Pioneer Days pedal: Mapleton celebrates 125 years with Light the Bike ride
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- Adults and children participate in the Light the Bike event Thursday, July 16, 2026, in Mapleton.
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- Adults and children participate in the Light the Bike event Thursday, July 16, 2026, in Mapleton.
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- Adults and children participate in the Light the Bike event Thursday, July 16, 2026, in Mapleton.
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- Adults and children participate in the Light the Bike event Thursday, July 16, 2026, in Mapleton.
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- Adults and children participate in the Light the Bike event Thursday, July 16, 2026, in Mapleton.
Ellie Priddis described Mapleton as a place where her kids are still safe to venture on their own into the neighborhood and can always be tracked down by finding where the bicycles are.
“It still feels like our childhood a little bit,” she said.
On Thursday night, as part of the weeklong Pioneer Day festivities during Mapleton’s 125th anniversary, community members took advantage of the family-friendly environment for the ninth annual Light the Bike event.
Adults and children decorated bicycles with glow-in-the-dark necklaces and lights. A brigade of traditional bikes, e-bikes, strollers and scooters all followed a Mapleton police officer from Hobble Creek Elementary down the Mapleton Parkway Trail and through the neighborhood.
“The city finished the trail about 10 years ago, and then shortly thereafter, we started this tradition,” Pioneer Days organizer Kendall Ehat said. “We’ve increased probably 50 bikes per year over the last few years, and it’s become an awesome tradition here.”
The bike ride is just one of many events this week intended to embrace the community spirit for Pioneer Day and celebrate the city’s 125th anniversary. Ehat said the theme for the week is “125: Together We Thrive.”
Last Saturday, there was a hike to Maple Mountain. On Monday, the city held a concert and movie night in the park, and on Tuesday there was a family disc golf night. Friday will feature a family street dance and a talent show, and Saturday will feature the parade and fireworks.
“Over the last 10 years, our city is really growing, and so we like to use this as a way to build unity,” Ehat said. “So as a community, if we come in and we build unity, then we’re going to thrive, and our community is going to become that much stronger.”
Many at Thursday’s bike ride could attest to that unity.
Devon Patton said he and his wife are both from the Mapleton-Springville area and moved away but came back to raise their family. He’s proud to celebrate the city’s 125 years.
“It feels like there’s a lot of heritage and pride in that culture. It’s a great place to raise a family,” he said.
Priddis said they’ve considered moving because their house is getting too small for their growing family, but the community makes it difficult to leave.
“It’s a big year because it’s 125 for Mapleton and 250 for America,” Priddis said. “We’ve only been here for almost 11 years, but we love it.”
