Main Street during the opening days of the Sundance Film Festival was, expectedly, busy with crowds arriving in the pedestrian zone to celebrate the final edition of Sundance being held in Park City.
Main Street was especially jammed at certain times over the weekend, normally among the busiest days of the Sundance Film Festival. The midsection of the pedestrian zone on the shopping, dining and entertainment strip was at times nearly shoulder-to-shoulder with people. The scene, though, was not unruly as the festival-goers moved up and down the blacktop.
There was talk on Saturday that some sort of demonstration centered on President Trump’s desire to control Greenland would occur around 1 p.m. in the pedestrian zone. The gathering, though, involved just a few people holding a sign that said “Make fondue, not war,” and reciting that phrase, and several other signs. One of the signs included a crossed-out drawing of Greenland. The gathering did not appear to attract attention from many of the people who walked by.
There were, expectedly, lines outside some of the temporary corporate installations, including the one operated by Adobe.
There was the occasional sighting of autograph seekers carrying boxes and luggage that appeared to contain celebrity photographs to be signed. There was little evidence of the paparazzi on Main Street, though.
Security remained heavy through Monday, with the Park City Police Department and other law enforcement agencies guarding the Main Street pedestrian zone. The opening days of Sundance, from Thursday until Sunday, are usually the busiest in Park City.
Park City officials reopened Main Street to traffic by Tuesday morning.
‘No to Colorado!’
The Sundance relocation from Park City to Boulder, Colorado, starting with the 2027 festival, was noted in a variety of ways.
The clothier Overland posted a small sign thanking the festival for the memories and declaring that “it was a great run.”
Someone chose to make a statement about the move to Boulder by writing on the front page of several copies of The Park Record that were in newspaper boxes on Main Street. The person wrote “They failed us! No to Colorado!” and drew an arrow pointing to a photograph of Sundance executives. They also wrote “Boo” twice on a different copy. Sundance opted to move to Boulder over two other finalists, including a combined bid by Park City and Salt Lake City.
A group from Boulder was seen on Main Street but declined to comment to The Park Record.
Assault reported during festival
A Florida congressman was assaulted at an event in Park City early on Saturday, the Park City Police Department said.
The agency did not provide details about any injuries to Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost, a Democrat who represents a district in the Orlando area.
According to the police, officers responded to an assault report at High West Saloon at a little bit after midnight. The police determined that a man “unlawfully entered a private party after previously being turned away for not having an invitation.” He assaulted the congressman and a woman inside, the police said.
The authorities arrested the man and booked him into the Summit County Jail on two simple assault counts and a count of aggravated burglary, the police said, indicating the charges could be subject to enhanced sentencing upon conviction.
The congressman posted an online statement: “Last night, I was assaulted by a man at Sundance Festival who told me that Trump was going to deport me before he punched me in the face. He was heard screaming racist remarks as he drunkenly ran off. The individual was arrested and I am okay. Thank you to the venue security and Park City PD for assistance on this incident.”
Winter Olympics in the spotlight
The Winter Olympics in Italy next month are in the spotlight during Sundance.
Acura is a sponsor of Sundance as well as the American bobsled and skeleton team competing in the Games.
The temporary setup on Swede Alley features a Winter Olympic-themed display with a “Road to Milan” sign. Directional signs pointed to Milan and other communities that will stage competitions next month. There is also a directional sign to Los Angeles, the host of the 2028 Summer Olympics.
The display is of note in a community with strong connections to the Winter Olympics. Park City was crucial to the 2002 Winter Olympics and is expected to have a similar role during the Games of 2034. Park City Mountain, Deer Valley Resort and the Utah Olympic Park were competition venues in 2002 and have been tapped to host competitions in 2034.
Athletes associated with Park City are preparing to compete in a variety of sports in Italy.