Hey Cache Valley!

Grab your camp chairs, load up on sunblock, and stretch out that parade-wave arm—because this is the Pioneer Day issue!

We’ve rounded up all the parades, pancake contests, candy cannons, and firework finales happening across the valley so you can spend less time googling and more time chasing kids through bounce houses.

Whether you're in it for the root beer floats or the softball showdowns, there's something for everyone—and yes, we even included a hack that'll make you look like a parade-day genius.

Let’s go make some red, white, and root beer-flavored memories!

Greenlight is the debit card that teaches kids how to manage money before they blow their first paycheck on energy drinks and Crocs in 5 different colors.

You set the rules. 

They learn to budget, save, and even invest (yep, like tiny Warren Buffetts with braces).

Plus—this part’s important—you get $30 when you sign up using our link below. Because teaching kids about money shouldn’t cost you money.

So go ahead, click the link, grab the free $30, and finally answer their next “Can I have money?” text with “Sure—check your Greenlight app.”

Get Greenlight + $30 here

Because raising financially savvy kids is cool. And so is $30.

In this issue:

- Word on the Street
- Where to Be
- I'll Take One of Everything
- Life Comes at You Fast

- Locals Who Mean Business

- This Made Us Smile

Tony Grove and Mount Naomi Wilderness just got inducted into the Old-Growth Forest Network—basically the VIP club for forests that have seen some stuff.

There’s a dedication, a nature bath (no towel required), and bragging rights for Cache Valley. Come celebrate our trees aging like fine wine.

So You’re Thinking About Buying a House…

Ah, buying a home—the moment when Zillow browsing goes from “ooh that’s cute” to “wait, could we actually live here?” If you’ve found yourself muttering things like “fixed-rate or adjustable?” while folding laundry, congrats—you’re entering your Homebuyer Era™.

But before you pick paint swatches or name your future backyard chickens (I vote Cheryl and Cluck Norris), here’s your not-so-boring checklist for getting actually ready to buy:

Clean Up That Credit Like It's Spring Cleaning Season

Lenders love a clean credit score almost as much as you love clean baseboards. Pay down debt, don’t open new credit cards just because they promise a free tote bag, and check your credit report for errors. You want that score sparkling.

Stash Cash Like a Squirrel

You’ll need a down payment, closing costs, inspection fees, and probably a celebratory pizza after moving day. The more you save, the better your options—and the less likely you’ll panic-buy a lava lamp instead of a lawnmower.

Get Pre-Approved (AKA Your Fancy Financial Permission Slip)

This tells sellers you’re serious and helps you know what you can afford (so you’re not falling in love with a house that costs more than your entire extended family’s income combined).

Start Creeping on Neighborhoods

Drive around, check noise levels, find the grocery store, and maybe even test your commute. Remember: you can renovate a kitchen… but you can’t fix a neighbor’s 3 a.m. drum solos.

Hire a Realtor Who Gets You

Not just someone who knows the market—but someone who knows what you mean when you say “I want something that feels like a cottage but lives like a Costco.”

Bonus Tip: Don’t Panic

Every homebuyer has a moment where they wonder if they should just keep renting forever and invest in throw pillows instead. Totally normal. Deep breaths. You’ve got this.

Whether you're six months out or just daydreaming about future barbecues on your nonexistent deck—starting now sets you up for smoother moves (and fewer surprise expenses).

Want help scouting the perfect neighborhood or learning what the heck earnest money is?

Reply to this email—we’ll point you to the locals in the know!

REAL ESTATE LISTING

This Logan Cutie Is Just Steps from Downtown—and Full of Historic Charm

If hardwood floors, built-ins, and a porch made for lemonade sipping are your love language, welcome home.

This 3-bed, 2-bath gem is tucked on a quiet street but just a short stroll from downtown Logan (hello, Herm’s and farmer’s market Saturdays).

Bonus: there’s a dreamy backyard perfect for pups, parties, or your future chicken coop.

