Suffragette party to celebrate 105 years of women’s voting rights in Park City

14-yr. old striker, Fola La Follette, and Rose Livingston Photo: Photo by Library of Congress

PARK CITY, Utah — The Pro-Active Alliance and the League of Women Voters Wasatch Back will host a Suffragette Party on Aug. 18 at Rotary Park to mark 105 years of women’s voting rights.

The event will run from 5 to 7:45 p.m. and will feature live music, lawn games, an art project for creating suffragette sashes, and a costume contest. Guests are encouraged to dress in period attire or wear white, a color historically worn by suffragettes to symbolize purity. The celebration will also include a potluck dinner, with beverages and tableware provided by organizers.

Susan Odell, a member of the Pro-Active Alliance leadership team, said the gathering is both a celebration and a call to remain engaged. “We are celebrating, but we also want to remind people that the movement is not over,” she said. “Even in this day and age, we’re still hearing from some organizations that women shouldn’t have the right to vote. We want to make sure we maintain the ground we’ve already achieved.”

The Pro-Active Alliance, formed in Park City in March, has more than 350 members on its mailing list. The grassroots group organizes monthly meetings with guest speakers on local and state issues, a weekly “coffee talk” at the Bagel Den in Kimball Junction, and action-oriented community events. Its recent efforts include the “No Kings” rally in June and a candidate forum in partnership with the League of Women Voters.

The League of Women Voters Wasatch Back, also founded this year, is part of the national nonpartisan organization that works to protect and expand voting rights. “They focus on making sure voting rights aren’t being reduced and on encouraging people to vote for candidates who make it easy to have your voice heard,” Odell said.

Monday’s program will include remarks from climate activist and mountaineer Caroline Gleich, as well as a tribute to Park City Mayor Nann Worel, the city’s first female mayor. “Being a woman in politics in Utah is not easy,” Odell said. “We like to show that we do have strong women leaders in our community.”

The event is open to all ages, but RSVPs are required due to limited space. More information is available at proactivealliance.org.