It was a great day for a parade. According to Jenny Diersen, who’s head of special events for Park City, everything went smoothly for the 2022 Fourth of July celebration. Fifty-one parade entries marched down Main Street and Park Avenue starting at 11 a.m. to the sound of cheers from the crowd.
Last year the parade was held on July 2nd, and the year before that there was no parade thanks to COVID-19.
Everyone seemed happy to celebrate. 21-year-old Ketchum Schueler, a 2019 graduate of Park City High School, expressed a common sentiment heard in the crowd.
“The best part is coming and hanging out with your friends," he said. "I don’t know if there is a worst part, worst part is probably traffic and parking, but honestly you can’t complain on the Fourth of July. We’re out here with the community celebrating this great country. There’s nothing better.”
Colleen Christensen lives in South Jordan. She said she’s been coming to Park City for the parade for more than 25 years.
“Well, It’s just unique," said Christensen. "I do remember one year they had a group of college kids that were the armchhair drill team. They had made up a routine. You don’t see a lot of floats and things like that, but I mean it’s the funnest parade for sure.”
Dan Walser was visiting with his family from Ventura, California. He said he and his wife Julia have been busy seeing local sites to keep their three boys, ages six, seven and nine, entertained. They've been on the alpine slide, enjoyed gondola rides, ski lift rides, hiking, swimming, and "pretty much anything you can do outdoors with three boys," Walser said.
This is the first time he and his family have been to Park City, and the parade made him nostalgic.
“This reminds me of my childhood. I grew up in the midwest and the parade was always an enormous thing for the community," said Walser. "So it’s really amazing to see the city here and what they do to make this so special for everyone.”
Walser said they will definitely come back to Park City. So will Kirk Johson, who is visiting from Seattle. He said his family has had a place in town for about three years, and they usually visit in the winter. This is his first Fourth of July parade in town, and Johnson complimented everything from the weather to the people to the restaurants and retailers.
Mary Ann Pajakowski, education director for Holy Cross Ministries, had a good reminder about the day, as she overlooked the group of about 50 people in her organization’s parade entry. Each one represented a different state.
"It’s just a great day and we’re finally together again with the parade and it feels good.”
