The summer music scene on the Wasatch Back has a little something for everyone this year. Park City’s ski resorts take advantage of their alpine environs to host memorable concert experiences under the stars, and the area’s indoor venues boast exciting lineups throughout the summer.
The big event of the season has to be the Deer Valley Music Festival—it’s great to see the Utah Symphony perform at Abravanel Hall, but there’s something truly magical about hearing them perform the classics beneath a setting sun.
This summer will also feature a stacked schedule from the Park City Performing Arts Institute, which will be hosting its popular Concerts on the Slopes series. With entire weekends dedicated to country music and ’80s pop, crafting your very own multi-day music festival is only a hotel booking away.
Perhaps the most unique aspect of summer music throughout Wasatch and Summit counties area is the fact that each performance can feel like a destination experience in itself. Attendees can pack their coolers, spread out their blankets, and enjoy the twilight picnic vibes as some of the world’s best music blends with the cool mountain air. Break out the mini coolers and breezy linens—here are the festivals and venues that are sure to rock this summer.
Deer Valley Music Festival
deervalleymusicfestival.org
Kicking off on July 17, the Deer Valley Music Festival is one of the concert highlights of the year. The festival takes full advantage of Deer Valley Resort’s arboreal setting for its outdoor performances at the Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater. It’s here where the Utah Symphony will perform the enduring work of Beethoven and Stravinsky while welcoming contemporary artists like Lyle Lovett and Idina Menzel. In addition to the outdoor concert venue, the Deer Valley Music Festival will host a selection of chamber pieces presented at nearby St. Mary’s Catholic Church. The unique acoustics coupled with gorgeous architecture create an intimate concert experience that showcases the more personal concertos of Mozart and symphonic compositions of Haydn and Mendelssohn. Single performance tickets are on sale, and the festival offers “Design-A-Series” packages that let you book three or more performances at a discounted rate, along with free ticket exchanges and waived service fees.
Concerts on the Slopes
parkcityinstitute.org
Park City Mountain Resort’s Canyon Village Amphitheatre is the backdrop for this year’s Concerts on the Slopes series, which is great for those after a casual night of outdoor music. This year’s lineup includes a wide variety of musicians and genres from Grammy-nominated folk-soul artist Allen Stone to rock legend Rick Springfield. Concert fans seeking a bit of a nostalgic throwback will want to check out ’80s weekend, which will feature shows by 38 Special, Taylor Dayne and Exposé, and Sawyer Brown during the last weekend in July. It’s shortly followed by Country Weekend, which will feature Mark Chesnutt, Lonestar, and Walker Hayes. Single tickets are on sale as are VIP ticket packages.
A Music Festival with Wellness in Mind
Park City’s Song Summit blends live music with self care.
Music has always had a profound effect on our mental health, and the Song Summit Foundation in Park City has made exploring this connection into a core tenet of its mission. The Song Summit (parkcitysongsummit.com) music festival is the organization’s flagship event, and it’s grown to become so much more than a multi-day concert. Through the foundation’s mental wellness initiatives, the Song Summit blends a stellar lineup of musicians—past festivals have featured My Morning Jacket and the legendary Mavis Staples—with thoughtful wellness activities. One of the event’s core values is to “challenge the status quo and redefine traditional notions of music festivals.”
This year’s annual Song Summit takes place August 27-29, and its programming will be held at various venues around Park City. The main stage of the festival’s live performances will be the City Park Stage on 1400 Sullivan Road, where the bulk of the lineup will perform. Song Summit’s wellness activities will take place at Library Field on 1255 Park Avenue where visitors can partake in guided exercises that harness the healing power of music. Summit Labs, which provides an immersive learning experience between artists and audience, will be held on the third floor of the Park City Library in the Jim Santy Auditorium. Finally, The Marquis on 427 Main Street will host all of the Song Summit’s late-night concerts and programming.
Song Summit always delivers the goods as far as multi-day music festivals are concerned, but the real magic of the festival comes from the deeper dives into music and creativity. Those who are after a few days of great live music but also want to spend some time bettering themselves will find a welcoming community here. Hearing an artist talk about their songwriting process before they take the stage or learning about how a particular genre of music can become a part of our self-care routines is where Song Summit truly shines.
Egyptian Theatre
parkcityshows.com
One of Park City’s oldest performing arts venues, the Egyptian Theatre has long been a destination for the arts on historic Main Street. This summer, the iconic theater will be hosting a combination of live concerts and family-friendly musicals. July’s programming includes a two-night show from Electric Avenue, a nostalgic throwback to the MTV vibes of the mid-1980s. The band’s setlist is comprehensive—they even have full sets dedicated to iconic artists like Prince and David Bowie. July will also feature “Frozen: The Broadway Musical” and “Shrek the Musical Jr.” which will be ideal for audiences of all ages. Highlights of the theater’s August programming include live concerts from Sixpence None the Richer and Pure Prairie League. With close proximity to some of Park City’s finest restaurants, a show at the Egyptian Theatre is perfect for a Main Street experience.
Brighton Ski Resort
brightonresort.com
Just because the snow has melted doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to do at Brighton Ski Resort. Fans of local music will want to check out the Mt. Majestic Music Series that takes place Saturdays and Sundays throughout the summer. The series kicks off with shows from Brian Englund of local band Slow Ride and the Jeff Crosby Band on July 19. Shows continue until September 1 when The Cottonwoods close out the series. Spending a Saturday at one of Brighton’s popular disc golf courses before taking in some locally sourced tunes sounds like a lovely time in the hills.
The Owl Bar at Sundance Resort
sundanceresort.com/owl-bar-live-music
Packing all the amenities of a luxury resort into a rustic, alpine experience, Sundance Resort is ideal for those looking for a cozy getaway. After a mountain biking excursion through the mountains or an exhilarating hike, visitors can always unwind with some live music at the Owl Bar. With roots in Western history—legend has it that Butch Cassidy himself was a regular at the Owl Bar of old—this rustic restaurant and bar is a great place to grab a few drinks on the patio before taking in a concert. On weekends and some weekdays, local musicians explore genres like country, folk, and alt-rock in the intimate saloon-style setting.
TedFest
tedfestmusic.com
Head 20 miles south of Heber and you’ll hit the small town of Wallsburg, which is known for its beautiful countryside, small-town vibes, and the summer music festival known as TedFest. Previously known as the Wasatch Mountain Music Festival, TedFest was renamed in 2023 after its founder, the late Ted Shupe. Taking place from July 17-19, TedFest features a great lineup of local talent that celebrates genres from bluegrass and country to jazz and blues and plenty of interactive programming. TedFest has an amateur singer-songwriter contest that offers a cash prize and the chance to take the main stage of the festival. For those after a low-key music festival that caters to all ages, TedFest is the way to go.
PowerMountain Music Festival
powermountainmusicfestival.com
If TedFest officially sold you on the charms of Wallsburg’s music appreciation efforts, then you’ll want to check out the PowerMountain Music Festival August 28-30. Formerly known as Boomerfest, this weekend-long festival brings iconic acts of the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s to the mountains of Utah for a rockin’ good time. This year’s festival will feature Bow Wow Wow, Featherborn, Gene Loves Jezebel, Ty Herndon, and Head East along with Journey tribute band Escape the Journey and Poison tribute band Thorns & Roses. Programming also includes sets from DJ Gordon along with daily IWR Wrestling Utah matches.
