BOUNTIFUL—From its humble beginnings in 1950 to one of the largest parades in the state, Handcart Days has become a well-loved tradition in Bountiful and surrounding cities. Less than 2,500 people came out to that first parade and now there are 10s of thousands that line Main Street to watch floats, horses, antique cars and more go by. 

This year’s parade starts at 9 a.m. on July 20. The theme is “Onward and Upward.” The parade begins at 1500 South and goes to 400 North where it turns and continues to 100 West. 

“There are 13 (LDS) stakes involved and more than 200 volunteers,” said Jill Frasier, parade chair. “The Jeep Posse and 65 ham radio operators are in addition to our volunteers. The radio operators will be communicating all through the parade telling us to speed up if there’s a lag or slow down.”

It’s become a tradition for some, she said. “I’ve had people call in January wanting to know when it is because they’re planning their family vacation around it so they can be here. It’s a community event that brings people together.”

Handcart Days is a remembrance of the struggles and hardships the handcart pioneers faced as they trekked to Utah. It originated in Bountiful but has become a south Davis event.

“We don’t want it to just be Bountiful, we want it to be all of south Davis,” said Frazier. “From beginning to end it's about one and a half hours. We have over 90 entries but we’re still firming that up.”

Sandy Inman is the Grand Marshal, Frazier said. Inman has been the driving force behind the Bountiful History Museum. “We thought she’s really contributed to the community.”

There are eight horse entries, she said. “That’s more than we’ve ever had. There are six bands including everybody’s favorite the Wasatch District Pipe Band.”

Hardware Ranch is bringing their Clydesdales, said Frazier. “The Utah National Guard is coming and the parade ends with the Major Brent Taylor Foundation’s big flag that will be carried by the youth councils from Woods Cross, West Bountiful and Bountiful.”

Big floats like KSL, Chick-Fil-A and Young Automotive are coming, she said. “There’s a new rule this year that unless they’re a sponsor they can’t have a banner. We want to increase the caliber, we don't want it to be an ad parade. They don’t have to be Modern Display floats but they have to show some effort.”

There will be some professional floats that aren’t from a business, said Frazier. “We gave money to the Val Verda stake to build a float and also to Kings Cross Church in Farmington. We want to be inclusive of the whole community.”

Entries are staged along the parade route, she said. “We look at the entries and try to get a variety. We want to be accommodating. If someone is blowing bubbles we don’t want those in the mayor’s face. Cross E is bringing goats and other animals so we want to make sure on where we put them.”

Volunteers follow the horses and pick up poop, Frazier said. “Forty-eight families are covering different sections to pick up garbage.”

Spectators can’t set up their chairs until 6 p.m. Friday night, she said. “If they do it before the police will pick them up and those can be picked up at the police station.”

The police help set up the barricades and take them down after the parade, said Frazier. “They also use a drone that flies over the parade route to make sure it’s safe to start the parade. The streets department provides garbage bags and does street cleanup.”

Another change is there won’t be an announcer, she said. “After COVID they stopped doing that. It was expensive and took a lot of time to set everything up. A list and order of the parade entries will be available July 15 on handcartdays.org.

In addition to the parade, events will be held Friday night and after the parade on Saturday at Bountiful City Park, 400 N. 200 West. Friday activities are from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. with a Peter Breinholt concert from 8 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Saturday activities start at 10 a.m. and go until 3 p.m. A fireworks show begins at 10 p.m. at Mueller Park Junior High, 955 E. 1800 South.

Frazier said she’s spent 20 hours a week on the parade and now it’s gone up to 30. “I’ve been making phone calls and working with different people. I had no idea it took this amount of effort.”