The following are a collection of community events upcoming as of Sept. 12, 2026. For even more event listings, see the community-submitted online calendar.

If you’ve got an event you want to submit or have a question, email parker@swiftcharge.net with the event title, location, address, date and time.

Featured events

Paddles For a Purpose

Hive Family Collective

Red Ledges Pickleball Courts, 525 Red Ledges Village Way, Heber City

Sun., Sept. 13, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.

Pickleball for a purpose! Join Hive Family Collective for a fun-filled day of play, connection and community, all while supporting local parents in the Wasatch Back. Whether you’re competing for the top of the bracket or learning to play for the first time, there’s a place for you! Register at tinyurl.com/2c3r7vs6.

‘Ephemeral’

Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter, 

Sept. 12-Nov. 29

Opening reception: Sat., Sept. 12, 5-7 p.m.

Join us for the opening reception of “Ephemeral,” a juried art exhibition celebrating Utah’s native plants through the work of local artists. Presented by Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter in partnership with the Utah Native Plant Society, this exhibition explores the beauty, diversity, and ecological importance of the plants that shape Utah’s landscapes. 

Ongoing Events

Egyptian Theatre

328 Main Street

See upcoming shows at parkcityshows.com.

• Sept. 9-12: AJ Croce Presents Croce Plays Croce
• Sept. 16-20: Avenue Q
• Sept. 24-26; Mason Jennings
• Sept. 30-Oct.7: Thriller
• Oct. 16-18: The Calling
• Oct. 22-24: The Steeldrivers
• Oct. 28-Nov. 1: Little Shop of Horrors

Park City Opera

Performances at various locations and times.

See the full lineup at parkcityopera.org.

Mountain Town Music shows

Performances are at various locations and times. 

Check mountaintownmusic.org/shows for detailed info.

• Sept. 12: Anna Kaelin, Après Pendry
• Sept. 13: The Eric Heideman Band, Park Silly Sunday Market
• Sept. 13: Mobius Wave, SnowWiesn Oktoberfest at Snowbasin
• Sept. 16: The Swing Collective, Jazz In City Park
• Sept. 18: Some Other Blues, Silver Lake Lawn at Deer Valley
• Sept. 19: Raccoon Rodeo, SnowWiesn Oktoberfest at Snowbasin
• Sept. 20: Lapdog, Park Silly Sunday Market

Park City Film Series

Jim Santy Auditorium

1255 Park Ave.

See lineup at parkcityfilm.org.

• Sept. 11-13: “The Cycle of Love”
• Sept. 18-20: “The Marching Band”
• Sept. 24: Made in Utah: Mid-length Series 
• Sept. 25-27: “Tony”
• Nov. 13-15: Matchstick Productions Presents: “The Way Out”

Park City Performing Arts

Various locations and times

More at parkcityinstitute.org.

Sept. 26: Richard Marx

BalletNEXT

Performances are at various locations and times.

See the full lineup at balletnext.org.

Ballet West

See full lineup at balletwest.org.

• Oct. 23-31: Dracula
• Nov. 6-14: Rolling with the Stones
• Dec. 4-12: The Nutcracker

Park Silly Sunday Market

Main Street, Park City

Sept. 13, 20, 27

10 a.m.-5 p.m.

An ecofriendly, open-air market, street festival and community forum where neighbors and friends come together to celebrate a community of fun and funky Park Sillians.

Park City Farmers Market

First Time Chair Lift 

Wednesdays through October

11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Park City Farmer’s Market is held at Park City Resort’s First Time Chair Lift Parking Lot every Wednesday. The market offers a large assortment of fresh local goods from Utah Farmers and vendors and strives to offer only the freshest and organic products.

Big Cottonwood Canyon Flea Market

BCC Flea

8302 S Brighton Loop Rd, Brighton

Sundays through Sept. 27 

10 a.m.-5 p.m.

A laid-back Mountain Market with over 50 vendors selling vintage, handmade, local art, secondhand and more. Located in the beautiful mountains of Big Cottonwood Canyon, a short scenic drive from Park City over Guardsman’s Pass. Since 2017. 

Oktoberfest

Snowbird, Highway 210 Little Cottonwood Canyon

Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 11

Noon to 6 p.m.

Snowbird’s Oktoberfest — the biggest Oktoberfest in North America — runs through Oct. 11, occurring every Saturday and Sunday, with the addition of Labor Day. Picture Bavaria mixed with high-alpine and summer activity fun, paired with live music and games. Come dance the polka in the Oktoberfest Halle Tent, enjoy an Uber Pretzel (25 oz. Bavarian pretzel) and cheers your friends with a stein of beer.

(Re)sounding: Art Exhibition

Kimball Art Center

1251 Kearns Blvd, Park City

Through Sept. 13

Sound is not simply something we hear, but something we inhabit, shape, and are shaped by. Through immersive audio installations, evocative visual translations of sound, and interactive artworks that invite participation, the artists in (Re)sounding explore sound as a dynamic subject and material. This exhibition is an invitation to listen more deeply — to feel the weight and resonance of sound, to dwell inside it and to hear the world in new ways.

Park City Dine About

Oct. 1-31

Park City’s 14th Annual Dine About features food and drink specials and new menu offerings for locals throughout the month of October.

Next Chapter Book Club

Park City Library

1255 Park Ave, Park City

Mondays

Noon-1 p.m.

A book club for adults with varying developmental abilities. Eat lunch, read books, and share stories with friends. For more information contact Rylee Broach: rylee.broach@parkcity.org or 435-615-5602.

Library Chess Club

Kimball Junction Branch

1885 Ute Blvd, Park City

Second and fourth Mondays

6 p.m.

Chess Club meets on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at the Kimball Junction Branch in Room 133 downstairs by the DMV from 6-7:45 p.m. Chess sets and refreshments will be provided, but participants are welcome to bring their own sets as well. The group is intended for ages 18-plus. If someone younger would like to join, we ask that a parent or another adult accompany them. All abilities are welcome. 

English-Spanish Conversation Club/Club de conversación español-inglés

Park City Library

1255 Park Ave.

Mondays 

6-7 p.m.

Practice your Spanish and English conversation skills in a group setting at Park City Library every Monday and learn how to have realistic everyday conversations. For people ages 14 and up of all language skill levels: beginners welcome!

Venga a Park City Library cada lunes de 6 a 7 pm a practicar sus habilidades de conversación en inglés y español, y aprenda a llevar conversaciones cotidianas de forma natural. Todos son bienvenidos, aun si no hablen mucho inglés. Para adultos y adolescentes mayores de 14 años.

Chinese Characters, Songs and Stories

1885 Ute Blvd.

Mondays

4-5 p.m.

Join us after school for all kinds of fun with Mandarin Chinese characters, songs and stories. For children age 5 and older. Mondays, 4-5 p.m., in Room 133 downstairs next to the DMV.

Summer Snack Packs

Wasatch County Library

465 East 1200 South, Heber City

Tuesdays in August

Noon-2 p.m.

Thursdays and Fridays

10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Free take-home snack packs are available this summer at the Wasatch County Library on Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Snack packs can be picked up at the front desk while supplies last and are open to everyone, with a special emphasis on kids, tweens and teens.

On Tuesdays in July and August, join Snack Shack with Ms. Brittnie at the library from noon to 2 p.m.

Tuesday Night Legal Bar

Clínica legal de los martes

Park City Library

1255 Park Ave.

First Tuesday of the month 

6-7 p.m.

Receive a free consultation with a lawyer at Park City Library: first come, first served. Attendees must arrive by 6:30 p.m. to be seen. For more information, email rylee.broach@parkcity.org.

Reciba una consulta gratuita con un abogado el primer martes de cada mes a las 6 de la noche, por orden de llegada. Participantes deberán llegar antes de las 6:30 para ser atendidos. Para más información o para solicitar traducciones o adaptaciones, envíe un correo a rylee.broach@parkcity.org.

Music and Movement

Park City Library

1255 Park Ave.

Wednesdays 

11 a.m.-noon

Join us at Park City Library for a lively & noisy hour aimed at toddlers, preschoolers, & their caregivers to explore a variety of musical instruments, dances, songs, & fantastic books.

Wine & Dine Wednesdays

Cena Ristorante & Lounge

7815 Royal St.

Wednesdays through Sept. 30

Savor a midweek four-course tasting menu, specially prepared by Chef Tobin Torrez at Cena Ristorante & Lounge. The menu changes weekly, and a curated wine pairing is available to compliment the dinner selections. $70 for the tasting menu, $45 for the wine pairing. Reservations are available on RESY or by calling 435-940-2200.

Library Play Time at Kamas

Kamas Valley Library

110 N Main, Kamas

Wednesdays 

10:30 a.m.

Drop in on Wednesdays between 10:30 a.m. and noon for unstructured, early learning play time for children ages 0-4.

Family and Caregiver Support Group

Christian Center of Park City

1283 Deer Valley Dr.

Alternating Wednesdays

6:15-7:45 p.m.

Come join us for our Family & Caregiver Support Group at the Christian Center of Park City, meeting every other Wednesday until the end of the year. This group is specifically for those who have a family member with mental illness. It’s a safe space to connect, share experiences, and support one another. Meetings are in person, allowing you to meet others facing similar challenges and find comfort in knowing you are not alone. Join us for good company and a listening ear. Please RSVP 24 hours in advance.

