Since 1884 Park City has hosted a Miners’ Day parade, which makes it 126 years old. It’s a day that brings the community together - and it centers around balls.
The running of the balls is a wildly popular part of the day. The way it works is before the parade, brightly colored balls that people have bought as a fundraiser get released from the top of Main Street to cheering throngs. The first few balls that cross the finish line wins prizes for its owner.
Tom Kelly is a Rotary Club member. He says it’s the most important element of the parade and this year people are buying more balls than ever.
“Sales have been brisk we are actually up in sales over the last year and it's become such an exciting event to bring the community together right before the parade and people gather around the track and just watch the balls go flying down," he said. "We have phenomenal prizes this year as we always do - season passes at both Park City and Deer Valley, equipment from Rossignol, Interconnect ski adventures, lots of dining certificates. So it's a great cause and everything goes back to benefit our own community.”
For every ball that’s bought money raised goes toward various community needs non-profits and scholarship programs. Last year’s event raised $50,000.
Right after the balls run, the parade begins. It’s scheduled for 11 a.m.
“This is not the July 4 parade with its big, big scale. This is a small hometown parade and everything has a connectivity to our hometown here on Park City.”
Kelly says this year they’ve added a tour of the old miners’ hospital on Park Ave.
“Which I think will be fun, a lot of us as longtime Parkites we've been in there a number of times, we remember it as a library," Kelly said. "There are actually some people around who do remember it as a hospital. But now we'll be able to give people a tour and let them know, hey, how important this building was.”
The festivities begin at 8 a.m. with St. Mary’s providing breakfast in City Park and a 5k run. Running with the balls starts at 10:30 am.
After the parade the fun continues in City Park with food trucks, live music and kids’ activities. Also staying with tradition, mucking and drilling demonstrations will be held in the parking lot of City Park.
There are three ways to buy balls. Text balls to 41444. Buy balls at this Sunday’s Silly Market on Main Street or go to http://www.parkcityminersday.org