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.

Remembering Rita Days in Layton

                                                          The first Riata Days program, 1948.

                                                    (From the Heritage Museum of Layton's photo collection.)

BEGINING in 1948 and spanning more than 40 years, the Fourth of July Celebration in Layton City was named “Riata Days.”

This reference was to highlight Layton’s agricultural and ranching heritage. Riata means a long looped rope to catch animals. Its last usage was on July 4, 1990 and the festivities originally spanned July 2-5.

Beginning in 1991, “Liberty Days” became Layton’s title for its Fourth of July festivities. The name was chosen from a contest to rename the event, since the former title was no longer appropriate for a modern Layton City with limited agriculture.

    A large crowd and the first Riata Days Parade in 1948, with the Stott Brothers Welding float.

                                                           (From the Heritage Museum of Layton's photo collection.)

Seven different entries all submitted the same contest name. The winners were Jolane Thornock, Melissa Miller, Dan Horton, Nathan and Natalie Durbano, Jenny Kofoed and Davis Adams.

Prior to 1948, Layton had no specific title for its Independence Day celebration, but for many years it included a rodeo and carnival and the grounds of Layton Elementary School. Back in that era, the Layton Jaycees and the Junior Chamber of Commerce were the organizers of the celebrations, not Layton City government.

In the pre-Commons Park days, Layton’s Fourth of July parades also ended at Layton Elementary School.

SOURCES: Davis County Clipper Archives, Harris Adams and the Deseret News Archives.

A look at Layton City's Fourth of July Celebration in 1951

The original Riata Days program in 1948.  (Heritage Museum of Layton picture.)


RIATA Days was Layton's Fourth of July Celebration for many decades.
For example, the sixth annual Riata Days celebration on July 4, 1951 included a variety of events, but was anchored by all-you-can-eat pancakes at a Chuck Wagon Breakfast at 6:15 a.m. (much earlier than modern such holiday breakfasts).
The day's activities began with a flag salute at 6 a.m. in the City's Park. There were youth activities at 10 a.m. and a parade at 1 p.m.
There was also a baseball game of Layton vs. Evanston at 3 p.m.
The Ritz Theater hosted an indoor movie party at 7 p.m. and the Davis Drive-In and the Layton Drive-In sponsored movie parties and fireworks at 8:30 p.m.
The Layton Jaycees were the major sponsor of these holiday activities.

                The Riata Days parade in 1948.  -From the Heritage Museum of Layton collection.