When was Layton's last rodeo? Plus, 'Let's All Go to Church' Sunday

                                       The calendar of events for 1947 at Layton Riata Days.

LAYTON City named its Fourth of July celebration "Riata Days" in 1948 and that title continued until the 1990s.
(Other names considered for its festivities included: Pioneer Wagon Days, Round-Up Days, Westward Ho Days, Utah Trail Days, LaRida Days, Buckaroo Days, Jamboree Days and Frontier Days, according to the Ogden Standard-Examiner of June 9, 1948.)
Like most Utah and western communities, Layton also held a rodeo, with horses and cattle and other livestock during this annual summer event.
Back in 1948, Layton held a two-night rodeo.
Where was this held?
It was at the Rodeo arena at the Davis County Fairgrounds, then near Davis High School in Kaysville at the time.
According to a search of Layton rodeos, the last one that was held as part of the City's official July Fourth celebration was in 1949.
Besides the rodeo, a live fishing pond, evening dance and a greased pig event all faded away into history.
-ANOTHER vanished Fourth of July feature was the "Let's All Go to Church" emphasis. The Weekly Reflex newspaper of June 25, 1953, listed this short-lived religious event on the City's calendar for the Sunday after July 4th that year.  This religious emphasis only happened in the early 1950s. It likely disappeared when the City government itself took over the celebration completely, instead of relying on the Chamber of Commerce or Layton Jaycees for organizing the festivities.

                                The Stott Welding float in the 1948 Layton Riata Days Parade.
                                                          Photo from the Heritage Museum of Layton collection.