church's formal organization in 1830; tens of thousands of people in hundreds of communities participated in very enthusiastic festivities.[22]

In the years that followed, federal enforcement efforts of anti-polygamy laws (including the 1882 Edmunds Act) resulted in greatly subdued celebrations.[22] The 1886 commemoration was particularly notable for its mourning theme, with the Salt Lake Tabernacle decorated in black instead of the usually colorful bunting, and the eulogizing of Latter-day Saints who were in hiding or imprisoned for polygamy offenses.[22] By 1897, the celebration included not only the 50th anniversary of the initial arrival in the Salt Lake Valley, but also the end of the polygamy issue, the completion of the Salt Lake Temple, and statehood for Utah.[22]

The centennial in 1947 and the sesquicentennial in 1997 were especially large celebrations in Utah. One writer indicated that the 1947 celebrations seemed to incorporate the entire year, with July 24 only being an apex to the events.[24]

The holiday generates a great deal of road traffic; Utah Department of Public Safety statistics demonstrate that Pioneer Day has the second highest holiday traffic fatality rate in Utah, with the earlier July 4 Independence Day having the highest rate.[25]

The holiday has received criticism for its lack of inclusiveness for non-Mormons.[26]

Related events

1938 Stirling Settler Days parade float celebrating the entry of the Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847, as well the arrival of Mormons into Western Canada.
  • Salt Lake City celebrates with fireworks and the "Days of '47 Parade".
  • Bountiful, Utah, celebrates with fireworks and a parade at "Handcart Days".
  • Spanish Fork, Utah, celebrates with "Fiesta Days".
  • Manassa, Colorado, celebrates Pioneer Days on the weekend closest to July 24.
  • Panaca, Nevada, celebrates Pioneer Day on the Saturday closest to July 24.[27]
  • Luna, New Mexico, celebrates "Mormon Pioneer Day" on the Saturday closest to July 24 at the village rodeo grounds with a parade, rodeo and dance
  • St. Anthony, Idaho, celebrates the annual Fremont County Pioneer Days celebration on the weekend closest to July 24.[28]
  • Stirling, Alberta, Canada, celebrates Stirling Settler Days in the third week of July.
  • With historical ties to Utah and the LDS Church, La'ie Days is celebrated during the month of July in Laie, Hawaii, often with pioneer themes.
  • Pie and Beer Day: an alternative celebration themed around food and drink pairings, primarily for non-Mormons.[29][30][31]

See also

Notes

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  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.. Reprinted with permission at Utah History to Go.
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  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.. Archive Article ID: 9925806
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

  • Media related to Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. at Wikimedia Commons
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