Pioneer Day Celebrations in Logan and Cache Valley - 24th of July, 2012

I'll be back tomorrow with the regularly scheduled Pick of the Week, but I wanted to pop in and mention the Pioneer Day (24th of July) celebrations happening on Tuesday this week.

Do Other States Have State Holidays?

For those who don't know, Pioneer Day (aka the 24th of July) is Utah's state holiday. The day commemorates the arrival in the Salt Lake Valley of the first party of Mormon Pioneers (LDS - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints). I've always been curious about whether other states have state holidays, and it's been my impression that most don't. My curiosity led me to this list of state holidays. It seems that Utah is, indeed, one of a few states to have a true state holiday. Pioneer Day follows so closely on the heels of Independence Day that for Utahns July is a huge party and firework month, full of state and national pride!

Local Celebrations

Logan and North Logan both have Pioneer Day celebrations/parades/firework shows. Info here for Logan (warning, PDF may be slow to load), and here for North Logan. For those who want firework info without clicking, the Logan fireworks are at Willow Park and the North Logan fireworks are at Elk Ridge Park.

Have a safe and happy holiday week!

Happy 4th of July!!!

Happy Independence Day! Did you catch the USU fireworks (Freedom Fire) last night? To my surprise, I had a pretty good view from my house (near Lowe's) and an even better view when I walked to a little lawn east of Lowe's. Just my middle child and I watched them together. Everyone else was asleep at home. The show looked great! I guess I have a new "secret spot".

I'm taking a little break from posting today for some family time. We'll decide between the Lewiston and Hyrum festivities, and there is talk of homemade ice cream at my in-laws' in Paradise. Family, food, and freedom...that's a great 4th of July!

We also have been spending some time on some remodeling projects so we can list our condo for sale. We're outgrowing it! I've done a little house hunting and came across a house in Smithfield I adore, quite irrationally. If you're interested, you can take a look at it on my other blog: http://afarewelltocant.blogspot.com/2012/06/beloved-vintage-1970s-dream-home-part.html. It is truly stuck in 1977, and worth seeing, if only for the heart-shaped bathtub in the basement!

See you Thursday with a write-up on a few fun water activities to do with kids in the valley!

LLL

Hyrum & Lewiston 4th Of July Celebrations - Cache Valley, Utah

Besides the Freedom Fire fireworks, Logan City itself doesn't have a 4th of July parade or events. But two smaller communities, Lewiston and Hyrum, both have really fun hometown July 4th celebrations featuring rodeos, breakfasts, parades, carnivals, patriotic programs, fireworks, and other events. Logan, instead, has a Pioneer Day celebration and parade on our around the 24th of July. For those who are not from here and don't know about Pioneer Day, it's a day that celebrates the Mormon pioneers' 1847 arrival into what would become Utah. Pioneer Day is to Utah what Independence Day is to the nation - a Founders Day, essentially.

There may be other community celebrations throughout the valley, but these are the ones I know of.

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Lewiston is about 20 miles north of Logan on the Utah-Idaho border. Its parade starts at 9:15am on July 4 at Center and Main Streets. Fireworks are at dusk at the city fields/rodeo grounds. There are tons of other events throughout the day, so click this schedule for all the info, or visit Lewiston City's website or the Lewiston 4th of July blog they have set up for the events.

Hyrum is about 8 miles south of Logan on Highway 165. Their festivities on the 4th of July start with a chuck wagon breakfast from 7-10am and continue throughout the day, including a parade at noon and fireworks at dusk. Visit Hyrum City's website for all the details.

LLL

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P.S.: How and where will you be celebrating the 4th of July?

4th Of July Freedom Fire 2012, Plus My "Secret Spot" For Watching Fireworks at USU's Romney Stadium

Conditions are ripe for wildfires and many firework restrictions are in place this year to help Cache Valley having more fires. Enjoying a professional firework show is a great way to get your firework fix this Independence Day. The Freedom Fire show at USU's Romney Stadium in Logan is the biggest one in the valley, but there are also a couple great shows in the smaller communities. I'll have another post up later today about those, so check back this afternoon.

The Freedom Fire fireworks show at USU's Romney Stadium is on Tuesday July 3, 2012 at 7:00pm. This year the guest artist is classic rock band Kansas, known for their biggest hits "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind". Additionally, program of patriotic favorites will be presented by the American Festival Chorus, a local 250-voice choir trained and conducted by Craig Jessop, the former director of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Maybe I'm biased because I previously had the joy and privilege of being a member of this choir, but I do have to say Cache Valley is lucky to have a choir and director of this caliber. Hearing our national anthem sung by 250 trained voices is a stirring experience. Five-hundred local youth will also perform in the show. Fireworks usually start around 9:30.

To attend the concert and have the best view of the fireworks, purchase tickets to enjoy the show from inside the stadium. Tickets cost $10 to $25, with a 15% discount for orders of 6 or more tickets. Tickets can be purchased at the Caine College of the Arts Box Office in room 139-B of the Chase Fine Arts Center, over the phone at 435-797-8022, or online at the website of USU's Caine College of Arts. If not sold out, tickets will also be available at the door.

Lots of people just watch the fireworks from outside the stadium. Cache Valley Daily tweeted asking, "Where will you be watching Tuesday's USU fireworks from? Tweet us your best non-stadium locations. Direct message if it's a secret!" In answer to @CVDaily, I've often watched them from the parking strips west of the stadium provide a good, grassy spot for viewing. I've also watched them from one other "secret spot" that provided a great view. The fireworks were CLOSE and practically at eye-level. Here's a map.

Note: I make no guarantee that this spot is available this year, just that it was a great spot the last time I viewed from there. Conditions, access, and use of the area may have changed since I've been there and since this photo was taken. If you want to watch from here you may want to go check it out ahead of time.

Don't be jealous of my awesome skills with MS Paint, mmkay? The star on the left marks the west parking strips, a good viewing spot. The star on the right is my "secret spot", which can be reached from the northwest corner of the large Aggie Village parking lot. Let's zoom in...

Pictured is the old observatory, which is just up the hill from the northeast corner of the stadium. #1 marks a grassy area from which we watched the fireworks. #2 marks a rooftop where others were watching. #3 marks an even better spot that appears to be closed off by a fence in this photo. I don't know if that area can be accessed, now that this observatory has closed, but if it could it would provide a great view!

Everyone have a safe and happy 4th of July! Please remember to obey all firework restrictions!

LLL

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P.S. - What about you? Where do you like to watch fireworks on the 4th (or the 3rd)? Or do you like to watch them at all? My husband's not really a fan. I know! What the! I love fireworks and can't wait for this year's show!