July 4th and Utah Summer Festivals

America's Freedom Festival featuring Brooks & Dunn

Summer is the time for pageants and festivals, and Utah has some good ones. Virtually every community in the state holds some kind of Fourth of July celebration, which often includes a pancake breakfast, parade and fireworks display. Heritage festivals are also common here, along with a wide assortment of fairs and pageants.

Visitors are always welcome to join in the celebrations.

Most Utah communities will have July 4th fireworks displays

Fourth of July
Provo hosts one of the largest Fourth of July celebrations in the US. Called America's Freedom Festival, it includes a grand evening program called Stadium of Fire, complete with gigantic fireworks display.

Festivities in Provo include:
June 30 - Children's Parade
July 1 - Patriotic Service
July 3-4 - Balloon Fest
July 4 - Freedom Run
July 4 - Grand Parade
July 4 - Stadium of Fire
Plus a multitude of other events. See the festival website for details.

Heritage and cultural events will be held all around Utah

Ogden City calls its celebration the Hot Rock'n Fourth. It includes a demolition derby, monster truck rides, concerts, fireworks and other events.

Moab and St George hold impressive celebrations and fireworks displays, for people touring national parks or otherwise recreating in those areas. Fireworks over Page, AZ, and at Bullfrog Marina will be visible from some spots on Lake Powell.

Even some of Utah's smallest towns have impressive fireworks displays.

24th of July
The 24th of July is also a major holiday in Utah, honoring the arrival of the Mormon Pioneers in 1847. Many communities have heritage festivals on that day. The largest, called Days of '47, is held in Salt Lake City, with a marathon and 10K run, parade, and Pioneer Festival.

Salt Lake events leading up to the 24th include a children's parade, horse parade, beauty pageant, celebration of Utah's diverse cultures, world championship rodeo, Dutch oven cookoff and many other activities. See this website for details.

Visitors are encouraged to climb aboard and join the festivities

Private fireworks are legal in Utah on both July 4 and 24, but are subject to state and local laws. Most restrictions are common-sense rules to ensure safety and avoid fire danger. In general, fireworks purchased locally can be used in developed areas where there is no fire danger. Fireworks are illegal in national parks and national forest areas (including developed campgrounds).

Firecrackers, M-80s and some other fireworks sold in adjacent states are illegal in Utah.

See our events page for information on other parades, pageants, fairs and other activities.

-- Dave Webb

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