Forty-five thousand Latter-day Saint youth from 173 stakes (regional groupings of congregations similar to a diocese) in Utah, Nevada and Wyoming will gather in Rice-Eccles stadium on 16 July 2005 for a "Day of Celebration."
Teenage members (12-18 years of age) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints will celebrate in song, dance and pageantry the life, teachings and legacy of Joseph Smith. The outdoor spectacular is part of a yearlong commemoration of both the bicentennial of the birth of the Church's founding prophet and the 175th anniversary of the restoration of the Church.
The program will include music sung by a choir of 16,000 voices. Several numbers feature new arrangements composed specifically for this event. Four thousand nine hundred dancers and 2,400 flag bearers will add color and movement to the music.
A traditional Maori chant known as a haka will also be part of the program. Nearly 1,000 young men will combine gestures and body movements with the chant to express a message of faith and spiritual strength.
President Gordon B. Hinckley is expected to attend the "Day of Celebration" and offer concluding remarks.
The event is being organized by the Utah Salt Lake City Area of the Church under the direction of Elder Jeffrey C. Swinton, an area seventy.
Warren G. Tate, chairman of the "Day of Celebration" committee, emphasizes the program's upbeat message, "Our theme, 'Let the Mountains Shout for Joy' is a happy one. We want our young members to rejoice, to be hopeful, grateful and joyful."
Tate adds that the message also focuses on heritage, "We want to remind our youth of the sacrifices made by pioneering Latter-day Saints who settled these mountain valleys. We want them to remember the prophet Joseph Smith and all he did to restore the Church."
Months of preparation on the part of many thousands involved will come to fruition starting at 9:00 p.m. on Saturday evening, 16 July. Performers and audience alike will have a part in this memorable gathering.
Warren Tate explains, "Everyone in the audience will be part of the event. We have a few surprises for those who come, and it's going to be fun."
The production is focused on the idea of being "by the youth, for the youth." The only adults expected at the festivities will be those responsible for transportation and supervision.
Church members will receive tickets to the event from their local Church leaders. Tickets will not be distributed publicly. A live satellite broadcast to Church meetinghouses will allow parents and family members to watch the program.
To keep the spirit of the event long into the future, everyone who participates in the "Day of Celebration" will receive a wristband with the words "Choose Light" inscribed on it.
Wristbands have become a popular means of expressing support and affiliation. The "Choose Light" wristbands will change color when exposed to sunlight. Pale white indoors or in shadows, the wristband becomes a vibrant yellow in sunlight.
"Recent national studies have shown that Latter-day Saint youth know and live their religion," observes Elder Jeffrey C. Swinton. "This 'Day of Celebration' exemplifies the Church's ongoing efforts to help our teenagers 'choose light,' to love and live the Savior's teachings."
"Day of Celebration" is one of several youth events being organized by Church leaders in Utah to commemorate the bicentennial of Joseph Smith's birth. Programs are scheduled in other Utah cities as follows: St. George, Burns Arena at Dixie State College, 8 July, 7:00 p.m.; Cedar City, Centrum at Southern Utah University, 15 July, 7:00 p.m.; Logan, Romney Stadium at Utah State University, 15 July, 9:00 p.m.; Ogden, Dee Events Center at Weber State University, 16 July, 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; Provo, Marriott Center at Brigham Young University, 6 August, 1:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. For more information, see: www.dayofcelebration.com.