SALT LAKE CITY — Despite little sleep and bright sun, Carson Noble said his Days of '47 experience was worth it.

The Noble family arrived at the parade route at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, and found the east side of the street where they usually campout full. This meant they would sit on the west side where the sun hits at about an hour into the parade.

But even that was OK, until the sprinklers came on at about 3 a.m.

"They had a long night," Kim Noble said, referring to her children catching a nap before the parade began on the blankets behind her.

The Nobles were not the only family that endured a time-honored tradition for the 9 a.m. parade.

Across the street, John Newby prepared his family for the parade by cooking sausage and egg breakfast burritos, joking they were "much better than doughnuts.".

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Newby said his family first began staying overnight for the parade two years ago.

Though they didn't know it, the family was sitting just down the street from Newby's future son-in-law, Everett Straley.

"I converted her to the dark side," Straley quipped as he explained that his new wife, Shelby Straley, is now part of the time-honored tradition of camping out before the parade.

As the parade began, a Xena-worthy yell split the air after Tara Wittemund ran to the middle of the street to pose for a picture with a parade clown.

It's a tradition, not the yelling but the pictures Wittemund explained.

"It's a challenge between my sister and I," she said, "We will be even in different states in parades and we will send each other pictures to see who had the best time at the parade."

Chris Samuels/Deseret News

Wittemund's sister, Tiffany Thompson, was also at the parade this year, and took turns posing with different parade features.

Both sisters admitted this year's competition was a tie, but added that Kevin Eubank, the KSL meteorologist, gave the two ice cream sandwiches for cheering the parade on.

Wittemund's cheers were more reverent as President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, rode by in pioneer style wearing a cowboy hat and work gloves. President Eyring served as Grand Marshal of this year's parade.

Despite floats with spitting dragons and time machines, the tired but conscious Noble children agreed that the University of Utah float was best and the parade is a worthy tradition.

"I just like it because I get to be with my family," the youngest in attendance, Abby Noble said.

This year's award-winning floats included:

• Theme Award - Riverton Central Stake
• Sweepstakes Award - Farmington Oakridge Stake
• Outstanding Animation Award - Farmington Oakridge Stake
• Spirit of Faith Award - Rose Park North Stake
• Daughters of Utah Pioneers Award - Bountiful Heights Stake
• Sons of Utah Pioneers Award - Murray South Stake
• Brigham Young Award - South Jordan City
• Utah Award - Centerville Canyon View Stake
• Children's Choice Award - West Jordan Sycamores Stake
• Governor's Award - Draper City
• Mayor's Award - Brigham Young University
• President's Award - Days of '47 Royalty
• Legacy Award - Sandy Utah Hidden Valley Stake
• Ensign Award - Taylorsville Utah North Stake
• Queen's Award - First National Bank
• Hilda Erickson Award - Tooele City
• Community Award - University of Utah
• People's Choice Award - Holladay North Stake
• Pioneers Award - Murray South Stake

Katie Larsen is a Deseret News intern and print journalism senior at Utah State University who graduates in December. Email: klarsen@deseretnews.com

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