People came from all over the West to celebrate Pioneer Day in Utah. The Days of '47 Parade started off the celebration in Salt Lake City.

Glittering floats complete with dancing seagulls, came from all over the Salt Lake Valley. Floats fit the theme "Still Pioneering Together" and many celebrated the diversity that can be found in Utah, as well as the history of the state.

Pioneer Day celebrates the first settlers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints entering the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. Brigham Young was president of the church, and proclaimed "this is the place," when he saw the Salt Lake Valley, indicating that church members were going to settle here.

Parade patrons cheered as horse-drawn carriages and classic cars passed down the street. People got to their feet as representatives from the nation's military went past. The crowd yelled encouragement and thank-you's to the soldiers, and some could be seen wiping away tears.

Other activities throughout the day included carnivals and fairs in many cities around the state. Lots of people headed to This Is The Place Heritage Park for activities from the pioneer time period.

Michelle Wilcox, from Salt Lake City, watched her kids run hoops down the street as part of a pioneer game activity.

"We're enjoying the festivities," she said. Wilcox and her family have come to the park before, but never on Pioneer Day.

"There are a lot more activities today," she said. Her son Abram said he really enjoyed chasing the hoops.

"I'm really good at it,' Abram said. "I only crashed three times."

Patrons were able to tour 46 historical buildings, hear histories from historical interpreters about the area and participate in daily activities from the period. Kids were shown how to wash clothes on washboards and make rope by some park employees and volunteers. Other homes housed arts and crafts projects or games and toys like sack races or stamping pieces of leather.

Brian Westover, the coordinator of historical interpretation at the park, said that the park is getting more visitors every year.

The park is open 364 days a year, but most of the historical interpreters are there during the seasonal summer months, he said. The park usually hires around 80 seasonal employees and also relies on volunteers. Westover said between 40 and 50 volunteers were at the park for the Pioneer Day celebration.

"I wouldn't trade this for any other job in the world," Westover said.

Bob Blair is a part of the Sierra-Nevada Mormon Pioneers. The group was organized by the LDS Church to teach early church history that occurred west of Utah.

Blair's group shot a replica cannon, explaining the connection it had to Utah through the Mormon Battalion. The original cannon was purchased in California by the battalion and brought back to Utah.

The Sierra-Nevada Mormon Pioneers mostly live west of Utah, and participate in historic re-enactments in California and other places, Blair said. It was the first time the group had been at Heritage Park for Pioneer day, Blair said.

"It's a lot of fun," he said. "It's a lot of spiritual stuff too."

The group also teaches the history of the LDS Church in early California. For one festival there, the group marches up the same street that the Mormon Battalion did. Blair said the march is a spiritual experience for many involved.

"The more I study the history of the church, the stronger my testimony becomes," Blair said.

Copyright Brigham Young University 25 Jul 2008