Wine Down Wednesdays

Après Pendry

2417 West High Mountain Rd.

Wednesdays

4-10 p.m.

Après Pendry every Wednesday offers weekly wine specials, special tastings and more, all in its modern space that welcomes guests with indoor and al fresco seating.

Locals Night

Flanagan’s on Main

438 Main Street, Park City

Wednesdays

6 p.m.

Come join us every Wednesday starting at 6 p.m. with food, drink specials, and live music with The Fuse.

Horses & Divorces

The Cabin Park City

427 Main Street

Wednesdays

7 p.m.-midnight

Saddle up and get ready to dance away your midweek blues at The Cabin’s Horses & Divorces! Taking place every Wednesday night, this is where Park City’s country spirit comes alive.

Total Request Live w. Preston Creed & Kate Chanson

The Cabin Park City

427 Main Street, Park City

Wednesdays

8 p.m.-midnight

The Cabin Park City presents Total Request Live with Preston Creed and Kate Chanson, a fun, interactive night where the audience calls the shots! Preston and Kate take song requests, making for a lively mix of all-time favorite hits across genres. Event is free! 

Painting Concepts Fall Session 1

Kimball Art Center

1251 Kearns Blvd.

Thursdays through Oct. 8

10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Practice the elements of art and design, composition, color theory and brushwork while drawing inspiration from artists around the world to learn new approaches to creativity and expressing emotions with paint. Students will walk away with a finished painting as well as confidence to continue to explore the medium. All ability levels benefit from this class. This is a six-week course. Sign up and see materials list at go.kimballartcenter.org/painting-concepts-fall-1.

Crafternoon at Kamas

Kamas Valley Library

110 N Main, Kamas

Thursdays

3:30 p.m.

Drop in every Thursday afternoon for incredibly cool and crafty fun! For elementary school age kids.

Minecraft Club 

Park City Library

1255 Park Ave.

Every Thursday 

4-5 p.m.

Minecraft enthusiasts and beginners ages 6 to 12 come to the Park City Library for Minecraft Club on Thursdays from 4-5 p.m. We play in a creative world working together, and separately, to build anything we can imagine while sharing tips about all things Minecraft. Computers are provided and are first come, first served for the hour of play. For more information on Minecraft Club and other Library happenings visit parkcitylibrary.org/events.

Wheel Try It

Kimball Art Center

1251 Kearns Blvd.

Fridays through Sept. 25

1-3:30 p.m.

In just one Friday afternoon, anyone can learn the basics of wheel throwing! A studio staff member will demonstrate at the beginning of class and offer guidance as students practice at their own wheels. Fees cover the cost of class and clay for up to two completed pieces, including glazing and firing. Ages 8 and up welcome. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Sign up at go.kimballartcenter.org/Wheel-try-it.

Maker Thursdays !

¡Jueves de Creadores!

Park City Library

1255 Park Ave.

Alternating Thursdays

5:30-6:30 p.m.

Park City Library invites you to join “Maker Thursdays!” Every other week offers a unique spotlight on a different maker activity, inviting you to experiment, play, and learn at your own pace.

Park City Library te invita a “¡Jueves de Creadores!” Cada dos semanas ofrece una actividad distinta para creadores, invitándote a experimentar, jugar y aprender a tu propio ritmo.

Park City’s Last Friday Gallery Stroll 

Main Street

Last Fridays of every month

As you wander along the picturesque Main Street in Park City, immerse yourself in a delightful blend of art, refreshments, occasional live music, and warm company. 

SmokeWood

Gracie’s Farm

Fridays 5-8 p.m.

Saturdays 1-4 p.m.

The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Collection invites locals to SmokeWood, a state-of-the-art mobile kitchen bringing a rotating menu of Texas craft barbecue and open-fire Mexican fare to Gracie’s Farm each weekend. On Fridays, SmokeWood serves up classic, down-home barbecue, while Saturdays feature a vibrant Mexican-inspired menu of tacos and border favorites. Each menu highlights the art of live-fire cooking, with food truck service, outdoor seating, and wine and beer available for purchase.

Saturday Morning Nature Walks

Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter

1258 Center Dr.

Saturdays

8:30 a.m.

Join us for a nature walk on the Preserve with one of Swaner’s naturalists! We explore wetland science, natural plant and animal species and the history of the Swaner Preserve. Pre-registration is required for all Saturday Nature Morning Walks. Walk-ins are not available at this time and all tours are capped at 15 participants. Registration closes at 7 a.m. the day of the scheduled nature walk.

Bilingual Family Storytime

Hora de cuentos bilingües en familia

Park City Library

1255 Park Ave.

Saturdays 

10-11 a.m.

This interactive early literacy program helps build language skills with stories and songs in both English and Spanish. Perfect for those beginning their Spanish learning journey!

Este programa en español e inglés ayuda a desarrollar las capacidades de lenguaje en ambos idiomas con cuentos y cantos. ¡Perfecto para aquellos que estén iniciando su aventura de aprendizaje del Español! Los sábados de 10 a 11 de la mañana.

Folk Art Workshops

Chase Home Museum

S Constitution Drive, Salt Lake City

First Saturday of the month

2 p.m.

A qualified, local teaching artist will lead a monthly Folk Art Workshop to create, design or make a folk art craft. Registration will open approximately two weeks before a scheduled workshop. Space is limited. These workshop events are intended for ages 6 and up. Children must be accompanied by an adult. There is a nominal $10 registration fee per attendee to cover the cost of materials. No experience necessary. Just bring your excitement and appreciation for the arts!

Heber’s Saturday Sunset Music Series

200 S Main Street, Heber City

Saturdays

Through Sept. 19

5-9 p.m.

There’s no better way to spend a summer evening in Heber City than at the Saturday Sunset Music Series. Every Saturday, Main Street Park comes alive with live music, good food and a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere as the sun sets over downtown. The series features a diverse lineup of local musicians, highlighting the depth of talent in the Heber Valley and surrounding communities. 

Karaoke night

Flanagan’s on Main

438 Main Street, Park City

Saturdays

9 p.m.

Every Saturday night is Karaoke night at Flanagan’s. The tavern opens at 7 p.m. Karaoke starts at 9 p.m. There are also darts, shuffleboard, pool and TV. 

Swaner’s Sunday Craft

Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter

1258 Center Drive

Sundays 

11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Bring your nature-loving kids to Swaner’s Sunday craft! They offer an upcycled, nature-themed craft every Sunday. All ages are welcome! Stop by the EcoCenter anytime between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to participate in this free activity. More info: extension.usu.edu/swaner/visit/sunday-craft.

Sunday Brunch

Glitretind Restaurant at Stein Eriksen Lodge

7700 Stein Way

Weekly on Sundays

$72 adults, $25 kids 5-12

This extravagant spread features traditional breakfast items along with a carving station, several hot entrées, a variety of salads and starches, shrimp, sushi, crab claws, salmon, fresh fruit, fresh crêpes station, omelet station and house-made pastries (menu items are subject to change based on availability and seasonality). Reservations recommended at steinlodge.com.

Rescued, Inspirational Kennel Tours

Luna Lobos Dog Sledding

4733 Browns Canyon Rd., Peoa

Rancho Luna Lobos kennel tours are designed to be so much more than just a meet and greet with the dogs. The presentation aims to inspire attendees to overcome life’s challenges in even its darkest moments and to live your best life. 

Deer Valley Creative Academy

Deer Valley Creative Academy offers a fusion of culinary and crafting experiences that will ignite your senses and nurture your artistic spirit. Sign up at deervalley.com/things-to-do/activities/creative-academy.

Upcoming Events

Fox US Open of Mountain Biking

Deer Valley Resort

Sept. 11-13 

Deer Valley hosts the final round of the Pro Downhill Series, the Official U.S. National Mountain Bike Championship, on Bald Eagle Mountain. Over three days of competition, professional, amateur, youth, and adaptive athletes will compete for championship titles on Deer Valley’s renowned downhill terrain. Pro Finals will take place on Saturday, Sept. 12. Spectators can experience elite downhill racing, explore Deer Valley’s lift-served bike park and enjoy a weekend celebrating mountain biking at one of the sport’s premier venues. Event access is free; however, a reservation and lift ticket are required, available at tinyurl.com/yc6ssbbc.

Anna’s European Antiques Pop-Up 

483 W. Airport Road, Heber City

Sept. 12, 18-19

11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Immerse yourself in authentic European Treasure Hunting in a warehouse stocked full of small home accessories. Enjoy a unique shopping experience for one-of-a-kind antique and vintage items — nothing like it in Utah. Treasures date from the mid-1800s to the mid-century. 

Hit the Trails 

Jordanelle Ridge 

Coyote Canyon Parkway

Sat., Sept 12

9 a.m.-noon

Jordanelle Ridge, a master planned community in the Wasatch Back, will host Hit the Trails, an event featuring guided hikes and e-bike rides around the community’s trail system. Attendees can experience the trail system firsthand through hikes and guided e-bike rides led by White Pine Touring that will showcase the area’s scenic landscapes and panoramic views of the Jordanelle Reservoir.

Wheelfest 2026

Woodward Park City

Sat., Sept. 12

11:30 a.m.-8 p.m.

Celebrate adaptive sports, mountain biking, skateboarding, scooters and the action sports community during a full day of competitions, demonstrations, riding opportunities, live music, vendors, food and more. Wheelfest expands across the entire Woodward Park City campus with programming for riders, families and spectators of all ages.

