Park City Song Summit kicks off August 14-16 for the fourth annual gathering of musicians and artists in a setting that invites intimate interactions among attendees and performers. The Song Summit is an immersive music experience with an approach that blends wellness activations with Summit Labs—heartfelt artist-to-artist and thought leader conversations that revolve around everything from mental health, substance recovery, and vulnerability, to songwriting, AI, and the intersection of music, food, and film. After a day spent caring for yourself and finding inspiration through open discussions, the live performances in the evening take on a new depth. Connecting with artists in the Lab brings understanding and relationship to the music.
Summit Labs
Friday, Aug. 15
Soul Kitchen: Marcus King, Andrew Zimmern, Colette Weintraub (moderator)
The Havana — New Orleans Connection: Cimafunk, Pedrito Martinez, Bill Taylor & Collin Laverty (moderators)
The Evolution of Bluegrass: Greensky Bluegrass, Tara Shupe (moderator)
Where’s The Line? Inspiration versus Infringement: Chris Koopman, Eric Krasno (moderator)
The Eternal Life of the Grateful Dead: Grahame Lesh, Peter Shapiro, Eric Krasno, Ross James (moderator)Saturday, Aug. 16
Through a New Lens: Film and Culture as Catalysts for Change: Amanda Farrand, Derek Johnson (moderator)
Nature’s Song: Wes Carter (moderator)
The Before and After: Anders Osborne, Anders Beck, Matt Warren, Dave Manheim (moderator)
American Rock ’N’ Roll Band: Rick Mitarotonda (Goose), Peter Anspach (Goose), Griffin Goldsmith (Dawes), Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes), Eric Krasno (moderator)
Dance Music and Activism: LP Giobbi, Hilary Gleason (moderator)Song Summit Live Performance Lineup
Thursday, Aug. 14
The Marquis, 8 p.m.
Marcus King & Eric Krasno + Duane Betts & Palmetto MotelFriday, Aug. 15
City Park, 6:30 p.m.
Greensky Bluegrass featuring Holly Bowling + Dawes & Friends featuring Duane BettsThe Marquis, 9 p.m.
A Celebration of Cuban Music with Cimafunk + La Tribu featuring Pedrito MartinezSaturday, Aug. 16
City Park, 5 p.m.
Goose + The Terrapin Family Band featuring Eric Krasno, Adam MacDougall, Jennifer Hartswick, and Nicki BluhmThe Marquis, 10:30 p.m.
LP Giobbi
Ben Anderson, founder of Park City Song Summit, began with a vision of generating hope and cultivating community. “We want transformative impact, not transactional impact,” he says, eyes twinkling with enthusiasm. “In my own way and in Song Summit’s own way, we are trying to change the world and mitigate some of the division. And music is the perfect language and connector to do that.”
This year’s event features an exciting venue relocation. “We’re bringing the heart of Song Summit to the heart of Park City,” Anderson shares. The Mindful Mornings and Afternoon Recharges are held at Library Park, the Summit Labs are located at the Jim Santy Auditorium, the evening performances take place in City Park, and the late-night shows are held at The Marquis. “Being in City Park, we can invite more small businesses from our community to participate. There will be local restaurants with food trucks, local beverage companies, and local vendors.”
At Song Summit, the day begins with personal care. The Park City Yoga Collective will lead Mindful Mornings and Afternoon Recharges that incorporate yoga, meditation, and sound baths. The wellness activities are open to anyone interested in participating — no ticket to Song Summit required. Morning personal care also includes guided hikes and recovery meetings held by the Cirque Lodge.
Building on the foundation of self-love, the Summit Labs are the soul of the Song Summit experience. The Jim Santy Auditorium will transform to host these heartfelt conversations. The lobby morphs into a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Grateful Dead. “Jay Blakesberg will have a decade-by-decade photographic display of The Dead in the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s,” Anderson describes. The interior will reflect the eclectic nature of the conversations that Summit Labs inspire.
