Park to re-create 1848 First Harvest

After almost a year of fighting to build new homes on desert land and in near-starving conditions, the pioneers who settled Utah celebrated their first harvest in August 1848.

"This was called a harvest feast; we partook freely of a rich variety of bread, beef, butter, cheese, cakes, pastry, green corn, melons and almost every variety of vegetable. Large sheaves of wheat, rye, barley, oats and other productions were hoisted on poles for public exhibition, and there was prayer and thanksgiving, congratulations, songs, speeches, music, dancing, smiling faces and merry hearts. In short, it was a great day with the people of these valleys, and long to be remembered," recorded Latter-day Saint leader Parley Pratt.

And at This is the Place Heritage Park this weekend, the historical park will re-create the pioneers' celebration, called First Harvest, with a merchant square, farmer's market, crafts, entertainment and Dutch oven food on Friday and Saturday. This year is the first time the event has been open to the public.

"This is actually another event like the 24th (of July, Pioneer Day) that's completely tied to an actual celebration the pioneers would have done," said Cliff Harris, park events coordinator.

The event kicked off Thursday night with a sold-out fund-raiser. The public celebration is today and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., where people will enter the park on the re-created, booth-lined Main Street. Character interpreters will sell produce, local vendors will sell food and other park employees will demonstrate weaving, broom making, wood and metal works and furniture making.

Tying a cornstalk with autumn leaves, dried flowers, wheat and pumpkins, park employee Viki Strong gathered the decorations — most grown at the park — that will adorn the buildings, light poles and market stands.

"The village will be alive with people preparing for the harvest," she said. Chores that the character interpreters will be doing will activate all the senses, Strong said, from making apple butter and Dutch oven food to planting sunflowers and picking pumpkins.

"The idea is to build it into a major festival," CEO Paul Williams said.

First Harvest was first held as a private fund-raiser in 1999 and 2000, but its popularity convinced park administration to bring it back as a public event. "One of the things that I'm most excited about is a character interpreter that will play Father Escalante," he said.

To coincide with the Sept. 23, 1776, arrival of Father Escalante and Father Dominguez, Catholic missionaries who explored the Great Basin, a new character interpreter will chronicle their journey. In addition, a character interpreter will also play an early Utah mountain man.