CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — Zion National Park Forever Project, the park’s official nonprofit partner, is hosting the “Centennial Celebration” on Nov. 19 at Dixie State University’s Cox Auditorium.

As part of Zion National Park’s 100th birthday this year, this momentous occasion will be celebrated on the same date as the signing of the founding documents a century ago. According to a press release from Zion Forever Project, attendees at the Nov. 19 event will be treated to a live performance by local musicians 3hattrio, a screening of the poem “Queen Zion” by famed cowboy poet Waddie Mitchell, activities with National Park Service rangers and an exclusive, private prescreening of the new feature-length “Zion Forever” film.

The movie, by production team Local Studio, will take viewers into Zion National Park and follow the voices and experiences of many different keepers of this amazing sanctuary. This new film seeks to empower visitors with a sense of responsibility for the land and also the importance of cultivating and developing the next generation of public land leaders and keepers.

Mark Preiss, director of the Zion Forever Project, said he feels the new film leads Zion into the next century.

“This new film resets the definition of traditional movies about national parks,” Preiss said in the press release.

“Through the voices of many diverse characters, visitors will be offered a chance to truly connect with the land and realize that being a keeper of this sanctuary doesn’t stop when you leave the gates, it is a commitment to protect these precious resources now and forever.”

The Centennial Celebration is the culmination of three events honoring Zion’s first 100 years. On Aug. 31, famed musician Sting performed a benefit concert in Salt Lake City with the Utah Symphony. Attended by over 18,000, this was Zion Forever Project’s single largest fundraising event to date.

Additionally, from Nov. 5-10, Zion Forever will host 11 artists for a full week of painting and demonstrations at an annual art event renamed “Celebration of Art” for the park’s centennial. And the final birthday celebration on Nov. 19 will offer our gateway communities and local residents a first look at the new film and the future of Zion as we move into the next century.

Jeff Bradybaugh, superintendent of Zion National Park, said he feels the new film will transport people into the park even if they are not physically inside its walls.

“When you take a moment and stand still allowing the sounds of the canyon to fully engulf you, hearing the flow of the water, the rustling of the leaves, the songs of the birds, that is Zion’s embrace,” he said. “This project undertaken by Zion Forever translates that feeling onto film and leaves a permanent impression that these things are worth conserving for future generations.”

Zion National Park was established on Nov. 19, 1919, as Utah’s first national park. Now with over 4 million visitors each year, Zion is one of the most popular parks in the United States. In partnership with Zion National Park, Zion Forever Project endeavors to ensure this amazing place remains a sanctuary for people and nature, forever.

The Nov. 19 event is free and open to the public and will begin at 7:30 p.m.; however, tickets will be required to attend. Tickets can be reserved online or at the DSU box office website. Tickets may also be reserved in person at 325 S. 700 East, St. George.

About Zion Forever Project

The Zion Forever Project is the official nonprofit partner of Zion National Park, Cedar Breaks and Pipe Spring National Monuments. The momentum behind the Forever Project has incited funding, partnerships and community support from organizations and park enthusiasts throughout the state and beyond – reflecting the project’s main objective of uniting park, community and state partners to leverage resources to address urgent needs and provide inspiration for visitors now and throughout Zion National Park’s next century.

Visit the Zion Forever Project online to learn more about the organization’s mission of stewardship for Zion National Park.

Event details

• What: Zion Forever Project “Centennial Celebration.”
• When: Tuesday, Nov. 19, 7:30 p.m.
• Where: DSU Cox Auditorium, 225 South 700 E., St. George.
• Tickets: Website.

• S P O N S O R E D   C O N T E N T • 

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