Fun, tradition and the largest bocce ball tournament in the state

Intermountain Catholic

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IC photo/Marie Mischel

FARMINGTON — For 80 years, All State Italian Day at Lagoon has meant one thing to Gloria Goddard and her family: tradition.

Goddard’s Aunt Irene was a charter member of the Italian-American Civic League and would take the young Gloria with her to the organization’s meeting. The first All State Italian Day celebrated the end of World War Two.

"They opened Lagoon for us," Goddard said. "The season was over."

As the years went by, the annual event at Lagoon grew to include children’s games, a pasta-eating contest, a bocce tournament, and plenty of time to visit.

"It was always the funnest time, because you’d always see your cousins out there," said Goddard’s daughter, Jonnee Frederick. "You couldn’t wait to get out there to go on the rides or to go swimming. Swimming was a big deal back then."

Some things have changed over the years – Frederick remembers that when she was a little girl, Lagoon Day would end with the tables being pulled back from the patio to create a dance floor, an orchestra would play and "my grandpa used to get out there and dance."

Of course, food plays a large part in the day.

"I remember my grandmother would cook for two or three days to bring food out there," Frederick said.

Back then, "It wasn’t ‘I eat mine and you eat yours,’ it was a conglomeration," Goddard said. "You’d go to their table. That was the way it was."

Now, although many families still bring their own food to the event, the Italian-American Civic League provides pasta and sausage for purchase. Other traditions gone by the wayside are the opening Mass and the selection of a queen to rule during the event – Aunt Irene was chosen as the first queen – but going to Lagoon on the second Sunday of August remains a ritual for many.

"It would be weird to miss a Lagoon Day," said Goddard’s granddaughter, Gia Frederick, the immediate past president of the Italian-American Civic League. "You look forward to it every summer. You get to go out there, you get to see all your friends, ride the rides and enjoy the food. It just wouldn’t be summer without Lagoon Day."

"It’s just tradition," agreed Frederick. "I’ve been working out there on Italian Day for 35, 40 years. The best part is being out there with family."

"If you miss, you say, ‘Ah, I should have gone,’" Goddard said. "It was a tradition to go. My folks used to go. I used to go. All the family went. I feel like the devil if I don’t go."