By Julie Johansen
The Emery Days Pioneer Celebration began on Thursday, July 14 with softball games in the park. Each year, there is friendly competition between the north and south sides of town with both men and women softball games. This has been a tradition of Emery’s celebration for many years.
The activities continued on Friday afternoon with a poker run and a drive-in movie at the tennis court. On Saturday, a full day of fun was scheduled for all ages. It began early at 7 a.m. with a breakfast prepared by the fire department and EMS of Emery Town. Following, the kids were all invited to bring their bikes to the park to decorate them for the parade. All supplies for decorating were provided.
At 10 a.m., the annual parade down Main Street was enjoyed by a large crowd assembled on both sides of the street. Floats, the Emery High School band, cheerleaders and businesses’ vehicles covered the street with candy for the onlookers. The highlight of the parade was the grand marshal, Joyce Allen.
Allen, 90 years young, was raised in Salt Lake City. While on a summer visit to Emery to see relatives, she met Orvel Allen, who lived in Moore. In September of 1949, they were married and started a life together that would last over 60 years. She has two children, Dixie Davies and Varian Allen.
After starting their family and living in Grantsville, UT, where Orvel worked at the Tooele Army Depot, it was decided that the family needed to move back to Moore to help Orvel’s dad with the farm. This was in the late 50s. Eventually, they purchased the farm as his dad suffered from crippling arthritis and needed to retire early. They worked side by side, running a dairy and eventually raising purebred Red Angus cattle.
In 2000, they sold out and moved to Emery where they had been active in the Emery community and ward for more than 30 years. During that 30+ years, Joyce worked at Eldred’s store for a time and served in the Emery Ward in many callings. She served as a Relief Society President for about 10 years and as a Sunday school teacher for about as many. It was in 2011 that Orvel passed away due to lung cancer. Joyce has remained in the home they purchased, the first new house she ever had, since that time.
Following the parade, vendors and activities were set up in the park. These activities included kids’ games, a teen zone, cornhole, bingo, horseshoes, and a frying pan and hammer throw.
United Minerals provided a barbecued chicken dinner for about 500 people at 5:30 p.m. The championship softball games, one women’s and one men’s, were accompanied by the cheers of a large audience.
The park lights were turned off and fireworks began shortly after dark. A dance concluded the evening and Emery Days for 2022.
