Stadium of Fire to host world's largest-ever Eagle Scout Court of Honor

PROVO — The 30th annual Stadium of Fire at America's Freedom Festival at Provo is boasting more than just five-time Grammy Award-winning superstar Carrie Underwood. It is also poised to have the world's largest-ever Eagle Scout Court of Honor.

The Utah National Parks Council of the Boy Scouts of America is organizing this segment of Stadium of Fire and already has 160 Eagle Scouts lined up for the July 3 event.

According to John Gailey, spokesman for the Utah National Parks Council, that number is rising every day.

"They're still registering. We have put the word out across the nation," he said. "It's going to be pretty exciting."

Gailey said 20 new Eagle Scouts at one Court of Honor is the highest previous number that has been verified so far, and so this one will shatter any previous mark.

So far, new Eagle Scouts from eight states have been lined up — including Washington, Texas and Pennsylvania. At least a dozen Scout councils from around the U.S. are scheduled to be represented to date.

Gailey said this record event ties in nicely with the 2010 celebration of the 100th year of American Scouting.

He said two of the nation's top scouters — the chief Scout cxecutive and the national commissioner — have also indicated they will attend the event.

In addition, some 800 Scouts will also participate in the Court of Honor program.

For an unprecedented eighth consecutive year, the Pentagon has invited Stadium of Fire to televise the celebration to U.S. military men and women and their families in more than 100 countries around the world.

Average attendance for the Stadium of Fire averages more than 50,000 each year. Stadium of Fire is presented by America's Freedom Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization supporting educational programs and events that promote freedom.

The Utah National Parks Council of the Boy Scouts serves nearly 75,000 youths, assisted by 40,000 volunteers. Its boundaries go from Utah County to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and include portions of Nevada and Colorado.

Visit www.utahscouts.org to register for the Court of Honor. For information on the Stadium of Fire, go to www.freedomfestival.org.

e-mail: lynn@desnews.com