Sanpete communities plan
exciting 4th of July activities
Four cities will hold major town celebrations next week connected with the Fourth of July. Events range from concerts to a children’s fashion show to an exhibition of “ugly” and restored tractors. And in all four towns, there will be parades and fireworks. Following are some of the highlights. For full schedules, see individual community ads scattered throughout the newspaper.
GUNNISON
Gunnison starts its celebration on Tuesday, July 3 with a community picnic at the city park from 5-10 p.m. Vendors will set up booths where residents can buy a variety of food items.
Other activities at the park that evening include a group of motorcycle riders known as the Team FMX Motorcycle Show. They will perform at 5:30, 6 and 6:30 p.m.
At 9 p.m., “Imagine,” a “Beatles tribute band,” will perform Beatles songs ranging from “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” to “Can’t Buy Me Love.”
Fireworks will follow the concert.
On Wednesday, July 4, a flag-raising ceremony and breakfast will be held at the park from 6:30-8:30 a.m. The parade travels along Main Street from 9-10 a.m.
The Lion’s Club lunch, games and awards for community service will be presented in the afternoon, also at the city park.
MANTI
“Land That I Love” is this July Fourth theme this year in Manti.
The opening event is the Miss Independence Day competition Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Eva Beal Auditorium in the Manti City Building. The Independence Day royalty will reign over the rest of the celebration.
On Wednesday, July 4, townspeople are invited to gather at 6 a.m. at the American Legion Hall, 173 S. Main, for the ringing of the freedom bell.
The American Legion will sponsor a breakfast from 7-10 a.m. at the Manti City Park at 200 West and 200 North.
A patriotic program and flag ceremony will be held at the park at 10 a.m. The speaker is Alan Braithwaite, who, with his wife Cecelia, is grand marshal of this year’s celebration.
At 10 a.m., you can also sign up for the children’s fashion show. The show will start at 10:30 a.m. on the stage in the park.
An entertainment and talent show will run from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the park. To sign up, contact Kaylie Bailey at 851-3945 or Trisha Hyde at 851-6299.
Games begin at 11 a.m. at the park and continue into the afternoon. They including foot races, a three-legged race, a potato-sack race, a tug of war and a greased pole climb, among others.
At 6:30 p.m. a parade lines up at the Red Church, 295 S. Main, beginning at 7 p.m. and then travels north up Main Street. To participate, contact Fawn Miller at 851-6294.
At 8 p.m., there will be entertainment, followed by fireworks, at the Manti High School Stadium.
MORONI
Moroni kicks off its celebration this weekend with the Turkey Slam Co-ed Softball Tournament at the Center Street ball park. Teams of up to 14 players may enter at a fee of $225 per team. Contact Heidi Roper at (208) 227-3140 for information.
On Monday July 2, there will be a volleyball tournament and a four-on-four basketball tournament for kids, also at the ball park.
The celebration picks up momentum the evening of Tuesday, July 3 with the Cool Car Show from 5-8 p.m. at the city hall park, 80 S. 200 West, and a barbeque turkey dinner from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
From 7 a.m.-9 a.m. on Wednesday, July 4, the Firemen’s Breakfast will be held in the city hall park pavilion, with a flag ceremony at 8 a.m.
At 9:45 a.m., the annual airplane ping-pong ball drop will occur on Main Street. Some of the balls contain numbers that can be redeemed for prizes.
The Mammoth Parade down Main Street starts at 10 a.m. To enter, contact Jennifer Lamb at 469-1538 or email recorder@cut.net.
A carnival will be held from 10:45 a.m.-2 p.m. at Center Street ball park. Games, activities, prizes and turkey sandwiches will be available.
The pre-fireworks show starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Center Street ball park featuring J.D. Fox, Mid-Utah Radio personality and a Moroni resident. Fireworks start going off at 10 p.m.
MT. PLEASANT
Hub City Days, Mt. Pleasant’s annual town celebration, actually started the weekend of June 22-23 with a golf tournament at Skyline Mountain Resort.
The celebration picks up Friday night and Saturday with the Skyline Freedom Fest Eventing show at the Cleone Peterson Eccles Equestrian Center, 1000 S. 955 West. The show features horse jumping and dressage events. Admission is free.
On Saturday, a carnival, featuring rides, vendors, food and crafts, opens at the city park, 1000 S. State St. The carnival continues Monday through Wednesday, July 2-4.
On Monday, July 2 a “family fun night” will be held at the Mt. Pleasant rodeo arena east of city park. Activities include barrel racing, a stick-horse race, a calf-ribbon pull, hide races, a dog race and musical tires. Sign-ups are at 5 p.m., and activities begin at 7 p.m.
The annual Hub City Rodeo will be held Tuesday, July 3 and on Wednesday, July 4 with mutton bustin’ at 7 p.m. and the rodeo at 8 p.m. The rodeo is presented by Circle J Rodeo Co. and affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Professional Rodeo Association. You can purchase tickets at http://www.hubcityrodeo.com.
The biggest day in the Hub City Days celebration will be Wednesday, July 4. Events include a fun run at 6:30 p.m., breakfast in the city park at 7 a.m., a children’s parade along State Street at 11 a.m., and right after the children’s parade, the Mammoth Parade, which will travel down State Street and continue west on Main Street. To enter either parade, contact Coleen Oltrogge at 462-3034.
A contest featuring new, restored and “ugly” tractors begins at noon at the city baseball field. Oltrogge is also the contact for that event.
Afternoon activities include free wagon rides at the park from 1-3 p.m., and at 2 p.m., the pie and cake baking contest by the city park stage.
The Mountain Man Dutch Oven Cook-off begins at 3:30 p.m. To enter, call Pat Gonzalez at (801) 367-9849. Cook-off judging is at 5:30 p.m., and food from the cook-off goes on sale at 6 p.m. at $5 per plate.
Fireworks begin at dusk (about 10 p.m.) east of the city park.
