Bluff community plans celebration around heritage events, Founders Day

The first annual Bluff Founders Day and Frybread Festival will be held at locations around town on April 8, 2017.
A community-wide celebration of native and pioneer heritage, this one day event is an opportunity for people of all backgrounds to come together to remember their ancestors and honor their contributions to the area.
A parade through the streets of Bluff will begin at the Community Center at 10 a.m. Everyone interested is invited to create a float or parade entry.
Families are encouraged to gather and march together through the streets, and each group should prepare a sign board to show their pride.
Events at Bluff Fort will also begin at 10 a.m. and continue until 6 p.m. Each of the Fort’s pioneer cabins will serve as the meeting place for descendants of the original families.
Throughout the day there will be demonstrations of pioneer skills like blacksmithing, quilting and bonnet-making. A large wagon will circulate throughout the town all day to provide free tours of heritage houses in Bluff.
Interpreters, including Native Americans, will be stationed around town to answer questions concerning specific locations.
At noon, the parade will terminate in the parking lot of Twin Rocks Café, where the Frybread Festival will commence. A cooking contest, featuring frybread in each recipe, will be held with a qualified panel of judges selecting the best three creations.
In addition to prizes, winning recipes will be featured on the menu of Twin Rocks Café for a month.
Another highlight of the event will be a speed-eating competition to determine who can down the most pieces of frybread in the shortest time.
A Frybread Fling will be conducted to determine who can throw a circular piece of frybread the farthest distance.
At 3 p.m. the action will shift to the Bluff Community Center where Native American dances and music will be offered, either rain or shine.
The White Mesa Ute community will perform a Bear Dance for the public’s enjoyment and education. Elders of the Ute community will be honored at the event. Navajo musicians and dancers are being invited to participate as well.
At 7 p.m. the Business Owners of Bluff (BOB) will offer a free movie “More than Frybread”. The satirical film is a mockumentary detailing a national frybread fest.
The movie will be presented in the Community Center, and light refreshments will be available.
Anyone interested in becoming a part of the Founders Day celebration is encouraged to call the Bluff Fort at 435-672-9995 for more information.
All events are free to the public.

San Juan Record

49 South Main St
PO Box 879
Monticello, UT 84535

Phone: 435.587.2277
Fax: 435.587.3377
news@sjrnews.com
Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday