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SALT LAKE CITY — From Stars and Stripes-filled parades to fireworks, grilling and picnics, the Fourth of July is a summer staple of fun and the celebration of U.S. independence.
The U.S. will celebrate 240 years of independence in 2016, while Utahns have celebrated Independence Day for more than 150 years.
In 1862 — 86 years after the U.S. declared independence, and 34 years before Utah became the 45th state in the Union — Salt Lake City celebrations were filled with musical ceremonies and parade processions across downtown.
There was a public reading of the Declaration of Independence before several addresses and band performances, according to an Independence Day program dated July 4, 1862 which was archived by the Utah State Historical Society.
Years later, parades featured wagons and horse-drawn floats supporting the Stars and Stripes.
Nowadays, fireworks light up the sky in public celebrations across the state. The Stadium of Fire concert in Provo has become a patriotic tradition since its inception in 1980.
Though much has changed from Independence Day celebrations, the support with U.S. flags and flashing red, white and blue has remained a constant over the decades.
