{"id":4164,"date":"2026-07-24T21:40:13","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T21:40:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/americanmovershub.com\/?p=4164"},"modified":"2026-07-24T21:40:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T21:40:13","slug":"thousands-descend-on-salt-lake-city-for-annual-days-of-47-parade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/americanmovershub.com\/?p=4164","title":{"rendered":"Thousands descend on Salt Lake City for annual Days of \u201947 Parade"},"content":{"rendered":"

Thousands of people lined the streets of Salt Lake City Friday \u2014 some after camping out overnight \u2014 to take in the sights and sounds of the annual Days of \u201947 Parade.<\/p>

Read more Deseret News 2026 men\u2019s and women\u2019s half marathon results<\/a><\/p>

This year\u2019s rendition looked a bit different, as the semiquincentennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence was folded into the traditional celebration of pioneers formally reaching the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847.<\/p>

A pair of Apache helicopters and another pair of Black Hawk helicopters kicked things off with a bang, flying over the route before the first floats began trickling down 200 East.<\/p>

For the Andersen family, the parade marked the meeting ground for their family reunion of around 35 family members.<\/p>

And while large families are far from unusual at an event like the Days of \u201947 Parade, the Andersens came from all over \u2014 including Georgia, Florida, Alabama, California and Colorado.<\/p>

\u201cWe\u2019ve come to the parade a couple times, but this is our meeting spot for our family reunion this year,\u201d Shayla Andersen said. \u201cIt\u2019s an amazing place. There\u2019s amazing food. There\u2019s amazing drinks. The sense of family unity. The mountains. The weather. It\u2019s amazing.\u201d<\/p>

Her parade highlight?<\/p>

A surprise appearance of President Dallin H. Oaks of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who, along with his wife Sister Kristen Oaks, appeared in the parade route following President Camille N. Johnson, general president of the Relief Society, who served as this year\u2019s grand marshal.<\/p>

\u201cEverybody always goes all out on the floats \u2014 the policemen and their trucks, the fire department \u2014 everybody\u2019s just in good spirits,\u201d Andersen said. \u201cI\u2019m just thankful for the weather and to be here with my family and for our freedom.\u201d<\/p>

While the parade is a July staple for many families from the Beehive State and beyond, others found themselves enjoying the spectacle for the first time in a while.<\/p>

Such was the case for West Valley City resident Bryan Sundstrom, who was attending the parade for the first time since he was a child and, now, with a family of his own.<\/p>

\u201cThey\u2019re loving it. Having a good time,\u201d Sundstrom said, adding that the parade brings back childhood feelings of seeing floats, music and all the sights associated with a parade.<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s really nice to bring that experience to them,\u201d Sundstrom said. \u201cIf anybody\u2019s wondering if they should come \u2014 definitely.\u201d<\/p>

Read more 4 disease outbreaks making people sick this summer<\/a><\/p>

This year saw a record-setting 147 parade entries passing through downtown Salt Lake City, according to Parade Chair Jodene Smith.<\/p>

While the parade commemorates the arrival of the pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, many attendees said the event has become just as much about family traditions and creating memories that span generations.<\/p>

For some spectators, the highlights are the floats, horses and marching bands. For others, the annual gathering is a chance to honor their ancestors and celebrate Utah\u2019s heritage alongside friends and family.<\/p>

The Days of \u201947 Parade has celebrated Utah\u2019s pioneer history for more than 175 years.<\/p>

\u201cIt\u2019s very special,\u201d attendee Dylan Elliot said. \u201cSometimes we get hot, sweaty or tired spending one night, and we think about the pioneers trekking across the Rockies, pulling handcarts, and those who didn\u2019t make it and those who did. We\u2019re incredibly grateful they did so we can enjoy parades like today.\u201d<\/p>

Along with colorful floats, the parade includes marching bands, equestrian groups, giant balloons and community organizations, many of which spend months preparing for the annual event.<\/p>

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For spectators, however, the tradition often stretches back much longer. Scott Woodruff said his family\u2019s connection to Utah\u2019s pioneer history runs deep. \u201cWe are descendants of pioneers,\u201d Woodruff said. \u201cWilford Woodruff actually drove the wagon that Brigham Young came in the valley in, so he\u2019s my great-great-great-grandpa. It\u2019s a direct tie to that.\u201d<\/p>

Woodruff spent part of the morning sketching scenes from the parade, capturing runners, families waiting along the sidewalks and the traditions that make the celebration uniquely Utah. \u201cThis is the essence of the parade \u2014 waiting for the parade to start,\u201d he said.<\/p>

Many attendees said Pioneer Day is about more than reflecting on the past. It\u2019s also an opportunity to celebrate Utah\u2019s diverse communities while preserving traditions for future generations.<\/p>

\u201cWe love celebrating the heritage of the pioneers and all the different cultures that are here; we love that,\u201d attendee Lisa Pauley said.<\/p>

The Days of \u201947 festivities continue through the weekend with rodeos, concerts and other events taking place across Utah.<\/p>

Read more Data centers are Congress\u2019 newest obsession<\/a><\/p><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What’s Pioneer Day? Is the Days of \u201947 Parade the oldest parade in America? When did the pioneers settle Utah?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4095,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4164","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-faith"],"yoast_head":"\nThousands descend on Salt Lake City for annual Days of \u201947 Parade - American Movers Hub<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/americanmovershub.com\/?p=4164\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Thousands descend on Salt Lake City for annual Days of \u201947 Parade - American Movers Hub\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"What's Pioneer Day? 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