“The Lab lineup is extraordinary,” Anderson says, explaining how participating artists are embracing the concept. “When we started this whole thing, I sent an invitation to artist management camps with a full explanation of what Song Summit and the Labs are.” Now, artists understand the impact of Labs and are approaching Anderson with concepts. “The transformational part is what they’re going to do while they’re here that’s not just playing live music. Before, during, and after the Lab, they connect with the audience. They connect with other thought leaders and other artists.”
Wellbeing and a space for safe, vulnerable conversations ignites a fresh performance experience for artists and attendees. “Song Summit is about putting the right people in the right space,” continues Anderson. The result is electrifying chemistry on stage.
The all-star lineup ranges from Cuban funk sensation Cimafunk to bluegrass legends Greensky Bluegrass to jam masters like Goose to DJ and producer LP Giobbi. As the artists cultivate community at Song Summit, the performances will include impromptu collaborations. “There’s going to be moments that will only exist at Song Summit,” Anderson says.
He and the Song Summit team hope that anyone who participates in the event will be inspired. “This is a new type of vibe,” he continues. “People feel more connected and have more opportunities to listen to others’ journeys. It’s a storytelling and emotional sharing space.” Anderson describes how Song Summit serves as a source of hope in the world. “We are trying to fix our gaze on higher values, which are love, kindness, mindfulness, friendship, and musicianship. We utilize that to enhance our spirit.”
Song Summit Foundation
Song Summit Foundation is the nonprofit organization that supports wellness initiatives at the event and generates opportunities for rising youth musicians to participate. Paige Anderson, the visionary co-founder of Song Summit, spearheads the Song Summit Foundation. “The foundation was formed in 2023. It was born out of Song Summit from listening to the artists, the audience, and the youth,” Paige explains. “We wanted to create more touchpoints around mental health and wellness. We wanted to foster a safe and engaging environment for the youth as they are coming through and rising up in the music industry to create better role models and opportunities for them.”
At the event, the Song Summit Foundation supports all things associated with wellness, including Mindful Mornings and Afternoon Recharges, guided hikes, recovery meetups, sober green rooms, and mocktail stations. The most exciting announcement is the Foundation’s focus on and rallying around youth. One of the youth-oriented initiatives will provide a free GA pass for 50 Summit County youth on both Friday and Saturday, a total of 100 outreach tickets.
The Foundation has launched Summit Rising, a groundbreaking program that supports up to 50 youth musicians, ages 14 to 22, from across the globe for an immersive Song Summit experience. The ambition is for half the youth to be from Utah and half of those to be from Summit County.
“Summit Rising was born out of the last two years’ experiences of the youth musicians at Song Summit and how they were walking through the festival, experiencing it, and performing during it,” explains Song Summit Foundation executive director, Meredith Lavitt. Summit Rising youth will have an in-depth experience that covers basic needs like transportation, lodging, and meals, with a focus on mentorship and cultivating opportunities.
“One of the cool things about this program is the cultural exchange of music. This cohort of up to 50 youth from all over has the opportunity to jam together, collaborate, learn, and mentor each other,” Lavitt explains. “They’ll have their own Summit Rising lounge, and in that space, they’ll have their own Labs.” The dedicated Lab area is exclusively for Summit Rising participants to ensure they have a safe space to share vulnerable conversations. Established artists lead Youth Labs, which focus on providing instruction on how to navigate the music industry and productive conversations around mental wellness. “We are trying to create informative talks around pathways to pursuing music and positive messaging for the youth and reduce the stigma around mental health and wellness,” Lavitt continues.
Summit Rising participants will also have performance opportunities on the Foundation Stage directly across from the Main Stage. “We will have rehearsal space for the youth musicians, and our goal is that some of the professional musicians will drop by and mentor during that rehearsal time,” Lavitt says. “Playing in front of 4000 people is not an everyday opportunity. It’s a huge, life-changing, and growth experience.” Investing in the Summit Rising youth is a year-round initiative.
Participants will receive mentorship and education throughout the year after the event.
“This is a positive youth development program. It’s about empowerment, validation, having their voices heard, and acquiring the skills and tools to thrive both on and off the stage,” Lavitt concludes. “We want to nurture the whole ecosystem of being a musician.”