Take a peek—you might just fall in love with your new front porch swing: See the listing on Zillow

REAL ESTATE LISTING

This East Logan Stunner Has a View—and a Kitchen That Might Just Convert You Into a Morning Person

Perched in one of Logan’s most loved neighborhoods, this 6-bed, 3.5-bath beauty brings the space and the style.

We’re talking granite countertops, vaulted ceilings, a primary suite that feels like a weekend getaway, and windows that practically frame the mountains like artwork.

Oh, and did we mention the walk-out basement and fenced backyard? Game nights, garden dreams, or that golden retriever you’ve been “just thinking about”—this house is ready.

Go ahead, take a scroll and picture your next chapter here:
See the listing on Zillow

North Logan’s Going Full Pioneer Mode This Year

From a 5K fun run and pickleball tourneys to BBQ, bouncy castles, BMX races, movie night, and a candy-filled parade—this celebration has everything.

Check out the all the details (and prep your sweet tooth): northloganrec.org

Thursday, July 24th, 2025

7:00 AM – 5K Fun Run or Mile Walk
Location: South end of Elkridge Park
Free to enter! Register before July 4th with a $20 donation and receive a Pioneer Day T-shirt.

7:00–9:00 AM – Breakfast
Location: Elk Ridge Park – Lions Building
Monetary donation requested. Proceeds benefit the new North Logan Library Community Center.

8:00 AM – Fishing Contest
Location: King Nature Park (mouth of Green Canyon)
Open to kids 10 & under. No license needed. Bring your own gear.

10:00 AM – Pioneer Day Parade

Route: 1600 E 1900 N → 1600 E → 2100 N → 1200 E (new route extension)
Float lineup starts at 9:15 AM sharp.

11:00 AM–1:00 PM – Pioneer Activities
Location: Elk Ridge Park
Vendor booths, kids’ games, bouncy castles, and kids’ races (up to age 12). Races start at 11:30 AM.

1:00 PM – Wiffleball Game (Savannah Banana Style)
Location: Elk Ridge Park
For ages 9–15 and 16+. $5 registration includes a t-shirt. Limited spots available.

3:30–5:30 PM – BMX Bike Racing
Location: 1020 E 2500 N, Elk Ridge Park
Open to all ages. Bring your bike and helmet.

5:30 PM – BBQ & Bingo Game
Location: Elk Ridge Park – Lions Building
$5 per person or $20 per family. Hosted by North Logan Royalty. Proceeds benefit the new library project.

8:00 PM – Family-Fun Games
Location: South end of Elk Ridge Park
Lilo & Stitch-themed games before the movie.

8:45 PM – Movie in the Park: Lilo & Stitch
Location: South end of Elk Ridge Park
A fun movie night for the whole family. Vendors will have kettle corn and snow cones.

10:00 PM – Fireworks Finale
Location: South end of Elk Ridge Park
The biggest fireworks show in town, sponsored by Thomson Family Orthodontics.

Parade? Check. Candy cannon? Oh yes. Fireworks? You bet.

Logan's Pioneer Day at Willow Park is basically a local legend—and this year, it’s bursting at the seams with tournaments, crafts, live music, and enough kettle corn to make your dentist nervous.

Run the fun run, watch the parade, win at cornhole, rock out to Michelle Lambert, and stick around for the fireworks. (Trust us—you don’t want to be the one who “missed it this year.”)

See the full schedule and pick your party plan!

Thursday, July 24th, 2025
Location: Willow Park, 450 West 700 South, Logan, UT

Event Registration Times

7:00 AM – Fun Run (1 & 3 mile noncompetitive)

7:15 AM – Open Grass Volleyball Tournament

8:30 AM – Registration for:

• • 3-on-3 Basketball

  • 3-on-3 Soccer

  • Horseshoe

  • Cornhole

Main Events

7:30 AM – Fun Run Begins

7:30 AM – Open Grass Volleyball Tournament Begins

9:00 AM – Tournament Kickoff

• 3-on-3 Basketball

• 3-on-3 Soccer

• Horseshoe Tournament

• Cornhole Tournament

• Family Fun Cardio Jam

10:00 AM –

• Pioneer Day Parade

• Food & Craft Booths Open (runs through 11:00 PM)

