Foam, foam and more foam: Lehi celebration draws thousands
People get a blast of foam at Foam Day at the Lehi Sports Park on Saturday, July 21, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Firefighters provide a cleansing rinse at Foam Day at the Lehi Sports Park on Saturday, July 21, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Firefighters douse people in a thick foam at Foam Day at the Lehi Sports Park on Saturday, July 21, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
A boy lays down in the bubbles at Foam Day at the Lehi Sports Park on Saturday, July 21, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
A boy is sprayed with foam at Foam Day at the Lehi Sports Park on Saturday, July 21, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
A girl clears her eyes after being sprayed at Foam Day at the Lehi Sports Park on Saturday, July 21, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
People get a blast of foam at Foam Day at the Lehi Sports Park on Saturday, July 21, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Firefighters spray foam onto people at Foam Day at the Lehi Sports Park on Saturday, July 21, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Free watermelon is served at Foam Day at the Lehi Sports Park on Saturday, July 21, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
A girl poses for a portrait at Foam Day at the Lehi Sports Park on Saturday, July 21, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Kids enjoy Foam Day at the Lehi Sports Park on Saturday, July 21, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
Two boys play in the bubbles at Foam Day at the Lehi Sports Park on Saturday, July 21, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
A girl poses for a portrait at Foam Day at the Lehi Sports Park on Saturday, July 21, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
A boy gets a face full of foam at Foam Day at the Lehi Sports Park on Saturday, July 21, 2012. SPENSER HEAPS/Daily Herald
LEHI — Lehi city has attracted some attention with its popular Foam Day Celebration after being spotlighted in the July National Geographic magazine as a hometown holiday tradition.
“For the benefit of the citizens of the city, we thought this would be a good thing for the community and for the county,” Fire Chief Dale Ekins said. The first year the holiday was sponsored by the city, 1,000 people attended. There was the foam and then they gave away watermelon slices. Ekins said they got some phone calls the first few years to find out what was in the foam and even had the health department check the foam for toxicity and found out the foam was just good, clean fun.
On Saturday, about 5,000 people celebrated one of Lehi City’s most popular holidays.
“I think half of Lehi and half of Utah County is here,” Liz Harding said. Their second time to attend Lehi Foam Day, they have four girls, all of who looked as though they were ready for a nap after one hour in the foam.
“I think they are going to go to bed early tonight,” Harding said.
Her 7-year-old loved the foam.
“The foam and the bouncers,” Sydney Harding said. “The foam is kind of soggy and the bouncers are bouncy.”
And then she yawned.
After organizing the event for four years, the city staff has it down to a science.
A mini city within a city, there were newborns, elderly, wheelchair bound and those who jumped for joy at the Lehi Sports Park on Saturday. Firefighters sprayed the white foam into the air above the heads of children and adults. Police officers, park staff, Lehi recreation employees and CERT volunteers were there to help make the holiday go smoothly. A station for lost parents and kids and a first aid station also were established.
First-timers would stand and gaze at the children dancing or sitting in the foam, others would walk right in and participate.
And there wasn’t just foam to attract the participants. After getting hosed down with water, those attending could visit vendor booths and shop, sit in a shady pavilion and listen to live entertainment, eat free watermelon or watch their children play on the bouncy toys and park equipment.
“The city is trying to make it an all day event,” Ekins said. “The volume is much greater now because we have more people coming and we’ve expanded the area.”
Savannah and Normandy Todd, 9-year-old twins, got to go to Foam Day for the first time.
Their father is the city administrator, Derek Todd.
“It’s pretty awesome, because there is foam everywhere,” Savannah Todd said. She said sliding in the foam was her favorite part.
Normandy Todd said her favorite part wasn’t the foam but getting foam on and going over to the shower station and rinsing off.
Matthew Todd said he was amazed by the city holiday.
“It was pretty cool; it was something that I had never experienced before,” the 15-year-old said. He said sliding in the foam was fun but getting stepped on kind of hurt.
