"Faithful" Warriors Walk Main Street during Handcart Days Grand Parade Photo: Shaun Stahle

Handcart Days

Between the years 1856-1860, more than 3,000 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints embarked west across the American prairie on a long and treacherous journey to Salt Lake Valley with only a wooden handcart to carry their belongings. The annual celebration of Handcart Days, held every year since 1950 in the northern Utah community of Bountiful, honors the sacrifices and contributions of these pioneering Mormons. The event features a parade, a "fireside" (religious service), band concert, fireworks, games, rides, food at Bountiful Park, an art exhibit, a melodrama, recreational activities and contests, and park entertainment. The non-profit, self-sustaining, all-volunteer festivity, dating back to 1950, takes place during the last two weeks of July. Approximately 100,000 residents of Bountiful, West Bountiful, Woods Cross, North Salt Lake, Centerville, Farmington, Fruit Heights, and Kaysville participate. Project documentation consists of a report delineating a decade-by-decade history of the event, news releases and local press coverage, flyers, programs, and color photographs.

Originally submitted by: James V. Hansen, Representative (1st District).

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The Local Legacies project provides a "snapshot" of American Culture as it was expressed in spring of 2000. Consequently, it is not being updated with new or revised information with the exception of "Related Website" links.