How to Read Music: 4 Session Crash Course

Park City Library

1255 Park Ave.

Sat., Sept. 12

11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Learn how to read basic sheet music and even write your own in a four-session course at Park City Library. Register at parkcity.gov/library.

Rehabilitated Bird Release

Sundance Mountain Resort

Sat., Sept. 12

Board Outlaw Express by noon 

Event begins 1 p.m.

Witness a rehabilitated bird of prey take flight as they rejoin the wild from Bearclaw Cabin. Before the bird’s release, guests learn about the bird’s distinct characteristics, behaviors and environment. Then, the majestic creature returns to the place they belong, after weeks or months of rehabilitation labor and hope on the part of both the rescuers and the birds. No ticket is required to attend, but guests need a lift ticket to ride the trio of scenic chairlifts to the mountaintop.

From Field Sketch to Photograph: An Illustrative Journey of Echo Canyon

Historic Echo Church

60 Temple Lane, Echo

Sat., Sept. 12

4-5 p.m.

From wagon roads to railroad tracks, Echo Canyon has been sketched, engraved, mapped, photographed, and described by generations of travelers. Drawing on special collections from the University of Utah’s J. Willard Marriott Library, Rare Books Librarian Lyuba Basin will explore how explorers, emigrants, artists, and tourists transformed this dramatic landscape into an enduring image of the American West. Admission is free. 

2nd Annual Songwriter Sessions

Prospector Theatre

2175 Sidewinder Drive

Sat., Sept. 12

6 p.m.

Join us for the Bridge21 Songwriter Sessions Fundraiser, an intimate evening where incredible music, inspiring stories and meaningful giving come together. The night begins with an art auction and cocktail reception. Then take your seat for an authentic Nashville-style songwriter round with three of Music City’s most celebrated hitmakers. Tickets: tinyurl.com/bdz25t4a.

Mountain Top Yoga

Sundance Mountain Resort

Sun., Sept. 13

9 a.m.

Mountain Top Yoga invites guests into a quiet ascent above the canyon floor, where the landscape opens and the pace of everyday life falls away. A scenic ride on Outlaw Lift carries yogis up to Bearclaw Cabin where an experienced instructor guides an open-air practice on the patio rooted in breath, presence, and connection to place. Participants will meet at Outlaw Lift at 9 a.m. where mats will be available (guests are also welcome to bring their own). Sunscreen and layered clothing are recommended. Tickets are available at sundanceresort.com/events/mountain-top-yoga.

September Green Drinks

Recycle Utah

1951 Woodbine Way

Tue., Sept. 15

6-8 p.m.

Join Recycle Utah for September Green Drinks, where we will reveal our plans for our future facility to the public! We will discuss results of our survey to the public this summer and programming and operational capacity at our facility in Silver Summit. This event is free and family-friendly, but registration is required. Please bring your own food and drink and lawn chairs.

Broadway Under the Stars: ‘The Impossible Dream’

90 North 100 West, Heber City

Sept. 18-19

7 p.m.

Broadway Under the Stars returns for a second year to showcase Broadway hits! It is a concert-style evening where individuals/small groups perform selections of their choice. This year’s theme is The Impossible Dream. 

‘The Marching Band’

Park City Film

1255 Park Ave.

Sept. 18-19 at 7 p.m.

Sept. 20 at 6 p.m.

Not rated. 103 mins. Directed by Emmanual Courcol. A world-famous orchestra conductor discovers the brother he never knew he had — a school cafeteria worker who plays trombone in a local marching band. Detecting his brother’s exceptional musical talent, he takes it upon himself to rectify the injustice of fate. An equally hilarious and affecting crowdpleaser that premiered at Cannes and became a French box office sensation starring Benjamin Lavernhe (“My Donkey, My Lover & I”) and Pierre Lottin (“The Stranger”). In French with English subtitles.

Mountain Beer Festival 

Deer Valley Resort 

Sept. 18-20

The weekend kicks off with a special Brewmaster Dinner on Sept. 18, followed by two days of refreshing sips from Utah breweries, scenic chairlift rides, culinary offerings, live music, and family-friendly activities on Sept. 19 and 20 from noon to 5 p.m. Purchase tickets ahead of time online. 

9/11 National Day of Service

Serve Park City

Sat., Sept. 19, 8 a.m.

This year’s communitywide day of service features 44 projects, and the day begins with a free volunteer breakfast at 8 a.m. in City Park. A short program will follow, honoring the victims and heroes of Sept. 11, 2001, with a message on service delivered by one of the community’s first responders. After the program, volunteer groups will head out to their chosen project. Sign up at justserve.org/ServeParkCity.

Serve Park City: Barbed Wire Pull on the 910 Ranch

Summit County Lands & Natural Resources

10063 North East Canyon Road, Snyderville

Sat., Sept. 19

9 a.m.-noon

Join Summit County for a barbed wire pull at the 910 Ranch! Enjoy a hands-on day of stewardship and community connection! We’ll work together to remove decommissioned barbed wire fencing, helping to restore wildlife movement and improve the health of the landscape.

What to Bring & Wear: Wear long pants, long sleeves, and sturdy closed-toe shoes or boots. Pack sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen), water and snacks, and layers in case of changing weather. Please bring sunglasses to act as protective eyewear! Participants should bring thick, sturdy gloves for their protection and wire cutters if they have them. Summit County has a limited number of gloves and wire cutters to borrow. Notice that participation in barbed wire removal can be dangerous. 

Walk to End Alzheimer’s 

Alzheimer’s Association

1476 Newpark Blvd

Sat., Sept. 19

9 a.m.-noon

Held annually in more than 600 communities nationwide, the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest fundraiser for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. This event calls on participants of all ages and abilities to join the fight against the disease. While there is no fee to register for Walk, all participants are encouraged to help fundraise.

Music Hour

Marie Lefler

1255 Park Ave.

Sat., Sept. 19

10-11 a.m.

Gather with fellow music lovers and get help with your music questions at Park City Library!

The Park City Bridal Expo

1895 Sidewinder Drive

Sat., Sept. 19

11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Get ready for the ultimate wedding inspiration at The Park City Bridal Expo — it’s where your Mountain West dream wedding begins!

Hispanic Heritage Month Kickoff

Park City Library

1255 Park Ave.

Sat., Sep. 19

Noon-2 p.m.

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with an afternoon of creativity, culture, and community at Park City Library. Guests will have the opportunity to explore different artistic styles and cultural influences through hands-on art workshops, accompanied by music and a tasting experience featuring rich flavors inspired by Hispanic cultures. 

Celebre el Mes de la Herencia Hispana con una tarde de creatividad, cultura y comunidad en Park City Library. Los asistentes tendrán la oportunidad de explorar diferentes estilos artísticos e influencias culturales a través de talleres de arte y manualidades, acompañados de música y una experiencia de degustación con ricos sabores inspirados en las culturas hispanas.

Corazones de Frida Workshop

Park City Library

1255 Park Ave.

Sat., Sept. 19

1-2 p.m.

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at Park City Library by painting papier-mâché hearts inspired by the symbolic universe of Frida Kahlo!

Celebra el Mes de la Herencia Hispana en Park City al pintar corazones de papel maché inspirados en el universo simbólico de Frida Kahlo!

Monster Drawing Rally

Kimball Arts Center, 1251 Kearns Blvd.

Sat., Sept. 19, 3-6 p.m.

A high-energy live art-making event where artists create works in real time. Spectators can watch the creative process unfold and purchase finished pieces on the spot, supporting local artists. The event is a fundraiser for the Kimball Art Center and the Arts Council of Park City & Summit County.

Ember: An Autumn Equinox Gathering

Sundance Mountain Resort

Sat., Sept. 19

4-6 p.m.

As the mountain shifts into autumn, Ember welcomes guests to an evening of movement, reflection, and seasonal transition. The gathering begins at the Outdoor Amphitheater for grounding yoga and guided meditation. After the movement session, the Sundance Art Studio & Gallery will offer a simple creative practice inspired by the textures and tones of fall during the golden hour. Centered around themes of balance, release and reflection, Ember offers space to slow down and reconnect with the quieter rhythm of the season.

Guided Historical Hike

Snow Park Lodge

2250 Deer Valley Dr S.

Sun., Sept. 20

8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Preregistration required

Step into Park City’s past on a guided hike through Deer Valley’s scenic terrain, where fresh mountain air meets stories of the area’s rich mining history. This three- to four-hour hike covers moderate terrain, typically under 6 miles, with sweeping views around Little Baldy. Meet at Snow Park Lodge, by the Stein Eriksen statue, for an 8:30 a.m. departure. Be sure to register ahead of arrival at deervalley.com.

Ride TBM 309

Russ McDonald Air Field – 1980 Airport Rd Hanger 38-D, Heber City

Sun., Sept. 20

10 a.m.

Ride the historic TBM Avenger No. 309 when we join our friends at the CAF Utah Wing for their annual Planes and Horsepower Show. TBM 309 is the only aircraft on Colorado’s register of historic places. It flew over Queen Elizabeth’s Coronation and appeared in Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Family Day in the Garden

Dia de Familia en el Jardin!

Summit Community Gardens and EATS

4056 Shadow Mountain Drive

Sun., Sept. 20

2-4 p.m.

