Days of ‘47 Float Preview Party comes to Sandy’s Expo Center

Ever wonder what goes into building a parade float? Visitors to the annual Days of ‘47 Float Preview Party at the South Towne Expo Center July 20-21 had the opportunity to find out. Parade Committee Member Tom Colligan estimated that more than 35,000 people were able to get up close and personal with more than 35 different floats.

 “We wanted to make a way for people to come indoors and get the chance to see the floats up close,” he said. “So much work goes into these floats. This is also a good opportunity for those who aren’t able to attend the parade to participate.”

The two-day party also featured several singing groups, face painting, balloon animals and food. This year Sandy City was represented by two floats, one from the city and the other from the Sandy Central LDS Stake, which was on display for people to look at. For more than a decade, Sandy City has had a float in the annual parade.

The city’s float was called “Onward and Upward” and featured several large hot air balloons. The float paid homage to the city’s annual balloon festival and was designed by Sandy employees in the Community Events and Parks and Recreation Department, said Community Events Director Merle Marsh. The float made its debut at the city’s parade on July 4.

“It is important for the city to be a part of the bigger community,” Marsh said. “We are all in this together and we try to participate when we can and support our neighbors.”

Emily Stout brought her three children, Amelia, 9, Sarah, 7, and Landon, 4, to the event again this year. She said it’s been part of her family’s traditions for the last three years. Her children had a good time looking at the floats and seeing what they were made out of.

“I like that we can come inside, in the air conditioning, and get up close to the floats,” she said. “It’s fun for the kids to see what it takes and talk to the people who made them.”

Many of the floats had representatives there and posters detailing the building process. Hundreds of pounds of glitter, gallons of paint and miles of metallic garland were used to transformed trailers into elaborate designs, centered on the 2011 theme “Press Forward Pioneers.”

The float preview party started 17 years ago to accommodate the handicapped and elderly who might have trouble attending the parade in person. Colligan said the event is very popular and has a high attendance each year.

LDS Church representatives decide on the stakes they want to participate. The other floats in the parade come from local businesses, schools and organizations such as the University of Utah, BYU and the Asian Association.

“These floats are a lot of work and we like being able to showcase the talents of the float makers,” Colligan said.