11:00 AM–5:00 PM – Pioneer Crafts & Games
Location: Pioneer Museum, 15 Federal Ave

11:30 AM–1:00 PM – Free Kids Crafts

12:00–12:45 PM – Candy Cannon Launch

• 12:00 PM – Ages 0–5

• 12:15 PM – Ages 6–8

• 12:30 PM – Ages 9–12

3:30–5:00 PM – Bingo Bonanza

5:30–6:30 PM – Live Music: Bear River Ramblers

7:00–8:00 PM – Live Music: Mile Marker 6

8:30 PM – Live Music: Michelle Lambert

10:00 PM – Fireworks Finale

Mendon’s Throwing a Party—and You’re Definitely Invited

Talent shows, canoe races, pie-throwing, a shotgun shoot (yes, really), and enough pickleball to qualify as cardio for the rest of the year—Mendon City is going all in for Pioneer Day.

This celebration has everything: pancake contests, food trucks, horse races, a giant water fight courtesy of the fire department, and a historic home tour if you need a breather. It all wraps up with a military band and fireworks bursting into the summer night sky.

Whether you're coming for the free donuts, the family canoe night, or just to see if you still have a decent volleyball serve—this is one Pioneer Day celebration you don't want to miss.

Pro tip: Bring sunscreen. And maybe a second stomach.

Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025
6:00 PM – Family Canoe Nite @ The Swamps on Valley View Hwy

6:30 PM – Adult Canoe Races @ Bridge on Mendon Road

5:00–9:00 PM – Pickleball Mixed/Kids/Teens/Seniors @ Mountainside Elementary

6:00–10:00 PM – Softball Tournament

Thursday, July 24th, 2025
7:00 PM – Shotgun Shoot for Youth 12+ and Adults @ 2000 S 5400 W (bring your own gear)

5:00–9:00 PM – Pickleball Pool Play (Men’s/Women’s) @ Mountainside Elementary

5:00–9:00 PM – Self-Guided Historic Home Tour @ Mendon Station

6:00–10:00 PM – Youth Coed Softball Tournament

Friday, July 25th, 2025
All Day – Food Contest Entries Submitted @ Church East Doors

6:00–10:00 PM – Volleyball Tournament Begins (Registration @ 5:30 PM)

6:00–9:00 PM – Pickleball (All divisions) @ Mountainside Elementary

7:00 PM – Pony Express Horse Race @ Coldwater on Cobblestone

7:30–9:00 PM – Flag Football Game (Ages 12–99) @ Mendon Square

6:00–9:00 PM – Youth Coed Championship Softball Game

Saturday, July 26th, 2025
6:30 AM – Sunrise 5K/10K Fun Run @ Mendon Station (Race starts at 7:00 AM)

8:00 AM – Flag Ceremony

8:15 AM – Pancake Eating Contest @ Flagpole

8:30 AM – Daybreak Kids Fun Run (Ages 3–99) @ Inside Baseball Diamond

9:00 AM–5:00 PM – Quilt Show @ Mendon Station

9:00 AM – Playground Fundraisers (photo booth, pie throwing, pony rides, dunk tank, cow pie toss)

10:00 AM – Volleyball Tournament Continues

10:00 AM–4:00 PM – Vendor Fair @ East Parking Lot

10:30 AM – Food Trucks & Navajo Tacos

10:30 AM – Frisbee Golf Meet-Up @ Flagpole

12:00 PM – Groundbreaking Ceremony for Legacy Sports Park @ 250 South 135 East

12:00–5:00 PM – Willie Home Open for Tours

1:00 PM – Parade on Main Street

1:00–4:00 PM – DUP Cabin & James G. Willie Home Tours

1:15 PM – 22nd Annual Great Race

2:00 PM – Fireman’s Hose-Down @ Large Soccer Field

2:15 PM – Inflatables & Dunk Tank Fundraiser ($10 wristband)

4:00 PM – Horseshoe Tournament @ Volleyball Court

4:30 PM – Coed Softball Championship (55th Anniversary Game)

7:00 PM – Men’s Softball Championship

5:00 PM – Bingo @ Large Soccer Field

6:00 PM – Spikeball, Nine Square & Cornhole @ Large Soccer Field

6:00 PM – Food Contest Winners Announced

7:00 PM – Military Band Performance

7:30 PM – Pickleball Championship Games @ East Parking Lot

8:30 PM – Teen Beach Volleyball

After Ball Games – Fireworks!

