Photo Gallery: Utah Summer Games officially open with festive ceremony in Cedar City

Written by Jeff Richards
June 10, 2023

CEDAR CITY — Thousands of athletes, coaches, parents and fans packed the Eccles Coliseum at Southern Utah University on Friday evening to celebrate the 38th annual Larry H. Miller Utah Summer Games.

Paiute tribal members drum and chant as children dance in background during Utah Summer Games opening ceremony, Cedar City, Utah, June 9, 2023 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News

The opening ceremonies started with a procession led by SUU football players and dozens of others carrying U.S. flags. They were followed by various community leaders, VIP dignitaries and their families, sponsors, and hundreds of young athletes and their coaches.

Student athletes carried banners highlighting the 40 or so different sports being staged at this year’s games. 

Following the parade, the participants took their seats and awaited the featured performances.

Native Americans from the local Cedar Band of Paiutes drummed and chanted as young dancers performed in traditional attire. 

They were followed by the Utah Summer Games dancers, who performed a choreographed number.

Next came the featured concert by country musicians LOCASH, comprising Preston Brust, Chris Lucas and their fellow band members. They performed several of their original songs, including the recently released “Three Favorite Colors.” They also had the crowd singing along with several well-known popular favorites by other artists ranging from Def Leppard to Whitney Houston.

After the concert, it was time to light the caldron, with four-time Olympic snowboarder Faye Gulini of Park City taking the torch around the track before ascending the tower and lighting the ceremonial flame to signal the advent of the Utah Summer Games.

A lively fireworks show then capped off the evening.

Photo Gallery

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2023, all rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. They also have three young grandsons. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @stgnews@moabjeff@stgnewssports

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