More than 1,000 motorcycle riders are expected to roll out of Sandy on September 12 for the 20th Annual Fire Ride, a police-escorted procession that stretches more than 40 miles before ending at America's Fallen Firefighter Memorial in downtown Ogden. The ride starts at 9 a.m. from South Valley Harley-Davidson at 8886 S. Sandy Parkway Drive and is expected to arrive at the memorial between noon and 1 p.m., where participants will gather to honor firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice.
According to FOX 13 News Utah, the annual ride commemorates fallen firefighters and directly supports the American Fallen Firefighters Memorial, drawing riders who come specifically to pay tribute along the route between Sandy and Ogden. Those without motorcycles are still welcome to line the route and pay their respects as the procession passes, per the station's report. Additional event information is available through utahharley.com.
The escorted procession covers a lot of ground before it reaches Ogden. Per Harley-Davidson of Salt Lake City, the route winds through Salt Lake City, North Salt Lake, West Bountiful, Centerville, Farmington, and Kaysville, with law enforcement agencies implementing rolling road closures along Interstate 15 and local arteries to keep riders safe.
A Memorial Built to Stand Apart From National Restrictions
The event's roots trace back to a trip retired volunteer firefighter Mike Leatham and Fire Captain Rich King took to a restricted-access memorial in Maryland. That visit convinced them Utah needed something different: an open, public monument honoring every branch of the fire service, including wildland and volunteer personnel, according to Law Tigers. That vision became America's Fallen Firefighter Memorial at 2549 Washington Boulevard in Ogden, built from black marble, granite, and bronze state seals into what stands as the largest memorial dedicated to fallen firefighters in Western North America, according to the Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial organization.
The memorial's centerpiece bronze statue was sculpted by Utah artist Dee Jay Bawden, working alongside members of his family, as a tribute to fallen first responders and 9/11 victims, per a Facebook post from the organization. During last September's memorial gathering, organizers added 72 new names to the Wall of Honor, expanding the roster of commemorated line-of-duty casualties to include fire service personnel dating back to 1870, according to KUTV. That 2025 ceremony marked the completion of the physical wall structure after more than two decades of fundraising.
State and Local Leaders Set to Speak in Ogden
This year's memorial ceremony at the Ogden Amphitheater is scheduled to feature Utah Governor Spencer Cox, Ogden Mayor Ben Nadolski, and Draper Fire Chief Clint Smith as speakers. Cox attended last year's Ogden gathering as well, when he set aside executive schedule time to take part in the remembrance weekend, as Hoodline previously reported.
America's Fallen Firefighter Memorial operates as an independent 501(c)(3) organization with no official administrative affiliation to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation or the National Firefighter Memorial in Emmitsburg, Maryland, according to the Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial's own background materials. Even so, the Ogden group coordinates its regional remembrance events to coincide with national 9/11 observances, timing that gives the September ride and ceremony added weight for participants and families alike.
What the $25 Registration Covers
Riders who register for the Fire Ride pay a $25 fee that covers a full event package, including a commemorative pin, an 8 a.m. pancake breakfast at South Valley Harley-Davidson in Sandy, and lunch at Golden Spike Harley-Davidson in Riverdale following the memorial service. Proceeds from those registration fees go directly toward funding the operating costs and maintenance of the Ogden memorial park.
The memorial's mission extends well beyond a single September weekend. The organization's fundraising also supports scholarships and family assistance programs tied to the fire service, according to the Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial's About page. That ongoing support has taken on renewed relevance in Northern Utah following recent losses, including South Jordan Fire Department Senior Firefighter Corban Summers, who was added to the national line-of-duty death registry for Utah firefighters after his death in April 2025, per the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.
