Join us in celebrating pioneer heritage in the Steeple to Steeple Walk

Each year, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Mat-Su Valley celebrate Pioneer Day by walking “Steeple to Steeple,” completing a 3.1 mile trek from the Latter-day Saint Colony Chapel located at 9475 E Bogard Road (across from Colony High School) to the Palmer Chapel located at 560 W Bogard Road. Participants walk, run, ride bikes, roller skate, skateboard, or drive from one chapel to the other to an awaiting picnic. This event is open to the public and all are welcome to join. This year the walk will be held on Saturday, July 26 at 11 am. Over the 9 years since this Steeple to Steeple Celebration began, hundreds of people each year have taken the trek to celebrate with the Latter-day Saints in the Valley.

Apostle Dieter F. Uchtdorf said “We are all pioneers in our sphere and circumstances.” A pioneer is the first to do something, and the Latter-day Saints were among the first settlers to trek across the United States to Utah. Pioneer Day, July 24, is a commemoration of the arrival of the first Latter-day Saints led by Bringham Young to the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.

The earliest precursor to Pioneer Day celebrations in Utah date back to1849, when the Nauvoo Brass Band led a commemoration of the second anniversary of the Latter-day Saints entering the Salt Lake Valley.This holiday honors the pioneers’ courage, faith, and the sacrifices made as they sought religious freedom and contributed to the building and establishing a new home in the Salt Lake Valley.

Originally those who made this trek were from the eastern United States— later they were joined by emigrants from Europe and the British Isles who had already survived a daunting journey to America.

Pioneer Day is an official holiday in the state of Utah and a significant day for many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Pioneer Day is celebrated with parades, rodeos, and other festivities, often including reenactments of the pioneer journey. While the holiday is deeply rooted in the history of the Latter-day Saints, it has become a celebration of the overall pioneer spirit and contributions of many different groups that settled Utah.

The celebration takes on many forms, from parades, religious services, and community festivals in Utah and other corners of the world. All over the world, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints commemorate with religious services and community festivals. In Samoa, more than 100 members held a pioneer trek reenactment complete with six covered wagons.

The original pioneers often sang hymns and other songs, sometimes ending their day with music. Some of the most popular hymns composed and sung during the journey were "Come, Come, Ye Saints" and "The Handcart Song," which remain popular among Latter-day Saints today. Hymns and songs provided a way for pioneers to express their faith, hope, and resilience during a difficult journey. In remembrance of their tradition, young children will sing pioneer songs together at the picnic.

Former apostle James E. Faust said, “In the spirit of the pioneers, together we welcome and embrace one another in the community of Saints to which we all belong. We go forward with our lives in devotion, loyalty, and integrity,” building on the foundation laid by the pioneers, but calling on “a different kind of spiritual strength to resist the sometimes overpowering influences of our time.”

Paula laBreck has lived in the Valley for twenty-four years, enjoys reading and genealogy, and is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.