Two nights of rodeo, a children’s parade, museum tours, fireworks and donkey steer roping are a few of the things that set Santaquin’s Orchard Days apart from other city celebrations.

The family-oriented event will come to Santaquin’s Rodeo Arena from July 29 through Aug. 5.

Santaquin Mayor Kirk Hunsaker expects there to be between 8,000 and 10,000 people visiting the city celebration this year.

“The uniqueness about Orchard Days is that not only is it family-oriented, it’s just everybody working together to make it a good time,” Hunsaker said. “We get a lot of people from outside of Santaquin to come to the rodeo, which is two nights, not just one.”

Paige Steele, Orchard Days rodeo chair, said she’s been involved in the city celebration for the past 15 years and has made it a tradition for her four children and husband, who is from Santaquin, to be involved in the event each year.

“They have no choice, they have to be involved,” said Steele, who has been a resident of Santaquin for the past 35 years.

Steele said her involvement in the rodeo started with her taking tickets, then being involved in the rodeo committee and becoming the rodeo chair for the past five years.

Not much is expected to change during this year’s Orchard Days, but the attendance of the event has grown each year and has brought skilled cowboys and cowgirls since the rodeo became associated with the Rocky Mountain Professional Rodeo Association about a decade ago, according to Steele.

“We got rodeo of the year seven years in a row. We’re the best rodeo we have around,” Steele said. “People love to come to our rodeo. It’s just a fun time with everything that goes on all week. I think it’s the best around.”

Amy Johnson, Santaquin’s recreations and events manager, said having free family nights, which involve a children’s parade, carnival games and a free movie showing, is a way to show appreciation to the whole community.

“It’s a time to bring our community together and provide different opportunities for people to come play,” Johnson said.

Hunsaker, who’s been involved with Orchard Days for five years, said the family night activities are his favorite part of the event and he enjoys the “family closeness and involvement of the city.” He said while there is always room for improvement regarding volunteers, the city expects close to 100 people to volunteer at Orchard Days.

Santaquin’s celebration, which used to be referred to as “Cherry Days,” will bring back donkey steer roping for the second year in a row, due to popular demand.

“It’s comical; the [donkeys] aren’t cooperative,” Steele said.

The “Little Buck A Roo Rodeo” will kick off Orchard Days at 9 a.m. July 29 at the Santaquin Rodeo Arena, located at 175 South 400 West. The rodeo event will end with a free fireworks show Aug. 4 and 5.