Salt Lake City is a beautiful place in Utah. There are many things to do in the area.

One great activity is the day recognized as Pioneer Day. This is a great celebration held on July 24 each year.

It is also archaically known as the Day of Deliverance, but is an official holiday celebrated on July 24 in the state of Utah as well as many others. It comes complete with celebrations in regions of surrounding states that have been settled by Mormon pioneers.

It commemorates the entry of Brigham Young and the first group of pioneers to settle into the Salt Lake Valley in the year 1847 on the day July 24. It was settled as they were being persecuted and forced to leave Nauvoo, Illinois and other locations in the eastern United States.

Parades, fireworks, rodeos and other festivities help commemorate the event. This is a fun event that is enjoyed by all no matter what religion, sect, etc. they may be.

Additionally, it is not only an official holiday, but it is considered a special occasion by many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. On Pioneer Day, many Latter-day Saints walk portions of the Mormon Trail or reenact entering the Salt Lake Valley by handcart.

Many throughout the United States and around the world celebrate July 24 in remembrance of the LDS Church’s pioneer era with songs, dances and pioneer related activities. While the holiday has strong links to the LDS church and its history, it is a celebration of everyone, regardless of faith and nationality, who immigrated to the Sale Lake Valley during the pioneer era, which is considered to have ended with the 1869 arrival of the transcontinental railroad.

Many notable non-LDS American pioneers from this period include Bishop Daniel 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 1800s. The Intertribal Powwow at Liberty Park in Salt Lake City honors a rich cultural heritage and contributions of the area’s American Indians, which help residents gain a deeper understanding of the region’s history.

The holiday generates a great deal of road traffic and Department of Public Safety statistics demonstrate that Pioneer Day has the second highest holiday traffic fatality rate in Utah, with the first Tadalis SX being July 4, Independence Day with the highest rate. This is interesting to see the two holidays so close together.

The earliest precursor to Pioneer Day celebrations in Utah occurred on July 24, 1849, when the Nauvoo Brass Band led a commemoration of the second anniversary of the LDS entering the Salt Lake Valley. The first celebration of Pioneer Day in 1857 was interrupted with news of the approach of Johnson’s Army, which heralded the beginning of the Utah War.

The following occupation of the territory was by federal troops and Pioneer Day was not celebrated. Once American President Abraham Lincoln initiated a hands off policy on Utah in 1862 during the American Civil War, Pioneer Day was once again observed and expanded into surrounding areas such as the Mormon Corridor spread throughout the Intermountain West.

In the year 1880, the LDS population 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.

During the following years, the federal enforcement efforts of anti-polygamy laws including the 1882 Edmunds Act resulted in greatly subdued celebrations. The 1886 commemoration was particularly notable for its mourning theme, with the Salt Lake Tabernacle being decorated in black rather than its regular colorful bunting and the eulogizing of LDS members who were in hiding or prison for polygamy offenses.

By the year 1897, the celebration included the end of the polygamy issue in addition to the 50th anniversary of the initial arrival in the Salt Lake Valley. This was further edified with the completion of the Salt Lake Temple and the arrival at statehood for Utah.

The centennial in 1947 and the sesquicentennial in 1997 were especially large celebrations in Salt Lake City. One writer indicated that the 1947 celebrations seemed to incorporate the entire year, with July 24 only a tip of the events.

Author Bio: Terry Daniels has been writing about things to do in cities across America. He recommends things to do in Utah.

Contact Info:

Terry Daniels
TerryDaniels09@gmail.com
www.thingstodo.com

Category: Recreation and Leisure/Travel/Destinations
Keywords: things to do in utah