This free community event invites families to spend an afternoon connecting through food, gardening, art, music and play. Together, we’ll make fresh garden salsa, explore the garden and farm, enjoy family art activities, music and games and share information about 2027 garden plots and camps. All families are welcome — come spend a little piece of home with us in the garden!

Lino Print Zipper Pouches

Park City Library

1255 Park Ave.

Tue., Sept. 22

4-6 p.m.

Create your own custom zipper pouch using the art of linoleum block printing at Park City Library.

S.T.E.A.M. for Kids: Math

S.T.E.A.M. para niños: La matemática

Park City Library

1255 Park Ave.

Wed., Sep. 23

4-5 p.m.

Discover the mathematical laws that govern the universe at Park City Library, where you will learn about fractals and use them to create a paper lantern! For kids aged 5 to 12.

Descubre las leyes matemáticas que rigen el universo en Park City library, donde aprendás sobre fractales y los usarás para crear un farolillo de papel! Para niños de 5 a 12 años.

Four-course Tequila Komos Dinner

Tupelo Park City

1500 Kearns Blvd.

Thur., Sept. 24

6:30 p.m.

Tupelo Park City invites guests to a night with Tequila Komos, the highest-rated tequila collection ever and home to the first perfect 100-point tequila. Inspired by Mediterranean winemaking, the ultra-luxury tequila is aged in French oak wine barrels, which allows each expression to flow freely from course to course like a great bottle of wine. The Tequila Komos distiller will join the evening to pour and walk guests through each expression, served neat and just chilled, in a wine glass. Tickets available for this 21-plus event at tinyurl.com/45nmhc2p or by calling 435-292-0888.

Made in Utah: Mid-Length Series

Park City Film

1255 Park Ave, Park City

Thurs., Sept. 24

7 p.m.

Not rated, 90 mins. Please join us for the Made in Utah: Mid-Length Series, a evening that celebrates the incredible talent, creativity, and stories emerging from Utah. This event highlights exceptional films created by Utah filmmakers and producers, offering a platform to showcase unique voices from around the State and connect them to independent film loving audiences. 

Red Cross Blood Drive

American Red Cross

4051 N Highway 224, Park City

Fri., Sept. 25

1-6 p.m.

Appointments are required.  If you are eligible to donate, please make an appointment at redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-733-2767 to set up an appointment.

Between the Lines Exhibition Opening

Kimball Art Center

1251 Kearns Blvd.

Fri., Sept. 25

6-8 p.m.

Uncover the stories behind the images with Between the Lines: Stories Told Through Abstraction. Enjoy a first look with art tours, a cash bar and treats as we gather together for stories told through abstract art. RSVP at go.kimballartcenter.org/between-the-lines-opening.

“Tony”

Park City Film

1255 Park Ave, Park City

Sept. 25-26 at 7 p.m.

Sept. 27 at 6 p.m.

Rated R. 106 mins. Directed by Matthew Johnson. A 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain travels to Provincetown and stumbles into the chaotic world of a restaurant kitchen, setting off a summer that will shape the course of his life. Starring Dominic Sessa, Emilia Jones, Leo Woodall and Antonio Banderas.

National Public Lands Day: 910 Ranch Restoration

Summit County Lands & Natural Resources

10063 North East Canyon Road, Snyderville

Sat., Sep. 26

9 a.m.-noon

Join us in repairing beaver dam analogs (BDAs), pulling weeds, fixing fences, and other tasks to help restore the riparian corridor. Enjoy a hands-on day of stewardship and community connection! This restoration project will help improve wildlife habitat and help restore the riparian corridor. 

Hazardous Waste Day

Silver King Lot

Sat., Sept. 26

9 a.m.- 1p.m. 

We will be collecting paints, motor oil, batteries, gasoline, acids, chemicals, fertilizers and more. For a full list of what we’re accepting, visit recycleutah.org/events. Summit County household hazardous waste only; no business waste will be accepted.

Wasatch Coin & History Club

Wasatch County Library

Tue., Sept. 29

6-7:30 p.m.

The September WC&HC will be held on Tuesday, 29 Sep from 6 to 7:30 PM in the back briefing room, main floor of the Wasatch County Library. Leroy Transfield, sculptor and coin designer, engraver (U.S. Mint WWI Commemorative Medallion and more), will present on coin design, and engraving and sculpture. As always, a few prizes will be awarded, and bring any coins/tokens/ medallions you’d like to show ’n’ tell.

Park City Wine Festival

Oct. 1-3 

Tickets are on sale now for a variety of events and experiences to celebrate more than 200 wines, distillers, tastemakers and standout local restaurants.

Dumpster Days

Recycle Utah

Munchkin Lot

1420 Munchkin Road

Oct. 8-10

9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Two large bins will be placed in the Munchkin parking lot for garbage and yard waste.

Summit County residential waste only. Businesses will be turned away and yes, we know if you are a business!

Sunrise Shot Ski

Park City Main Street

Sat., Oct. 10

2 p.m.

The Park City Sunrise Rotary Club celebrates a decade of raising a glass in the name of charity with the 10th Annual Park City Sunrise Shot Ski presented by High West Distillery. In its 10th year, the Park City Shot Sk aims to set a new world record of 1,430 shots on the event shot ski — each brimming with High West Double Rye whiskey — and raise an unprecedented $86,000 to support Park City Sunrise Rotary Club’s Community Grant Program.

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The Park City Rotary Club on Tuesday celebrated those in the community who have made Park City a better place to live. 

One was Rhonda Sideris. For her professional contributions to the area’s lodging and hospitality industries, Sideris won the Linda Singer-Berrett Professional Citizen of the Year Award, named for the club’s first female president. 

The Rotary each year forms a committee to decide who will receive the awards. The club gave the honors during its weekly meeting at the Sheraton Park City on Sidewinder. Rotarians took turns tallying Sideris’ successes over the years. 

Sideris started R&R Properties, now Park City Lodging, 42 years ago. The business manages about 230 vacation rental properties and 12 homeowners associations. Her history is also the story of modern-day Park City itself, said Christian Loredo, chair of the Rotary’s awards committee.

She’s served in leadership roles with the Park City Chamber/Bureau, the Main Street Merchant Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Businesses Committee and numerous other community organizations that have made Park City into the ski and tourism-focused destination it is today, Loredo said. 

That’s in addition to running a business that itself was key to that effort.

“Rhonda didn’t simply build a successful company. She helped build Park City,” Loredo said. 

Tonja Hanson, Rotarian and Summit County councilor, echoed the sentiment. When Sideris rolled into Park City in the mid ’70s, the town was in an identity crisis, Hanson said. 

“Miners on one side, hippies on the other,” she said. 

That was a transitional time, and Sideris helped steer the town for more than 50 years, Hanson said. 

“And let’s be honest,” Hanson added, “our city has spent most of that time just trying to keep up.”

Rotarian Hans Fuegi, who nominated Sideris for the award, said much of Sideris’ success is due to maintaining a terrific and loyal workforce. 

“Property management is very, very demanding,” Fuegi said. “Rhonda has become a pillar of this community. … That’s what prompted me to nominate her as professional citizen of the year, which she more than deserves. Congratulations.” 

Sideris said she was surprised to win. She made sure they hadn’t told the wrong person. 

“I can’t believe the support,” she said. “I’m totally taken aback. … That’s what makes this community so great is that anybody can do anything as long as you try really hard.” 

Though that might have been easier back in the day, she said, when people were more willing to extend credit. 

“The town was small back then,” she said. “Less than a thousand people here, so everybody knew each other. To be afforded the opportunities I was afforded, that was pretty amazing.” 

She came to town in 1976, when she was 21, before what would be Park City Mountain Resort, then called Treasure Mountain, opened. There was no snow, no skiing, she said. She used to visit Desert Industries in Salt Lake City to buy wool pants to ice skate at a Silver Creek pond. 

“We just did what we could, you know?” she said. 

Eventually the skiing started, and then summer came, and she realized she was in love with the area. Besides Park City Lodging, she opened Rockin’ Rhonda’s Hard Rock Cafe on Main Street, operated a catering business and worked as a whitewater rafting guide in Colorado. She was even a bull rider in Park City, earning her the nickname Rodeo Queen. 

She started working in lodging on a bit of a lark. She was working for Bill Coleman at Coleman Land Company as a receptionist, making five bucks an hour while also washing dishes at Mileti’s, a now-defunct Italian restaurant on Main. 

“I had a friend say, ‘Hey, I want to rent a palace in Deer Valley, and I only want to spend $1,200 a month,’” Sideris said. 

Working in real estate, she found a place for $1,500. She called him back with a pitch: Take the place, rent furniture and then I’ll rent it out when you’re not there. 

The business just snowballed, she said. While Sideris was catering a party, someone asked for her help managing homes they owned. She said yes, worked out of her house until the phone rang so much it kept her up. She got an office for $220 a month, where The Nelson Cottage by High West Distillery is now. 

“I just kept going,” she said.

It was not uncommon to get phone calls in the night from renters asking for this or that. She answered. She ran the business in the way that made sense to her: people first.

In fact, Sideris credited her success with small-town kindness. Help your employees and do what’s right. Be empathetic. 

“Just be nice, you know?” she said. “Be nice. Don’t yell. Not one employee has ever heard me yell.”

And if you have to ask if something’s right, that’s how you know it’s wrong.

“Don’t ever have to wonder if you did the right thing,” she said. 

