LDS single parents in Salt Lake area treated to pioneer-style carnival

MURRAY, Utah — With Pioneer Day just around the corner, about a thousand single adults with children enjoyed a pioneer-style picnic and carnival at Wheeler Historic Farm on Saturday, July 10.

Mormon single adults of all ages brought their children, grandkids, nieces and nephews to the event, which featured food and activities for 25 or 50 cents.

The pioneer vibe was strong as mountain men set up an encampment. Loud shots rang out routinely as one of the bearded men, dressed in full attire, showed onlookers how to use a double-barrel black-powder shotgun. The encampment was complete with storytellers, tepees and lessons on how to light a fire with flint and steel.

Wagon rides, face painting and other activities were a hit with younger children, and entertainment from singers and dancers from a local group called Premier Productions rounded out the last two hours of the event.

The event, sponsored by the Holladay Regional Single Adult Council, was aimed at single adults who have children, as a way for them to enjoy a low-cost activity with their kids as well as meet others in the same single-parent situation, council co-chair Duane Millard said.

The council is a pilot program of the LDS Church designed to encourage and facilitate socializing and friendship through large-scale events.

"We felt this was very important to recognize the single parents in the Salt Lake Valley," said Millard, who said there could be up to 70,000 single adults in the Salt Lake Valley, and a quarter of those in the single parent demographic. "We want them to see that they're not the only ones in the situation they're in, and we want them to have an endless stream of new faces and people to meet."

Julie Bradshaw, a mother of two grown-up children and who attends the Northridge 2nd Ward, brought two young nieces to the event. She felt the purpose was accomplished.

"It's nice to come out and see others with their kids," Bradshaw said. "It helps to know you're not in it by yourself. I think it's great they do things like this. We've sure had a great time today."

After the daytime activities, single adults were encouraged to come back to the farm for barn dancing into the night.

e-mail: nnewman@desnews.com