Midvale’s oldest tradition—the annual Harvest Days Parade—brings hometown pride right down Center Street. 

“That’s what the parade does, it provides a way for the community to come and celebrate each other,” said Lyndzi Elsmore, who has been the parade’s chair for eight years. People, she said, look for a reason to come together and the parade is the perfect excuse. 

“I absolutely love it and I think it’s a big deal, it’s important for a community to have a parade because it’s a time when you can celebrate everybody,” she said. 

Elsmore said she typically receives between 65 and 75 entry applications each year for the parade with this year featuring unique floats like the Mama’s Temple Church Choir. 

“It’s like a gospel choir and they sing on their float and its got stadium-size seating on it, they’re awesome,” Elsmore said. 

Other floats included different bands whether they were mariachi, jazz or bagpipe. Shrine mini-bikes come through the streets while the various community members running for city elections also have a vehicle in the parade. 

For Elsmore, the school entries from Hillcrest High School as well as nearby middle and elementary schools are always her favorite. 

“It keeps it hometown and all about Midvale so that’s fun,” she said before later adding, “I really try and keep this parade small town. I don’t invite marching bands from other high schools because it’s about Midvale and we try and keep it that way.”

Having Center Street (7800 South) as part of the parade gives Midvale’s parade a special flavor, Elsmore said. It allows the Unified Police motorcycle brigade, who kick off the parade, a chance to demonstrate their tricks, stunts and formations. 

Elsmore said it’s also a chance for anyone in Midvale “who feels like they want a voice.” Applewood homeowners were in the parade hoping to raise awareness in their endeavor to raise money and buy their property. It’s currently owned by a development company who has offered to sell the property to the owners allowing them to stay where they live. 

“They wanted to voice their love for their neighborhood and be able to just kind of get their word out so I think the parade is a way they can do that peacefully,” Elsmore said. 

Mayor JoAnn Seghini rode through for her last parade as the city’s elected leader. Seghini chose not to run for reelection this year and will step down after her term ends. 

The city’s two Hall of Honors 2017 inductees served as the grand marshals, although only one participated: Trent Jeppson, a former mayor of Midvale, and Iris Buhler, a former city treasurer who was instrumental in the creation of the Midvale Senior Citizen Center. Buhler passed away in 1988 so Jeppson took the primary mantle.