BOUNTIFUL—It’s time to start planning to attend one of Bountiful’s biggest celebrations – Handcart Days. There’s a change this year with the event being held after July 24. In past years it’s been before the holiday. This year it will be July 25 and 26. The change was made so the celebration wouldn’t conflict with the Days of 47 parade downtown.

“It started in 1950,” said Lori Poole, who with her husband Curtis are presidents of the executive committee. “It’s our 75th anniversary. It constitutes quite a tradition.”

It’s 100 percent volunteer driven, she said. “It takes hundreds of volunteers to pull this off. There’s roughly 400 volunteers that help with the parade, staging and pacing. Then there’s another 400-500 who help with the games and booths.”

They’re out there in the hot July heat cooking corn and scones, said Poole. “We couldn’t do it without the volunteers. It’s gratifying to see the hours and hours that have been put into planning Handcart Days. It’s humbling.”

On Friday the 25th there will be a free concert at Bountiful City Park, she said. “Roy Rivers performs a John Denver tribute at 8 p.m. All of our other festivities start at 5 p.m. and run until 9:30 p.m. You can go get a scone and coke and watch the concert while the kids play in the bounce houses and get their face painted.”

Saturday morning South Davis Recreation has races that start at 5:30 a.m. and end by 9 a.m. in time for the parade, Poole said. “The parade chairs are on fire. They’ve gone all out. There’s some fun stuff with professional floats, horse entries, classic cars and bands.”

A fireworks show at Mueller Park Junior High will finish off Handcart Days. Photo by Roger V. Tuttle 

 It’s going to be really entertaining, she said. “It goes all the way down Main Street and at 10 a.m. the food and games open back up at the park. It goes until 4 p.m. At 10 p.m. up at Mueller Park Junior High the city puts on a fireworks show.”

Families even plan their summer vacations around Handcart Days, Poole said. “It’s part of so many people’s traditions.”

Handcart Days is a tribute to the pioneers, said Poole. “As a community we can work together to follow in the original settlers’ footsteps and think of their sacrifices to even settle this area. I hope people will come and enjoy that sense of community and remember our pioneer ancestors and follow their example to be strong.”