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Midvale Journal

Thousands enjoy Midvale Harvest Days

Sep 07, 2018 02:10PM ● By Jana Klopsch

The parade is one of the most popular attractions at the Midvale Harvest Days Festival. (Lana Medina/City Journals)

By Lana Medina | [email protected]

It lasted for 10 days and attracted thousands of people as one of the last summer festivals, the Midvale Harvest Festival Days brought dozens of events to community members.

The honored tradition, which had a successful 80th year, brought neighbors together with community partners, firefighters and police officers and local city government officials.

“Our Harvest Days actually started on the second (of August) and went all the way through the eleventh. It was 10 days long because we had all the block parties we went to,” explained Laura Magness, chairwoman of the Harvest Festival Days. “We had so many police officers and firefighters who went to those.”

The main event was held on Sat., Aug. 11, where thousands of people turned up for the parade featuring dozens of floats that finished near the Midvale City Park. Then there was an all-day festival of events featuring 40 vendor booths, several food trucks, bounce houses, live music involving recognized artists and members of the community, and, to top of the day’s festivities, a fireworks show.

Magness says this was her first year organizing the time-honored tradition and said she was nervous about how successful it would be.

“My biggest concern taking over it is making sure we stuck with all the traditions,” Magness explained. 

To many visitors, it was a great success.

Lyndzi Elsmore, the Festival Day’s parade coordinator, has been volunteering with the event for the last eight years, and says it keeps getting better.

“I feel like Midvale city is a great place to be. The parade is an excuse to get everyone together and celebrate everything positive about Midvale,” Elsmore said.

Elsmore said they even had new groups this year as part of the parade, including the Hillcrest High School’s new marching band.

“This was the first year they were in the parade, this was their debut,” Elsmore explained.

Hundreds of families attended the festival events that followed the parade.

“My kids loved the bounce houses, especially the fight between Spiderman and Batman,” said Sarah Johnson, a local mom of three. “It was great! Spiderman won. They got pictures with them and everything.”

The festival wrapped up with a fireworks show, with thousands of people enjoying one of the final fireworks shows of the season.

“I was so appreciative of the community and how much love they show for Midvale,” Magness said.

Now the community will be looking forward to the 2019 Harvest Days show.