Days of ’47 Parade is about memories and tradition
Jul 23, 2021, 4:01 PM | Updated: 4:18 pm
Jim Joy and family setting up their spot on 300 South to watch the 2021 Days of 47 Parade. Jay and his family down from North Ogden, and say they even set up canopies and chairs at home in 2020 to watch the pandemic replay on KSL TV to keep their streak going of 19 consecutive years watching the Days of 47 parade together. Photo: Mary Richards.
SALT LAKE CITY — The Days of ’47 Parade is about creating memories and setting tradition.
Whether the traditions are staking out the perfect spot, or surviving a heavy rainstorm, KSL NewsRadio‘s Mary Richards spoke to a few individuals attending Friday’s annual parade.
“We usually get here about 5 o’clock in the morning,” said Dana Burnett, of Murray. “We usually get to where we want to be without having to come the night before.”
Families gather for Days of ’47 Parade
Melinda Jakimowicz and her family camped overnight at their spot, near 150 South and 200 East. They had to endure the severe thunderstorm that rolled through Salt Lake City Thursday evening.
“We were in the middle of of trying to put up the canopies,” she said. “It was raining and we were like hurry get them up, them up.”
North Ogden resident Jim Joy also showed up early to the parade on Friday at spot on 300 South. He says the east side of the street is the perfect spot to watch the parade.
“You have the sun behind you,” he said. “Over there, the sun is in your eyes.”
Joy also said that it’s a tough time when the parade concludes.
“The saddest part of the day is when the last float comes through,” he said. “You get that empty feeling like ‘oh, it’s done.'”
Despite the parade not being held in 2020, Joy said his family watched the rebroadcast of the 2019 on KSL
“We set up our canopy downstairs, we set up our camp chairs downstairs,” he said. “And watched the parade on our large screen TV. We wanted to keep the tradition going.”
Read more:
- People saving spaces for Days of 47 Parade
- Hundreds camp out in downtown Salt Lake City for the Days of ’47 Parade
