Hildale City Council honors organizers of 4th of July parade; staff works overtime to establish regulations

HILDALE — The early portion of the Hildale City Council meeting Wednesday night was devoted to honoring the officials responsible for Short Creek’s highly successful 4th of July parade.

A float in the Short Creek 4th of July parade, Hildale, Utah, July 4, 2022 | Photo by Heather Musser, St. George News

Mayor Donia Jessop expressed sincere gratitude to the city staff for all of the work they put into organizing and conducting the parade.

“We were text messaging and calling each other for the last two weeks,” said Jessop, additionally singling out City Manager Eric Duthie, Deputy City Recorder Sirrene Barlow and council member Terrill Musser.

“Everyone of us till 11 and 12 at night, 6 o’clock in the morning, there is no pause,” Jessop said. “This is not a 9-to-5 job, this is 24/7, 365 days per year job. Just everyone who stepped up, it’s just been amazing. I cannot name all the names, but just know that you were seen and you were appreciated.”

Parade organizer Elissa Wall also expressed her thanks to the council and staff.

“Central Street was packed full of people who came out to watch,” Wall told St. George News after the meeting. Officials estimated over 6,000 people came to Short Creek to celebrate.

Short Creek is the name for the combined communities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona. The two communities physically form one city that crosses state borders, requiring officials to share services like the police department.

“I learned a lot in my first year in getting the opportunity to organize the parade,” Wall said. “I was so proud of our community and for the people who stepped up, and all the effort that went into floats that were inclusive of our multicultural community.

Hildale Mayor Donia Jessop (right) welcomes new police officer Manuel Maez at the Hildale City Council Meeting, Hildale, Utah, July 6, 2022 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News

“We focused on what unifies us. That was the lesson I learned organizing the parade, that there is so much more that unifies us in celebration than divides us.”

Jessop said volunteers prepared over 2,500 breakfasts but that didn’t begin to include the vast number of people fed.

The previous year’s parade featured some controversial floats that represented oppositional viewpoints. Wall said the biggest difficulty for this year’s parade was codifying regulations and expectations for a parade that would be inclusive of everyone.

“We were working with two different cities in two different states, but representing one community,” Wall said. “We wanted to clarify what it means to have a parade in the Short Creek area that supports everyone and is all-inclusive.”

Future municipal events will benefit from a standard application process, consistent float regulations and clear expectations of parade procedures.

“Everyone is saying it was the best parade we’ve had in a long time,” City Recorder Athena Cawley said. “It was good to get the event standardized with clear guidelines.”

The council gave an honorary plaque to George and Miriam Jessop, community members who helped stage the parade over the years and selflessly served the community of Hildale.

“Your effort and dedication helped this community to remember how to come together in celebration, and assisted in the building of bridges of healing to all of those in this valley,” said Jessop, reading the declaration by the council. “As true leaders, your examples of kindness and patience paved the way for the inclusive, multicultural community of Short Creek that we enjoy.”

Also on the agenda during Wednesday night’s meeting was the swearing in of new police officer Manuel Maez.

Ed. Note: A previous version of this story erroneously stated that this was the first Hildale parade that included female flag bearers. St. George News received further information after publication that there have been female flag bearers in previous years.

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