Utahns are staking out parade spots weeks in advance
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It's been called Utah-style tailgating: street-side campouts the night before a parade to ensure a good view when the grand marshal appears in the morning.
The intrigue: Around the state, parade-goers are now claiming their spots weeks in advance, sometimes littering other residents' yards with lawn chairs, blankets and literal stakes.
The big picture: Parades have been a big deal in Utah almost since the pioneers arrived, and the etiquette debates are as intense as the floats.
- Some cities allow the land grabs to begin days beforehand; others require a human to physically hold their spot.
- If you're not a parade person, you can still enjoy the entertainment by searching "parade" and "blanket" on Facebook community pages.
Zoom in: Belongings began appearing last week along 13400 South for the Riverton Town Days parade July 3.
What they're saying: "We tried telling them to not do it until the Monday before, which would be the 29th. But they don't really listen to that," Riverton City spokesperson Nate Slack told Axios.
Friction point: Homeowners can't mow or water their lawns without moving the tarps, lawn furniture and string barricades left by strangers, Slack said.
- If they throw away the placeholders, they risk being met with unhappy visitors the morning of the parade.
- "Typically it's not even stuff that looks good. It's chairs that are trashed, so that if they do end up getting tossed out, nobody's going to be sad," Slack said.
Zoom out: Municipalities have tried to set limits on parade space-saving, with mixed results.
- Orem police once established "Blanket Detention Area" when residents tried to claim territory in City Center Park a week before the Summerfest parade.
- Parade-goers in some towns say fights and arguments over prime real estate are routine.
By the numbers: The 1.2-mile-long Riverton Days parade usually draws 20,000–30,000 people, Slack said.
- Residents frequently ask for a longer route, but organizers don't want to ask veterans' groups to march even farther in the midsummer heat.
My thought bubble: I still have some free cactus pads if your home is on a parade route and you want to start a garden!
Tell us: What's the earliest appropriate time before a parade to claim seats? Should you expect it to be available if no one is waiting with your stuff?
- Email us at [email protected] to lay down the law.