Cheryl Soshnik won the Jack C. Green Volunteer Citizen of the Year Award, named after Park City’s mayor from 1978-86. See the accompanying story at swiftcharge.net.

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The Park City Rotary Club on Tuesday celebrated those in the community who have made Park City a better place to live. 

One was Cheryl Soshnik, who, for her wide-reaching volunteerism, won the club’s Jack C. Green Volunteer Citizen of the Year Award, named after Park City’s mayor from 1978-86. 

The Rotary forms a committee each year to decide who will receive the awards. The club gave the honors during its weekly meeting at the Sheraton Park City on Sidewinder. Members of the Rotary took turns extolling what made Soshnik a shoo in. 

A retired EMT, Soshnik is a full-time volunteer who sees no other way to live. She currently serves as the Park City Senior Center’s board of directors co-vice president and as treasurer for the Park City chapter of the Elks Lodge.

She’s also helped with KPCW fundraisers, volunteered as a docent and board member for the Park City Museum, done work for the Egyptian Theatre, Sundance Film Festival, Park City Film and many more community organizations, according to Rotarian and Park City Elks Lodge trustee Craig Cooper. 

“If you’re like me and you’ve seen Cheryl around, you might wonder if she has a twin,” said Cooper. “I can’t tell you how many hours she devotes to so many different organizations, and you might just see her at three different events in a single day.” 

Her work for the Elks Lodge itself is particularly demanding, Cooper said. Soshnik took on the role of treasurer when her predecessor passed away. She jumped in and quickly learned QuickBooks, helping keep the lodge in order as it grew from 50 members to over 300.

She also helps out at the many community events the Elks hosted, such as Veterans Day, awards for first responders, Christmas parties, flag ceremonies and more. 

“I look up to Cheryl and … her unending energy and dedication to service before self,” Cooper said. “To Cheryl and our friends at the Rotary, I say, ‘Thank you.’”  

Trason Dixon, executive director for the Park City Senior Center, said he loves working with Soshnik.

“She’s just an incredible person. I really do love her to death. She’s so funny. She’s so endearing. She’s so irreverent,” Dixon said. “But at the same time she’s always just so willing to step up and help wherever necessary.” 

Soshnik said volunteering inspired her career path. 

When she moved to Park City to ski, her roommates persuaded her to join an EMT class so it wouldn’t be canceled due to low participation. That led her to volunteer in town and eventually earn her nursing degree. She worked as a trauma nurse and taught medical trauma systems to hospitals and health departments across the country.

She also enjoyed learning that the volunteer award was named after the former mayor. 

“I actually knew Jack Green. Picked him up in the ambulance a few times,” she laughed.

Soshnik separates her volunteer work into two different categories, she said: work and play. The former is her work with the Elks Lodge and the senior center. 

“They’re both very important things,” she said. “We’re working on getting this new senior center. And I got involved with that when I was president like five years ago.” 

Between that and being treasurer for the Elks, or “the keeper of the coin,” as she said, Soshnik puts in 40 hours a week. That role wasn’t easy to jump into, but she has a piece of advice for how to make it in this world that has never served her wrong: RTFM. 

“Read the fucking manual,” she said. 

Literally. That’s how she learned QuickBooks. It’s how she learned and even contributed to the development of Word Perfect. It’s how she has always felt comfortable saying yes. 

“I’ve always been curious,” Soshnick said. “I’ve always wanted to learn, and I’ve always jumped into things that maybe I’m not super qualified for, but I’ve always spent my life doing what I call serendipitous things.” 

And there’s really no excuse now with YouTube, she said. Her philosophy: figure it out. Read a book, read the manual, watch a video. 

Then there’s the play: gigs like volunteering with the Egyptian Theatre and at Sundance Film Festival — that’s just fun, she said. She just saw Pure Prairie League come through to the Egyptian. 

But work or play, the communities you find while volunteering, that’s what makes any of it worth it, she said. 

“It’s meeting not just the clients but the other people you work with in the volunteer world,” she said. “Some of these people are still my best friends, and I would have never met them if I would not have been a volunteer. … It’s just wonderful to this very day.” 

Rhonda Sideris won the Linda Singer-Berrett Professional Citizen of the Year Award, named for the club’s first female president. See the accompanying story at swiftcharge.net.

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Another year, another one-of-a-kind 100 Mile Meal. 

But it wasn’t just any year for Recycle Utah, the nonprofit that hosts the annual fundraiser dinner that sources every ingredient from within a 100-mile radius of Park City. This was the year the organization was finally ready to show off its vision for its new facility near U.S. 40.

That vision sees the recycling center embracing its role as a community hub for sustainability rather than just a place to take recyclables. On top of major operational improvements like separate bays for public and commercial drop-off and expanded administrative space, the preliminary design also includes space for classrooms and conference rooms. 

There’s also a kitchen, a cafe and event space, retail, and a “fix-it” space for repairing items rather than recycling them. Executive Director Andy Hecht said that dovetails with a thrift store space, too, which he thinks will be a centerpiece of the new facility. 

“We get a lot of things like air fryers that have a broken knob that’s simple to fix, and just having that fix-it space is really helpful,” he said.

A visual rendering of what the exterior could look like shows a black-and-brown, two-story building lined with windows. The interior renders illustrate natural light filling big public spaces with warmth. These images are not the final design, but they’re a big first step informed by a lot of community response, said the nonprofit’s board chair, Heleena Sideris. 

“It’s incredibly exciting. This has been a focal point, a culmination of the last, I would say, six months of intensive iterations and continual refinement,” she said. ”It brings a really emotional side to it, at least for me personally, because it makes that vision just so much more real.” 

The imagined 27,845-square-foot site would sit on a 4.18-acre parcel neighboring the High Valley Transit Sego Lily Campus near Home Depot in Silver Summit. The site is 8.5 times bigger than the Woodbine Way site, and the facility itself would be 4.5 times bigger. The expansion would allow the center to divert 8,000 tons of waste a year, up from 2,000 currently, with a long-term goal of 16,000 tons annually.

“Not only will we be able to process significantly greater volumes of material, but we’ll also have the opportunity to expand beyond household recyclables and begin serving the commercial community as well,” Sideris said. 

Recycle Utah has been on borrowed time since it started in the ’90s, Hecht said. Pinning down a concrete idea for a new facility is challenging because it requires people to agree on what the organization’s future should look like. 

“There needed to be alignment with the board, with the community, with the government, with Park City and Summit County,” Hecht said. “This vision represents solid partnerships … For 35 years we’ve been a great center for Park City, but now we’re growing into being a great center for all of Summit County.”

The need to grow is partially because of how much the county itself has been growing, he said. That has brought an increase in waste generally. Summit County projects Three Mile Landfill will run out of room by 2053. While the county is working to extend the landfill’s lifespan by 10 years, if it did meet capacity, the county would have to start shipping waste out, which would be expensive for residents. 

Recycle Utah’s plan for its new center would allow the facility to handle the increasing demand and to expand alongside it, future-proofing with capacity for brokering more material and even becoming a transfer facility, Hecht said. 

That flexibility is what Sideris said she loves most about the preliminary design. The new center would be a community space, and it should be able to respond to the community’s needs, she said. The center plans to have Lucky Ones Coffee, a Park City-based business dedicated to hiring and empowering people with disabilities, run the cafe and for Waste Less Solutions, a Utah nonprofit focused on diverting food waste, to run the kitchen. She said she’d like to see more partnerships like that, where organizations raise each other’s missions. 

“At the end of the day, we’re really just here to serve the community,” Sideris said. “We really want to have an open dialogue and maintain the ability to pivot whenever needed.”

Recycle Utah in April negotiated a plan with the city to vacate its current location on 1951 Woodbine Way in March 2027 rather than September as originally planned. At that point, the recycling center will set up a temporary facility, probably at the new location, to ensure there’s no disruption in service.

But it’s not time to fund the new facility just yet. 

First, Recycle Utah has to figure out what it will cost, Sideris said. The board will talk with a general contractor to get a ballpark price tag, at which point they’ll begin raising capital. She’d like to see them break ground as early as next spring.

This year’s 100 Mile Meal supported Recycle Utah’s regular operations and will also help with setting up the temporary facility early next year. 

The 11th annual dinner was a celebration of finally reaching a common vision for the organization’s future. The meal, like every year’s, is a partnership with local farmers, who donate the food, and Vail Resorts, who donates the chefs’ time and energy. Diners then fund the nonprofit with a $300 ticket to enjoy a unique meal, this year featuring 28 local producers, many of whom had staff and owners present.

The night itself was a windy gondola ride away at Red Pine Lodge at Park City Mountain resort. Rain passed just before the night began, giving way to a cool cocktail hour outside, where waiters offered appetizers such as soft-cooked quail eggs with hollandaise and pickled onions courtesy of Pando Culinary Farm in Charleston, Ballerina Farm in Kamas and MadSnacks Produce in Oakley. 

Inside, the first course: a rich vichyssoise of crispy onions and herb oil thanks to 3 Springs Land & Livestock in Oakley, Ballerina Farm, Ioulia Greek Olive Oil Company in Park City and Tagge’s Famous Fruit & Veggie Farms in Perry. Plus, a beef carpaccio salad with spiced watermelon, pickled watermelon rind and a honey vinaigrette, all sourced from Canyon Meadows Ranch in Altamont, Copper Moose Farm and Root Revival, both in Park City, and Tagge’s again.

