Some in Utah will Celebrate Pie and Beer Day

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Most people will gather Friday in Utah to celebrate the state's Mormon heritage at Pioneer Day parades, but many non-Mormons will be enjoying an increasingly popular counter-holiday with a playful name: Pie and Beer Day. Some will get together on patios and porches near the parade route in Salt Lake City in a nod to the roots of the faux-holiday that began 10-15 years ago.

Others will go to bars and pubs later in the day for one of a growing number of events seizing on the popularity.

Many government offices and private businesses close for the state holiday, which celebrates the date Mormon pioneers arrived to the Salt Lake Valley. Mike Riedel, author of the Utah Beer Blog, says the faux holiday has exploded in recent years thanks in part to social media.