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SALT LAKE CITY — "Dragon," a young boy yelled as he ran to meet the 200-pound foam beast at the Float Preview Party on Monday inside the South Towne Exposition Center.
The glittering creature, part of the "Families Forge Together to Face New Frontiers" float, faced children armed with foam swords while a foam family in medieval armor fought on the float from behind.
The float represents difficulties families face as they "face new frontiers," said Kimalee Stringham, who helped create the float from the LDS Church's Holladay North Stake.
"New frontiers aren't always good things," Stringham said. "Sometimes there's a little bit of adversity, so what better than a dragon to represent that?"
The preview continues from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday, allowing the public to take a closer look at the Days of '47 KSL 5 Parade floats.
"We've been coming for years," participant Angela Rich said. "It's really neat to see what the floats look like up close, because if you're seeing them on TV or on the route, it's really hard to see all the great detail and time put into them."
All floats reflected variations of this year's Days of '47 theme "Pioneers: Forging a New Frontier."
On one row, a giant whale with smoke wafting out of its blowhole represented overcoming adversity to forge a new frontier. Drifting bubbles led spectators to a float on another row where dreams forged new frontiers.
"I liked the construction site one," said Ashley Rich, referring to the Workers Compensation Fund float.
Rich's grandfather, Chuck Hogan, agreed that many floats were "works of art," remembering the hours it took his stake to construct a float a few years ago.
"It just makes me proud that they put this kind of event on," Hogan said. "It's a great event and I appreciate what they do."
Hogan's sister visiting from Arizona, Katheryn Douglas, said the floats reminded her of the Pioneer Day parade when her father rode as a Ute Ranger on his horse, Dixie.
"It's was always exciting," she said. "That and the rodeo."
The annual rodeo had its own preview today, teasing passers-by with the smell of barbecue drifting across the EnergySolutions plaza.
The rodeo begins Tuesday and ends Saturday, with events on the plaza all day, featuring petting zoos, mutton busting and mechanical bulls.
Inside the arena, two mischievous rodeo clowns, ages 8 and 6, gave the Days of '47 queen a short preview to their clown-barrel routine — firsthand.
I hope (spectators) come away with an appreciation of our Utah pioneer, Western heritage.
–Kem Gardener, Days of '47
"When I was in the barrel, they actually showed me what to do in case a bull kicks it," Days of '47 queen Madeline Field said.
That may have been a good thing, as a runaway calf decided to take his own sneak peek of the arena, trotting around the dirt-covered arena floor until it was brought back to its pen.
The indoor/outdoor rodeo experience not only helps participants look forward to this year's rodeo, but also helps participants remember Utah's past.
"I hope (spectators) come away with an appreciation of our Utah pioneer, Western heritage," said Kem Gardener, the Days of '47 Rodeo chairman.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story included incorrect times for the float preview.
klarsen@deseretnews.com