Chef Greg Hansen came out with the Park City Mountain culinary team to a round of applause. This isn’t an easy meal to make, he admitted, but the farmers had come through despite a tough year: a mild winter, a devastating spring frost and a hot summer that was dry, dry, dry until monsoon season brought sudden floods.

“It’s really, really challenging to work with the same food year after year when we get these many years under our belt, to come up with a new menu,” Hansen said. “This is always very challenging, and the farmers make it easier on us than any other thing.”

This year, the farmers donated a lot of chiles, so the culinary team took a southwestern tack, which worked out well, Hansen said. They’d never tried that particular flavor profile before. 

The family-style entrees were grilled lamb tenderloin from 44 Magnum Farm & Ranch in West Mountain and lavender-mint jus from Summit Community Gardens & EATS, chili-braised short rib with honey jus from Canyon Meadows Ranch, Rustling Aspen Farm in Midway and Slide Ridge in Mendon, and a house-smoked chicken with lovage chimichurri from Rustling Aspen, Argyle Acres in Eden and Moonshadow Farm in Hoytsville. 

Finally, a dessert of Utah scones with honey ice cream and berry compote, care of Ballerina Farm, Slide Ridge and Weeks Berries of Paradise. 

Hecht finished off the entrees with a speech about the new center. He thanked the community for all their feedback. 

“People want a place that’s easier to use. That was pretty simple,” Hecht said. “A place that accepts more materials, a place that teaches, a place that inspires, a place that helps us rethink not only what we throw away, but how we reduce, reuse, repair, recycle and take real responsibility for the world around us.”

The evening over, gondolas ferried diners down the dark mountain. This year’s meal had offered an exclusive first glimpse into Recycle Utah’s future, but the wider public can see the designs, too, at the nonprofit’s next monthly free Green Drinks event, 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 15 at 1951 Woodbine Way. 

For more information on Recycle Utah, visit recycleutah.org.

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Summit County will hold its eighth Community Noxious Weeds Tour from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 12, beginning at Richardson Flat Park & Ride.

Attendees will receive hands-on instruction to identify Summit County’s “most wanted” noxious weeds and learn practical, effective techniques to manage them on their own property.

They’ll also have a chance to chat with local experts from Summit County Weeds Division, Swaner Preserve and EcoCenter, Summit CWMA, Basin Recreation and the Summit County USU Extension.

The event is free, though the county asks attendees to RSVP at summitcounty.info/weedstour26.

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V took stock of the tools in front of her. Two cocktail glasses. One stirrer. A shaker and a jigger. She set the glasses and stirrer to her right, the shaker in front of her, jigger to her left. She closed her eyes and reached out and touched each of them, confirming their position. 

A breath. A moment to practice before the real thing. She closed her eyes. 

V grabbed both parts of the shaker and combined them, held them as one with her left hand and found the stirrer with her right, no peeking. The shaker, holding no liquid, was overly light. She fumbled it. Eyes open. 

She tried again. Shake with the left hand, stir with the right. Rub your belly and pat your head. She nodded to herself as she did the motion. She had it. This might work. 

It was the penultimate round of finals in Fastest Hands in the High West, the distiller’s speed cocktail contest that culminated Wednesday at the High West Saloon. Eight contestants from across the country had proven themselves at regionals during the summer. On a rainy August evening, they saw who among them could make the best cocktails the fastest, netting a $5,000 prize and another $5,000 to their charity of choice. 

And they were about to do it blindfolded. 

V, whose full name is Kelsey Vartsana Chanthraboutda, came from Atlanta. Her bar manager — her brother — entered her into the contest without telling her. She had never been in a speed competition before, but she’s a volume bartender through and through, she said. 

“I just push. I crank it out,” V said. “But I also really value consistency. I want every cocktail that comes out to taste the same as one that you got, whether it’s from me or from somebody else. Those are things I pride myself in.” 

Here she was, 1,800 miles from Georgia, steeling nerves and making a mental map of her utensils. She had dispatched her first opponent, Dusty Grilli from Chicago, with three cocktails made in just over a minute and 11 seconds. But now she faced Billy Griggs from Philadelphia.

Billy from Philly, a placid 27-year-old with an ’80s mullet and mustache, is originally from Jersey. He’d won his first round with three cocktails in an impossibly fast 0:39.34, the time to beat. 

Each of them would now have to use High West Double Rye to make an Old Fashioned and a New York Sour faster and better than the other to make it to the final round. 

The saloon was packed. It was the event’s second year, and High West had seemed to learn some lessons about how to put it on: Instead of facing off at the saloon’s regular bar, the contestants took to a stage with dueling makeshift bars and cameras propped above, which spit out a feed of both workstations to the TV behind them. No matter where someone was in the crowd, they could see every daring trick, pour and high-speed flub.   

The emcee handed V and Griggs blackout ski goggles. Griggs slipped them over his mullet. V took off her hat, strapped the goggles on and put the hat on backwards. They were ready. 

“One, two, three, bartend!” the emcee shouted. 

V reached for a bottle of double rye and poured it into a shaker. When she sat it down to pour another, it landed on the edge of her strainer and tipped behind the bar. Neither officiant noticed at first. They were watching Griggs, who in five seconds had grabbed his egg and separated the yolk from the white with his own strainer. He moved methodically, grabbed three bottles at once and poured them into one shaker. 

“Three bottles up from a blindfolded bartender. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before,” the emcee said. 

Every motion V made after that first muff was confused as she felt around for something that wasn’t there. She grabbed her egg and touched the other shaker half, the glasses, the jigger, her strainer. Where was the first shaker? She exhausted the logical places and began grasping at illogical ones. She searched the ice trough. Nothing. She held her hands up in exasperation: 36 seconds. 

An audience member who had seen the mishap pointed at the emcee, then motioned behind the bar. The officiant looked to the emcee. Was he allowed to help? 

Then her hands found it. She pushed on, cracked the egg, poured the lemon juice and added the rye. She shook it up with one hand and stirred the beginning of her old-fashioned with the other, the move she’d practiced earlier. That’s when Griggs hit his buzzer. 0:54.70. 

Over a minute later, V hit hers and clocked in at 2:00.71. “All-Star” by Smash Mouth played as the crowd cheered. V doubled over and then threw her head back, fists clenched, grinning as she examined her half-full sour and old-fashioned. 

“How was that, V?” the emcee asked. 

“Terrible,” she said. The crowd laughed. 

“What about you, Billy? Was it as bad as you thought it’d be?” 

“Yeah,” Griggs said, nodding matter of factly. 

“OK,” the emcee said. “Man of few words. We love that.” 

Next up was a rematch between Mikayla Orrson from Los Angeles and Shaina Floyd from Salt Lake City.

Orrson’s timer stuttered for three seconds during the original bout, which meant her time was basically the same as Floyd’s. The two had a three-cocktail race sans blindfold to tie. Floyd won with 0:52.19 to Orrson’s 0:55.38. 

“It was kind of funny because me and Mikayla hit it off,” Floyd said. “We were like, this is ‘Survivor,’ and we’re forming an alliance.”

Floyd works at The Pearl, a Vietnamese restaurant and bar in Salt Lake. She cut her teeth pouring hot chocolate spiked with crème de menthe on glacier boat tours, working as a second mate on an Alaskan adventure cruise boat. She realized how much she loved bartending while pursuing a mechanical engineering degree in Utah and came up at Quarters Arcade Bar.

Her round one time was 0:47.01. Now she was in the finals facing Griggs, “a killer,” Floyd said. 

Billy from Philly had been here last year to support his best friend, Greg Bell, who won the inaugural Fastest Hands and was now here as a judge. They’d come early and gone hiking in Zion National Park after checking out Moab the year before. A boys’ trip, he said.

Griggs works at Philly Surf Club, a tropical-themed bar with “culinary-inspired cocktails,” he said. They don’t pump out drinks fast. It’s chill, laid back. But like V, he came up in high-volume bars, and he can turn it on when he needs to. 

Did he enjoy the High West distillery tour earlier that day? 

“I did,” he said. “Yeah.” 

Floyd overheard. She couldn’t help but poke fun. 

“Hell yeah. This is the most I’ve seen him talk,” she laughed. “Man of few words.”

The final round would be a five-cocktail sprint: a Manhattan, an Old Fashioned, a Paper Plane, a New York Sour, and a Gold Rush. Floyd and Griggs were ready. The DJ played “Thunderstruck.” The crowd rang cowbells. It was time. 

First the ice, then the pours. Floyd double-fisted whiskey. Griggs gripped four bottles at once. Floyd balanced three. Griggs poured three. Then the modifiers and the mixers. Floyd grabbed two shakers and went to town, fine motor skills on a moment’s reprieve. Griggs shook his and flipped the lids in as a sluice. Two drinks down each. Fifty seconds. 

Floyd’s last three came together fast. She filtered the egg white, shook with one hand and stirred with the other. Filter, pour, garnish. Buzzer. Five cocktails done in 1:11.24. Griggs was right behind, his final pour only slightly lagging, at 1:15.15. 

Floyd popped off. Griggs looked at his work. Time isn’t everything, even in a competition of speed. The two shook hands heartily. The judges deliberated. 

