Doesn't everyone celebrate the trek across the west with fireworks?

Here in Utah, Pioneer Day has taken on more and more of an elevated status. I don't have any facts, but it feels like it's at least equal to the celebrations around the fourth of July or Easter and clearly surpassing Memorial Day and President's day, based on the media coverage and side-walk sales that often accompany the day. 

 

~~ While you can see we start out combined, it's not uncommon to separate at some point in the evening only to switch it up again for the actual show ~~

It may have something to do with the fact that it's in the middle of summer and with the three "F's" - Food, Family, and Fireworks. In fact, starting around Memorial Day the papers are full of dates and locations around the STATE with locations where you and your family can celebrate BOTH holidays. It's pretty typical that most cities will alternate one or the other, especially in terms of fireworks (likely due to cost) - but that doesn't stop the parades and fireman / police breakfast bonanzas in nearly every town. 

Being good citizens we fully and gleefully participate in the festivities. 

~~Bonnie, Elizabeth, Sarah, and Chad {missing is Brent, although he is pictured above with the 'men-folk'}~~

We consider ourselves extremely fortunate in that we've been able to maintain strong friendships with five couples from college (University of Utah) married student housing.

~~Here's Tom and his daughter Brittney ~~

~~Here is Trudy and youngest daughter Whitney~~

When we lived on-campus it was not uncommon for us to get together nearly every weekend (and even some nights as we pooled our resources for dinner). As we've all found homes which stretch across the Salt Lake Valley and our families have continued to grow, we don't spent quite as much time together. But there are some traditions that we all share - and the Bountiful Fireworks are one of those traditions. 

~~Here's a fraction of Ron and Andrea's clan - David, Jacob, and Angela ~~

This is probably our 8 or 9th year (Andrea needs to validate that number) we've been coming to the fireworks show. It's really magnificent. Ron and Andrea scoped out a great spot that puts us really close to where they light the fireworks and so they are right in your face and cover your whole line of sight. The park where we sit is near a canyon so for the really loud fireworks, not only do we get the first boom (that fills your chest) from the sky but we also get to enjoy the echo from the canyon. 

There's not much that changes - which I have to admit is part of the allure for me. We either have dinner beforehand or bring dinner to the park (depending on activities earlier in the day). We all bring snacks, which quickly become community property - thankfully!!

We all catch up on kids, families, home projects, update schedules, plan to get together, and tell the same jokes over and over. Then around 10:00 the show begins. 

Although this year, after watching all of the vendors walk around trying to sell glow sticks, Andrea and Amy came to our rescue and brought some of our own. As you can imagine, it really cuts down from the kids begging for stuff being sold at ridiculous prices. 

Ron and Andrea's kids (at least the younger ones ... again, Andrea you'll have to confirm whether the older ones had the same condition) used to be so started by the fireworks they would hide their eyes, ears, and on occasion begin to cry. So we had no idea how or what Cole would think. He LOVED them. I think he loved the loud ones more than the big and bright ones, but he never looked away. In fact, early in the show he started laughing - really laughing. Whew! 

These folks are all very special to us. We've gotten each other through some really hard times and celebrated some really terrific events together. We can't wait until next year and the next time we see all of them.