Fireworks PSA, Cache Valley!

When: July 22–25, 11:00 AM–11:00 PM (midnight on the 24th).

Where: Plenty of spots are off-limits—so read this twice:

Logan: No fireworks on the East Bench or West Closure zones (check the detailed map!).

Hyde Park: East of 400 East—no go.

Lewiston: East of 800 East and West of 2400 West—nope.

Millville: East of 550 East—save your sparklers for the backyard.

Nibley: East of Highway 165 is a no-spark zone.

North Logan: East of 1600 East—leave the fireworks in the box.

Richmond: East of 300 East and North of 500 North—no fireworks allowed.

Smithfield: North of Center Street & East of 200 East, and South of Center & East of 800 East—keep it quiet.

Wellsville: West of 200 West & South of 900 South, plus city parks and the city center—sparklers stay home.

Providence: Only inside the safe red line—forests, brush, and ag land are off-limits.

Pro Tip: When in doubt—always check the official map before striking that match. Let’s keep our hills green and our homes standing. 

👉 See the full map here!

PB&J Skewers - aka: picnic food meets finger food meets “Whoa, that’s clever!”

Ingredients:

• 6 slices of soft sandwich bread

• ¼ cup peanut butter (or sunflower butter for allergy-friendly)

• ¼ cup jelly or jam

• 1–2 bananas, sliced into coins

• Optional: strawberries or grapes for extra color

Instructions: 

1. Make 3 PB&J sandwiches as usual.

2. Cut each sandwich into 1-inch squares.

3. Alternate sandwich squares with banana slices (and berries if using) on small wooden skewers or toothpicks.

4. Keep chilled until party time or cover tightly for transport.
   
   

Kid Bonus: They’re fun to eat, don’t need utensils, and won’t end up tragically upside down like a scoop of potato salad.

Parent Bonus: Zero whining. Zero forks. Zero leftovers.

Pioneer Day Hack: The Fitted Sheet Parade Corral (Yes, It’s Genius)

You know the chaos—kids sprawling everywhere, snacks getting trampled, your neighbor’s lawn chair slowly encroaching into your personal space.

Enter: the humble fitted sheet.

Bring one from home (twin or queen size works great) and lay it out upside down—elastic side facing up.

Then anchor each corner with something heavy like a cooler, diaper bag, or even a jug of water. Voilà! The elastic edges pop up just enough to create a soft, defined “kid zone.”

It gives your littles a visual boundary, keeps snacks and toys from rolling away, and makes your setup look shockingly organized.

Bonus: When the parade’s over, just shake it out and toss everything back in the car.

No blankets to fold. No wrestling chairs. Just one brilliant hack that'll make other parents say, “Why didn’t I think of that?”

Sponsored

Copperlane Clothing

Use code 10off for an extra 10% off for CVL readers!

And that’s a wrap on our Pioneer Day roundup!

If you found something fun, festive, or just plain helpful in this issue, do your favorite neighborly deed and forward it to a friend who still thinks the parade starts at 11 (spoiler: it doesn’t).

Some of the links in this email may earn us a small commission—kind of like digital tip jar that helps us keep this newsletter free, local, and way more fun than your average city bulletin board.

Thanks for supporting us while we support the Valley!

Thanks!
- your Cache Valley Locals Team

P.S. Got a Pioneer Day photo, tip, or small-town moment worth sharing? Hit reply—we love featuring local gems (especially ones with awkward family band outfits or legendary bake-off wins).