Monticello Pioneer Day Celebration is July 25-6 with two days of fun

by David Boyle
News Director
“Pioneering the Future” is the theme of the 2025 Monticello Pioneer Days celebration. The two-day celebration runs Friday and Saturday, July 25 and 26.
The weekend features a community-wide celebration, along with a number of family and class reunions and other community events.
A full schedule of events can be found on page B8 of the San Juan Record, at the City of Monticello and SJRnews.com website, and the Monticello Pioneer Days Facebook page.
The main event is the Pioneer Day Parade at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 25 with Grand Marshals four generations of Andersons, including Robert, Daniel, Reed and Clark Anderson.
Other highlights include the longest consecutively running fastpitch softball tournament in the nation with the Blue Mountain Invitational.
Softball action begins on Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. and runs through Saturday evening.
The grand fireworks show will start after dark on Saturday.
The celebration kicks off at 10 a.m. on Friday with a Pickleball Tournament. The double elimination tournament takes place at the pool with registration capped at 16 teams.
You can register in advance at the city pool or find additional information on the city website.
Swimmers can play at the city pool for just one dollar from 1 to 5 pm, and the sidewalk chalk competition is all day around Veterans Park with age group winners. Register beforehand online.
The home run derby will be happening at the city ball fields starting at 2:30 pm on Friday.
Also starting up Friday afternoon are the free inflatables at Veterans Park starting at 3 pm and running until the start of the movie at dark.
Vendors will also be at the park starting at 3 pm
A long drive competition will be held at the Hideout Golf Course from 3 to 5 pm on Friday with the men’s fastpitch softball tournament starting at 4:30 pm and running through Saturday night.
The Recreation Committee will hold fundraising games Friday evening from 5:30 to 8 pm, as well as a family cornhole competition at 5:30 pm.
On Friday night, the city will be showing the movie Sandlot at Veterans park once it gets dark around 9:15 pm.
Saturday morning starts early with the Pioneer Day 5k at Loyds Lake. Registration starts at 6 with the race starting at 7 and a kids fun mile run at 7:45.
The Lions Club Breakfast at the LDS Stake Center Pavillion on Main Street goes from 7 to 10 am.
The Bowden Brigade Golf Tournament is also Saturday morning starting at 8 am.
The Pioneer Day Parade starts at the High School and comes down Main Street starting at 10:30 am.
Events pick up again at 11 am with Vendors in the park at Veterans along with Pony Rides and Jousting, Inflatables, and a 16+ cornhole competition, as well as the quilt show at the library from Noon to 3 pm.
The coin dive is scheduled from 1 to 2 pm at the city pool with lineup starting at 12:45 and kids competing in age groups 0-12 years old.
An open swim and timed obstacle course will follow from 2 to 5 pm on Saturday.
The Hideout will also host a long drive competition from 3 to 5 pm on Saturday.
Fireworks will close out the celebration at dark. Drought conditions have created a high hazard for fire, so the professionals at the Monticello Fire Department plead for individuals to refrain from causing any additional risks of wildfire.
A full schedule of events can be found on page B8 of the San Juan Record, at the City of Monticello and SJRnews.com website, and the Monticello Pioneer Days Facebook page.
In addition to the fun associated with the major community celebration, Wagon Wheel Pizza will be open for the weekend before closing their doors after the Pioneer Day weekend.
Pioneer Day commemorates when the first permanent settlers entered the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1947.