Fireworks Celebration of Utah’s 125th Statehood Anniversary

Fireworks will fill the skies throughout the state Jan. 4. Photo: Photo by Elisha Terada

PARK CITY, Utah. — Utah will celebrate its 125th anniversary of statehood with a fireworks display in every county on Jan. 4 at 7:30 p.m. These festivities are part of the Thrive 125 celebration, an event organized by the state which also includes a live televised event centered around Utah’s heritage, diverse culture, and scenery at 6:30 p.m. Summit County’s fireworks will be set off near the Olympic Park on a Basin Recreation trail.

“Having seen all that this state has to offer, I believe that it goes unmatched by any other state,” said Summit County Events Manager Tyler Orgill, who was born and raised in Utah. “To me, [celebrating Utah’s statehood] means honoring what was created by those that came before us and the hard work and diligence it took to get us where we are today.”

According to the Thrive 125 event page, the fireworks will last about three to four minutes, and spectators are encouraged to watch at a distance, in their cars, and from their yards. The televised event will be broadcast again on PBS Utah that evening at 8:30 p.m.

The celebration’s line-up:
6:30 – 7:00 p.m. – Televised event on all four Utah network affiliates
7:30 p.m. – Fireworks
8:30 p.m. – Re-air on PBS Utah

Historian Katherine Kitterman highlights the issues that Utah faced in its struggle to achieve its place as the 45th state in the United States of America: