Youths celebrate pioneer heritage

Leslie Prunty and her children sat on a blanket placed on the sun-heated asphalt road of 400 South and ate graham crackers.

It was a relaxing way to watch more than 5,000 children pass by during the Days of '47 Youth Parade Saturday.

Prunty said she and her children come to the Days of '47 events not for the kids — but for her mom, because "she is so into it."

An event that is designed for children, but also the young at heart, is what has Diane Dangerfield coming back every year since her daughter Leslie was little.

"I just love it. I love to be around it," Dangerfield said of the parade and the Days of '47 festivities.

She has fond memories of camping out with her family in tents and trailers the night before the big parade. The festivities in July are something Dangerfield said she always looks forward to.

"Some people have one Christmas, I have two — one on December 25th and one on July 24th," Dangerfield said.

More than 15,000 people lined the streets to see all kinds of floats and marching bands in what is one of the largest youth parades in the nation.

The pioneer-themed parade allowed children to understand the relevancy of unity in the Salt Lake Valley, according to parade chairwoman Becky Edwards.

"Fun is fun, but this is fun with a message," Edwards said.

As children walked in the parade, so did some of the parents. "I see adults coming back who remember coming to (the parade) as kids, and it is fun to see that circle," Edwards said. The pioneer message of 1847 is still alive today and "stronger than ever, with many refugees facing the same thing," she said.

The parade route ended at Washington Square, where families participated in the fifth annual Youth Festival with free activities, games and hours of fun.

As children built bird houses or learned about science at different booths, some were taking a break from the hot afternoon air as a Salt Lake fire engine sounded its horn and sprayed water into the air.

Grogery Liefting, 5, said his favorite part of the day was "getting soaked and playing."

The heat was a concern for Steve James, chairman of the Youth Festival, but he said everything seemed to go as planned. The festival was prepared with five water stations, emergency responders and plenty of free frozen treats.