July 2027 asks home evening to work around two things: heat and holidays. It's the hottest month of the year in Provo, and both of its holidays land on weekends and shift to a weekday. The four Mondays are July 5, 12, 19 and 26. Here's what to know and what to do about it.
Two holidays, both moved
Independence Day moves to Monday. July 4, 2027 is a Sunday. Utah Code 63G-1-301 says a fixed-date holiday that falls on a Sunday is observed the following Monday, so Monday, July 5 is the legal holiday. BYU's academic calendar lists the same day as its Independence Day holiday.
What that means for home evening: the first Monday of July is a day off for many families, which makes it a day outing rather than an evening one. Provo's America's Freedom Festival hadn't published its 2027 schedule when we checked. Our Freedom Festival guide notes that a Sunday Fourth reshapes the schedule and that the festival has historically moved events off Sunday, so check the festival's own calendar in June before you plan the day around a parade or fireworks.
A Fourth-of-July home evening that doesn't depend on anyone's schedule: read the Declaration of Independence's second paragraph aloud, then Doctrine and Covenants 101:80, where the Lord says He established the Constitution "by the hands of wise men." Ask the children what "unalienable" means. That's the lesson.
Pioneer Day moves to Friday. July 24, 2027 is a Saturday, and the same statute moves Saturday holidays to the Friday before, so the state holiday is Friday, July 23. The Church's page for the Mount Timpanogos Temple lists it closed on Saturday, July 24. For newcomers wondering why Utah has a July state holiday nobody else does, our Pioneer Day explainer covers it.
Pioneer week: July 19
The Monday before Pioneer Day is the one to build around 1847.
A pioneer evening at home. Choose one pioneer from your own family or from Church history. Tell the story in five minutes, then play a few old-fashioned games: tug-of-war, a pillowcase sack race, a stick-pull. Finish with a song from the Children's Songbook. For families whose youth are preparing for a handcart trek, our pioneer trek guide explains what they'll be doing.
Or a city celebration. Spanish Fork's Fiesta Days page says the celebration is held each year during the week of July 24. In 2026, the Daily Herald reported five sold-out rodeo nights from Monday through Friday, with tickets gone "months before July." If a Monday rodeo night is your plan for 2027, buy in spring. Our Fiesta Days guide and Mapleton Pioneer Days guide have the schedules.
Home evening at 95 degrees
NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals for the Provo BYU station make July the hottest month: average high 95.2 degrees, average low 62.3, and just 0.51 inches of rain. At 6 p.m. a July Monday is still hot. A schedule that fits the heat:
| Time | What |
|---|---|
| 6:00 p.m. | Dinner and the lesson indoors, with the air conditioning |
| 7:30 p.m. | Outside, once the shade is long |
| 9:00 p.m. | Sunset (9:01 on July 5, 8:49 on July 26) |
| 9:30 p.m. | Dark; treat on the porch |
Sunset times are from Sunrise-Sunset.org.
Cool-off ideas for the outdoor hour:
- A splash pad. Orem's Palisade Park lists its splash pad open Monday through Saturday until 8 p.m. through Labor Day. Our June guide has the details and Provo's option.
- A community fishing pond at dusk. Children under 12 don't need a license; our kid-friendly fishing ponds guide lists the Utah County ponds.
- A walk after dark with flashlights. Once the heat breaks at 9:30, a flashlight walk around the block is an adventure for children who are usually in bed by then. Read Psalm 119:105, "a lamp unto my feet," before you set out.
A summer without broadcasts: run your own series
The Church News 2027 calendar lists "no Churchwide events or broadcasts" in July and August. That leaves eight or nine summer Mondays without a talk or devotional to discuss. A family-run series fills them: pick one theme for July (the Articles of Faith, say, one or two a week) and let a different child teach each Monday. Older children can use our FHE with teenagers guide for ideas that keep their interest.
The last Monday: July 26
County fair week, if 2027 follows 2026. In 2026 the Utah County Fair and Rodeo ran Monday, July 27 through Saturday, August 1 at the Spanish Fork Fairgrounds, according to the Daily Herald's listing. The 2027 dates weren't posted when we checked. Our county fair guide has what's free and what isn't.
American Fork's Steel Days had its main day on Saturday, July 25 in 2026, per the same Herald listing; see our Steel Days guide.
Related Guides
- Family Home Evening in Utah Valley: 52 Ideas for the Year
- June Family Home Evening Ideas in Utah Valley
- August Family Home Evening Ideas in Utah Valley
- Pioneer Day, Explained
- America's Freedom Festival
- FHE Hikes Under an Hour
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Monday dates in July 2027?
Is Monday, July 5, 2027 a holiday in Utah?
When is the Pioneer Day holiday in 2027?
Has the Freedom Festival announced its 2027 schedule?
How hot is July in Provo?
Are there Church broadcasts in July 2027?
When is Spanish Fork's Fiesta Days?
When does it get dark on July Mondays?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- Spanish Fork City: Fiesta Days, Spanish Fork City. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Orem City: Palisade Park, Orem City. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah Code 63G-1-301, Legal holidays, Utah State Legislature. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple: details and closures, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Church announces dates for 2027 broadcasts and events, Church News. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Clean, good family fun: thousands celebrate Pioneer Day at Spanish Fork rodeo, Daily Herald. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah Valley Living: 3 events to check out this week (July 25-Aug. 2), Daily Herald. Checked October 20, 2026.
- U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, Provo BYU station (USC00427064), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Sunrise and sunset times for Provo, Utah (API, America/Denver), Sunrise-Sunset.org. Checked October 20, 2026.