Floyd said she and her partner would put the $5,000 toward opening a new bar and venue. They’d find a way to keep them connected but separate so the venue could be all ages. She spent some time growing up in Utah and loved going to now-defunct all-ages venues like Lo-fi Cafe, Bricks and The Junction. There aren’t many places like that now, she said, and the ones that are here are dwindling. That kind of real estate is getting too expensive. The Beehive on State just shut down, for instance. 

“We have Kilby, but the rest of it’s underground,” Floyd said. “I really want to help the music scene here, and I love the bar scene, so I just want to be a part of it.” 

The prize money would help, but it wouldn’t make or break. That was good because, it turns out, Griggs had won. 

“I’m pretty sure egg yolk went fully in (my) sour,” Floyd laughed. “So it made it a flip.” 

A real cocktail, just not the right one. But she felt good, she said. She wanted to make her hometown proud, and really, she’d just wanted to give Griggs a scare.  

“I’m going to be honest,” she said, “Billy all week was so stoic. He wasn’t drinking. He was very focused. He’s the killer. We all knew he was the killer.” 

Griggs was handed two giant checks, one made out to Billy from Philly and one to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, his charity of choice.

“I don’t know what to say,” he said into a mic, smiling. “Yeah. Cool.” 

Everyone laughed, then cheered. Griggs and Floyd hugged. All the contestants rushed outside to embrace and pose with the novelty check. Though they hadn’t known each other long, the competition had made eight fast friends. 

Outside, smoking a Camel Crush, Griggs said he was glad it was over. Floyd had definitely scared him, and he was so sure he’d lost. He’ll use the money to help cover debt he’d gotten into while helping a friend open a bar back in June. Tonight, he could cut loose. Tomorrow, he’d land back in Philly around midnight and miss his Thursday shift. He took a drag.

“I’m just glad I got to come here and spend time with my best friend and have a good time in Utah,” he said. “I’ll be back at work Friday, and it’ll be like nothing happened.”

The post Steady hands prevail at Fastest Hands in the High West appeared first on Park Record.

Recycle Utah has a special surprise for those who attend its 11th annual 100 Mile Meal and after-party Aug. 22 at Red Pine Lodge.

But maybe you can already guess, said Chelsea Hafer, director of education. The recycling center has for years been working on moving from its current location on 1951 Woodbine Way to a new spot. Hafer said they’re finally ready to spill the bins. Er, beans. 

At the annual meal, which sources food from within a 100-mile radius of Park City, Recycle Utah will show off the first real plans for the future facility in Silver Summit east of U.S. 40. The new site will sit on a 4.18-acre parcel more than 10 times the size of the existing site. 

Recycle Utah originally thought it would have to move by September, but it negotiated with the city in April to remain on Woodbine through March 2027. Then, it’ll pack up, head 5 miles north and set up a temporary facility while the permanent one is built. There won’t be any lapse in recycling service. 

The nonprofit has been cooking up the new design for a while. That process included a community survey with over 600 responses, as well as feedback from other local organizations who could have a place at the new location. 

Though Hafer said Recycle Utah is waiting to share the renderings at 100 Mile Meal, it has talked previously about ambitions of becoming a community hub with space for other nonprofits. That could mean offices, storage space, a commercial kitchen or other amenities local organizations could use. 

“We can add value to the recycling program across the whole county, but we have a chance to do something more,” Executive Director Andy Hecht said in May about the design process. “Our mission at Recycle Utah is to help people live sustainable lives … so, right now, for the new facility, we’re forming visioning groups, and we’re going out and talking to other people working in these sustainability spaces.”

Hafer said it’s been a long process getting here. She sees this year’s 100 Mile Meal as a celebration of the community’s support in getting the project this far. 

“We are really grateful for the participation and the patience from our community,” Hafer said. “We’re really excited to reveal the first plans.” 

Attendees will take the new Sunrise Gondola to Park City Mountain’s Red Pine Lodge. The evening will start with a cocktail hour from 4:30-5:30, then the meal from 5:30-7:30 p.m. 

The 100 Mile Meal itself is, of course, still the main draw. The event is possible through a partnership with local farmers, who donate the food, and Vail Resorts, who donates the chefs time and energy. Then diners fund the nonprofit with a ticket to enjoy a one-of-a-kind meal. Hafer said she is always impressed with what the chefs cook up from the 100-mile limitation.

“It’s basically like ‘Chopped,'” she said. “They have like a certain amount of ingredients that they can use … and they have to make something delicious, and they do every time.”

Recycle Utah will also hold a community event a few weeks after 100 Mile Meal to show off the designs again.

Established in 1991, Recycle Utah accepts everyday recyclables as well as items that are harder to process, like aluminum cans, batteries, cardboard and electronics. The center has diverted about 3 million pounds of materials from landfills, and the center averaged 400 visitors a day and held 48 cleanup days in 2025. 

Tickets for the 100 Mile Meal are available at tinyurl.com/4cvr8pxc. Tickets for just the Recycle Utah Rendezvous are available at tinyurl.com/4xbjsy2d. 

The post Recycle Utah to show off designs for new facility during 11th annual 100 Mile Meal  appeared first on Park Record.

Maggie Mattinson is glad it’s summer. 

That’s because, as the paper’s new ski reporter, she’ll have some time to reacquaint herself with Park City before sliding into the ski season.

“I’m a little bit still in disbelief that this is an actual job and that it’s my job,” she said. “I’m really excited about being fully immersed in outdoor recreation news and the community, just being able to write about stuff that I’m already thinking about doing.” 

The role suits Mattinson, a student of philosophy who mostly grew up outdoors. Her parents moved to Eagle Mountain in the early 2000s, back when it was still a relatively small, rural town. That was perfect for a kid with too much energy, she said. 

“There wasn’t much to do, so I went on a lot of bike rides,” she said. “I feel like either my hobbies were all really, really nerdy or just really outdoorsy.”

Biking, camping, hiking, riding motorcycles, her family did it all, though climbing and skiing were her favorites. She learned to ride a ski lift around age 4 at Park City Mountain and took weekly ski lessons at Alta when she was 11. 

“I pretty immediately fell in love with it,” Mattinson said. “That was back when you could go for a lot cheaper and get half-day passes.” 

Plus, Mattinson’s dad had a rule passed down from his own parents: If she kept A’s in school, she could cut to go skiing. 

“I was able to pull that off on a semi-regular basis,” she said. “I think I only fully skipped school like two or three times. Always with parent permission and everything.” 

The ski reporter role isn’t her first stint in news, either. As a philosophy student at Utah State University, she worked in student media for Aggie Radio and the school’s newspaper, The Utah Statesman. She also worked at FOX 13, an “everything job,” she said: writing stories for the website, working the assignment desk and calling sources, listening to police scanners and compiling first drafts of news stories that would become on-air coverage.

“I was on so many Facebook groups,” she said with a laugh. “I had one ear on the police scanners at all times. … It was really overwhelming, but it was a lot of fun to be immersed in the community and … to know everything that was going on.” 

After FOX 13, Mattinson left for California and earned her master’s degree from University of California, Santa Cruz, in philosophy, which she said has continued to help her refine her skill for journalistic inquiry. 

“The biggest thing with philosophy is that it teaches you how to do analytic reasoning and how to get something that’s dense and be like, what does this mean?” she said. “The last class that I taught, we were doing 17th century philosophy, this big, huge, 800-page book written in the late 1600s. I was working through it with a bunch of undergrads, being like, ‘OK, what does this mean? Let’s figure it out and write something about it.’”

So what is Mattinson interested in figuring out about Park City? For one thing, what it means to live in a ski town — even if you’re not a skier — and how the industry has boomed over the past few years since she’s been gone. 

“You come back to your hometown, you’re like, ‘Oh my God, everything has changed so much,’” she said. “I think what I really want to do with this beat is just zoom in on the community and see how these really huge changes and this massive industry (are) affecting this small community that we live in.”

And beyond the industry, she’s also interested in finding the more niche groups that make up Utah’s recreation community. There are so many ways to be into a particular sport, she said. What are the little rituals that bring people together?

“Every skier has a backpack with, like, a smushed PB&J in it,” she said. “Or, my uncle skis, and halfway through the day, he always opens up his coat and pulls out a can of diet Mountain Dew that he’s just had in his pocket all day.”

Those kinds of details can expand the reader’s perception, she said, and she’s excited to fill her stories of the mountain with them.

Keep an eye out for Mattinson on the slopes this winter. And be ready to talk about your favorite snack.

The post New ski reporter slides into dream job appeared first on Park Record.

When I call Lisa Coltman to interview her about her 131-year-old American flag, she asks me if I want to see it in person. She’s in the Salt Lake Valley between errands — what’s my address? 

Twenty-five minutes later, she’s in my dining room unlatching a white carrying case. Here it is: a folded 13-by-9-foot authentic 45-star American flag made in the 1890s, sitting on my dining room table that’s stained with a heat mark in the shape of a microwave breakfast burrito I ate last week. 

I’m feeling not so qualified to be in the presence of such a historical object, but Coltman says it’s OK for me to touch it, so I do. It’s wool, a bit scratchy and thinner than I expected. You can see spots where it has frayed, but it feels sturdy and looks it, too. 

I pause. Is this the oldest human artifact I’ve ever touched?

Coltman has seemingly moved past such apprehensions.

