Alternative Pioneer Festivities

Utah’s big holiday is fast approaching. Our state pulls out all the stops for its Days of ’47: Parades, picnics, fireworks, the whole nine yards to celebrate the Mormon pioneer trek to Utah.

My wife and I enjoy the holiday, but not in the traditional way. We tend to skip the parade and most of the Mormon pioneer-oriented activities, preferring more alternative celebrations. On the evening of the 23rd, we regularly attend the International CultureFest, a celebration of cultural diversity downtown at the Gallivan Center. And on the 24th, we hang out in Liberty Park for several hours (or as long as our water holds out in the blazing heat) at the Native American Celebration in the Park. They have lots of craft and food booths, kids activities, music, and the Powwow. We’ve really enjoyed seeing the costumes, the dancing, and the singing at the Powwow Unfortunately, it appears that the Powwow is no longer free. But even if you’d prefer not to spend the money, there will still be plenty to see and do at the park.

If you’re looking for something different to shake up your Pioneer Days, give some of these a shot.

SLC Mayor Becker Supports the Troops on Valentine’s Day

Mayor Becker continues to prove to be a person of conviction and compassion.

On Valentine’s Day, Mayor Ralph Becker will host a special breakfast with the wives of Utah’s 116th National Guard unit. The women’s husbands have been serving in Iraq since May and are expected be gone for at least 12 months.

To thank them for their sacrifices and help make Valentine’s Day a little better, Mayor Ralph Becker, in cooperation with Bambara restaurant and Hotel Monaco, will host the wives for a heartfelt thank-you breakfast.

Courtesy of The Utah Amicus. See that blog for more details.

Many prominent Utah politicians have used the rhetoric of supporting the troops as a bait and switch to support U.S. adventurism. Becker has found way to add more meaning to that phrase. What better way to do so than to provide support and comfort to the families from which the Bush administration has separated them?

Kudos to my Mayor!