After attending Salt Lake City’s Pioneer Day drone show for the third year in a row, I’m convinced we’ve created something special.
The show isn’t simply a replacement for fireworks. It’s something fireworks can never be: a celebration of our city.
This year’s show included Utah classics like the covered wagon, green Jell-O, the Spiral Jetty and brine shrimp, the Walker Center weather beacon and Lagoon. But what made the audience laugh were the moments that could only happen in Salt Lake: Wizard Ten, a tongue-in-cheek “RIP” tribute to the short-lived spaghetti By the Bucket restaurant, and other local references. The show blends the icons that have defined Salt Lake for generations with the quirky moments that happened just this year. It feels fresh, affectionate, and unmistakably local.
I also appreciate what the drone show doesn’t bring. It doesn’t terrify dogs or wildlife, it doesn’t create explosions that can be difficult for veterans and others sensitive to loud noise, and it doesn’t add smoke to our summer air. Instead, thousands of people gather in Liberty Park, spread out blankets and lawn chairs, laugh together, and watch the story of our city unfold in the night sky.
When I left the park, I found myself thinking not just about how much I enjoyed the show, but how grateful I am to live in a city confident enough to celebrate both its history and its quirks.
Thank you to everyone who imagined, designed, sponsored and flew this remarkable celebration. I hope it remains a Pioneer Day tradition for many years to come.
Brenda Goodwin, Salt Lake City