Splash Days soaked in tradition
Children react as firefighters from the Saratoga Springs Fire Department begin to spray water on them using the firetruck deck gun during the Saratoga Splash Bash in Saratoga Springs in this file photo from 2013. Water gun fights abounded at the second annual Splash Bash, and the Fire Department was on hand using their large hoses and the firetruck's deck gun to fire water back at the children.
Hailey Manwill draws with chalk during a sidewalk art competition at Neptune Park in Saratoga Springs on June 10, 2013 as part of Saratoga Splash Days.
A similar event will be coming to American Fork as a part of this year's Steel Days festivities.
Saratoga Springs is proof that if you build it, people will come.
While the city itself is relatively new to the Wasatch Front — it was incorporated in 1997 and made into a city in 2001 — its grandfather, the 19th-century aquatic “Shangri-la of the West” known as Saratoga Springs, hosted generations of water enthusiasts until the early 1990s.
In 1884, former farmer-turned-entrepreneur John Beck built Beck’s Saratoga Springs as a haven that welcomed families from all areas to soak in the natural hot-springs pools and enjoy a variety of amusement park activities.
At the height of its success in the 1950s, Saratoga Springs boasted a Ferris wheel, a miniature train, a merry-go-round, airplane swings and a large slide for the pool, among other attractions. It has been reported that at one point there were 35 rides, an arcade and a miniature golf course.
The amusement park closed in 1993, and the hot springs are no longer accessible to the public. But the tradition of family fun and the area’s fascination with wild water activities continues.
The natural wonder that established this area still flows freely as the Saratoga Splash Days celebration. Every year, residents pay homage to the hot springs that brought them together as a community with a parade, water activities, concerts and other family activities.
Despite being one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation, residents of Saratoga Springs bask in the small-town charm that first attracted waves of fans 132 years ago. These days, what started as a friendly neighborhood block party is now a huge week-long celebration.
Splash Days welcomes thousands of guests each year to battle in the best water party in the city, enjoy the parade, feast on delicious carnival food and be a part of the annual Chalk, Walk and Boogie!
Much like John Beck’s vision of years past, today’s Saratoga Springs is flooded with tradition, a desire to support family values and an enduring sense of community. Come join in, and don’t forget your towel.