Pony Express Days in Eagle Mountain will look much like last year’s, but bigger.

“We haven’t added any new events this year, but we expect to see an increase in attendance with the tremendous growth rate the city has had over the past year,” said Linda Peterson, communications and community relations director for the city.

“We try to keep all of the events affordable, as we have a lot of young families in our city,” Peterson said.

The celebration starts on Memorial Day weekend with a rodeo. Eagle Mountain’s rodeo is an official PRCA event with world-class riders, according to Jared Gray, of Pony Express Events. “We have a full line-up every night this year,” Gray said, including bareback riders Mason Clements, who recently was sitting second in the world, and Kaycee Feild, who once won four consecutive bareback world championships.

“Some of the top people who go on to national finals rodeo compete here,” Gray said.

The rodeo will be followed on Tuesday by the bike ride for families. It will start at City Hall and follow the paved trail on Pony Express Parkway to Unity Pass, the back to City Hall.

“The ride is not difficult, so it is doable for families with small children,” Peterson said. There will be giveaways for the participants, something for everyone, while supplies last, according to Peterson.

Last year it was a bag with water bottle and gift cards for restaurants. “I don’t want to promise what we’re giving this year, because it might be different from last year,” Peterson said.

The bike ride will be immediately followed by a free pancake dinner at City Hall under a dining tent in the parking lot, served by the mayor and the city council members. The pancake dinner is open to everyone, not just to people who are doing the bike ride, Peterson emphasized.

The family fun night in Nolen Park on Wednesday afternoon and evening will include a collection of inflatable devices that children can jump in, interactive kids’ games run by Gotta Dance Performing Arts Studeo, and music with dancing and sing-along provided by Munchkin Radio. The city will provide free popcorn and cotton candy, and there will be food trucks.

Family fun night will end with a movie in the park, “The Incredibles.” Families should bring their own blankets and chairs.

“The Cupcake Charity 5K on Saturday has been called Utah’s fastest 5K because it is all downhill,” Peterson said. It is followed by the kids’ Fun Run for ages 10 and younger. “The registration fees for the runs go to help families in the community who have serious medical expenses and hardships.”

Candy tossing and other giveaways will be permitted at Saturday’s Grand Parade, so kids should bring bags.

The demolition derby to be held Saturday night is also run by Pony Express Events, and Gray is as proud of the derby as he is of the rodeo.

“Two years ago we had the No. 1 demolition derby in the state for hardest hits and roll-overs Gray said. “We had the best wrecks in the state that year!” he added.

The celebration will end Saturday night with fireworks at dusk at the Cory B. Wride Memorial Park.

Meanwhile, a carnival will run May 31, June 1-2. Discount carnival tickets are available through May 25 at all Eagle Mountain schools and City Hall, except Frontier Middle School, and a portion of the ticket sales go to the school from which they are purchased.

“It’s a nice way to save money on the carnival and support our local schools,” Peterson said.