She’s excited to share the family heirloom, which comes not from her own family but from that of an old high school friend, Brett Kohler, whom she bumped into earlier this year in Los Angeles. He remembered Coltman and knew of her Park City Lighthouse project, Coltman’s name for her Park City home where she hosts and entertains people and artists from all over the world. Realizing how valuable it was, he gave the flag to Coltman a few months ago. 

As we talk, I understand why she was so willing to bring the flag directly to me. Coltman is a self-described hummingbird, an eccentric and warm soul who is not interested in being a stranger to anyone. As soon as we meet, she and her companion, Ihor, who helps her carry the flag, each ask me for a hug.

She makes an aside during our conversation about her work in tactile linguistics and hands me a small bag, tells me to take a deep breath and draw from inside. I put my hand in and pull a heart-shaped rose quartz stone with the word “dream” engraved. Coltman and Ihor fish out their own, and we take a deep breath and touch our crystal hearts together.  

It’s this genuine, albeit kooky, mentality that makes Coltman so fit to steward such a precious artifact, and I’m not surprised at all Kohler trusted her with it. She’s been in Texas the last month and now finally has the time to dedicate herself to the flag, so she and Ihor are taking it to whoever can help them capture the opportunity in front of them.

In fact, Coltman had spent the morning at ABC4 taping a segment with a vexillologist — a term for someone who studies flags — named DeVaughn Simper.

I caught up with Simper a day later while he was at the Colonial Heritage Festival in Orem, where re-enactors gather to teach people about life in the 18th century. Simper was portraying Francis Hopkinson, American Founding Father and designer of the American flag. Simper himself is a Taylorsville resident who has researched flags for two decades and owns over 1,700 of his own. 

According to him, Coltman’s flag was probably made by ZCMI — Zion’s Co-operative Mercantile Institution, the Brigham Young-founded department store chain — in December 1895 using wool sourced from Park City or the Heber City area, which was a major contributor of sheep and wool for the region. It’s approximately 110 by 168 inches, which, Simper said, was proper for the time.

“This would have been flown on Jan. 4, 1896, when Utah became a state, and would have been flying from 1896 all the way to 1912 when we added 46 stars,” Simper says. “It was also flying when the USS Utah battleship was commissioned in 1911.” 

Exactly where it flew those years is uncertain. The flag had its time in different locations around Boston and across Massachusetts, at one point Pasadena, California, and, because one of Kohler’s family members worked there, was at one point even displayed at the White House. It eventually made its way home to Utah.

The flag’s 45th star is also slightly tilted, which would have been on purpose, Simper says.

“It was a common tradition,” he says. “We didn’t have an official description of what … the star arrangement was supposed to be until the flag code was passed until 1943, and so manufacturers took all sorts of creative license with that.” 

Flags made in Utah at that time could have made the 45th star, representing Utah as the newest state, askew to symbolize that the state was unique. Or maybe not.  

“We don’t know,” he says. “It just happened that way.” 

Though it’s hard to say how much ZCMI charged for these flags. The company would have made many of them, Simper says. But how many are still around? 

“There are only six of these that I’m aware of,” he says. “It is extremely rare.” 

But it turns out this flag is one of two ZCMI flags to crop up this year. That flag, which is smaller and in worse condition, is currently at the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum in Heber City. Simper says it required a lot more conservation work to be ready for display. 

Meanwhile, Coltman’s is one and a half times bigger and better preserved, though it has sustained sun damage from being flown so long. The fabric is actually quite delicate, though it looks like there has already been some attempt to preserve it, Simper says — mesh and “fusible web” mended into the fabric — and going forward, he wouldn’t fly this outside. Definitely not. 

Coltman has other plans, though.

Yes, she wants to find someone who can help her preserve and continue to repair the flag, but first she’s interested in the opportunity it provides. Though it could fetch up to $20,000 or even $30,000 in the right market with the right buyer, Simper says. Coltman isn’t thinking that way: She and friends will carry the flag in Park City’s Fourth of July parade Saturday and then hang it from 1-3 p.m. at LIK Fine Art, 592 Main Street, where anyone can RSVP to see it. The gallery may also photograph it and eventually make prints for purchase. 

Plus, maybe there are people in town who will see it and want to take part in the restoration, Coltman says. There are lots of ways this can go. And in the same way that the flag connected her with an old friend, she hopes it could connect others, too. 

That, Simper says, is actually a great way to think about stewarding the artifact. A common misconception is that preservation means locking something away in a museum, bringing it out only once in a while for the right person, the right occasion. But if they can keep the flag stable during the parade and display it just right in the gallery, it should be all right, and that way, more people can enjoy it. After all, it is a flag. Even an old one is made to withstand. 

After the Fourth, Coltman will keep it at the Park City Lighthouse, where she will continue to enlist the help of anyone who feels they have something to give.

To help preserve the flag or contribute to the cost of doing so, contact Coltman at parkcitylighthouse.com. 

The post Lisa Coltman wants to share her 131-year-old American flag with you  appeared first on Park Record.

When Nick Calas first started coming to help out at the Park City Senior Center, Cheryl Soshnik, vice president of the center’s board of directors, was surprised. Calas looked too young. 

“I said, ‘I was born in ’59. Do the math,’” he said, smiling. 

Calas is always smiling. That youthful, ear-to-ear demeanor belies the truth: Calas is indeed a senior. But he’s also emblematic of the spry, eager attitude that defines those who volunteer at the center. He’s been in Park City since 1982 and spent 32 years with the city’s recreation department working, as he puts it, as a glorified maintenance guy.

“I was the guy in charge of swimming pools, tennis courts and fitness equipment. I was like the gopher that ran around,” Calas said, laughing. “I had a degree in recreation. I was hired in the early ’80s at the Memorial Building. That tells how old I am.” 

Calas liked staying busy, so when he came to the senior center, he just wanted to help out, do what he could. He helps raise and lower the flag, serves food, cleans up, lifts the heavy stuff — anything that needs doing. Plus, according to Soshnik, he plays a mean game of pool. 

He also volunteers at the backup weather station for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Calas’ degree was in recreation, but his other calling was as a meteorologist. He now calculates the amount of rain or snow whenever it falls.

“I just love dealing with seniors, mainly because I miss my parents every day,” Calas said. “I was unable to do that with my parents because I was working, and I was unable to go back to Illinois, where I’m originally from, and help them out.” 

Whenever the center holds a moment of silence, Calas thinks about his parents and how much he misses them. 

“I just think about them every day and wish they were still alive,” he said. 

Calas is like many who were honored during the center’s volunteer appreciation event on June 12. These are people who will put on any hat you’ll let them — they just want to make the center, and the town, a better place for others. 

The afternoon featured high tea, finger sandwiches, music and a short sing along with artist Kate Chanson, remarks from Mayor Ryan Dickey and a ceremony to individually recognize the dozens who help the center run smoothly. Those included board members who handle formal business and regular members who organize knitting groups, help with technology problems, clean up after events, anything.

Attendees sported their Sunday best, sipped tea and nibbled on sandwiches and flower arrangements made of cupcakes. Trason Dixon, the center’s executive director, emceed in a dapper suit. He led a round of applause for the attendees. 

“Quite honestly, I think I should be the only one clapping,” Dixon said, “because everyone in this room makes my job so much easier. … I’m so lucky to be able to call this place my place of work. It’s not really a place of work. It’s a place of fun, and I really appreciate all of the incredible contributions that everyone in this room puts in. The hours do not go unnoticed.” 

Dixon pointed to sheets of lyrics at every table. It was time for the room to perform a rendition of “Thank You for Being a Friend” by Andrew Gold, though many may have recognized it by the Cindy Fee version that was the “Golden Girls” theme song. 

After two rounds, someone called out that it was Dixon’s birthday. The group promptly began to sing to him.

“Oh no, no, no, no, no, no,” Dixon said, blushing as the group sang. “I really appreciate that. I’ve been making this joke all week: Folks. I feel so old, so old. I’m turning 29. Can you believe it?” 

Dixon beamed as the room snapped into groans and exchanged eye rolls.

“How does it feel to have 250 grandmothers?” someone shouted. Back to laughs. 

Dickey spoke next.

Volunteerism, he said, has become one of Park City’s defining characteristics. He grew up in a small Florida town with parents who instilled in him the importance of community service. It’s part of why he decided to settle here and something he’s tried to cultivate himself: When Dickery arrived in town, he said, the Rotary Club was having difficulty retaining new members, who would be active for two to three years and then leave. 

“We did these focus groups asking people why had they left, why had they not stayed, and we heard from folks that … they thought they were joining a service club, and it sort of felt more like a fraternity, like a social club,” Dickey said. 

The club shifted to focus on service and volunteerism over several presidencies, Dickey said, from Colin DeFord in 2019, Corrie Forsling in 2020 and Dickey in 2021.

“People just really responded to these opportunities to easily plug in and serve, and we grew that club, which was declining in membership. … It got down to 89 members, and today there’s over 150 members of Park City Rotary.”

Dickey said it’s a trend he’s noticed among people who move to town: They see what a wonderful community Park City is and want to leave it better than they found it.

That was certainly the story for board member Carol Haselton, who’s lived in Park City on and off for years. In 1973 she and her then-husband owned Sourdough Bakery on Main Street. They moved to Salt Lake City, returned in 1978, left for Lake Placid, New York, in 1991 and returned to Utah when her grandson was born in 2014.

At some point, she started coming to the senior center to teach people how to play bridge. Eventually, someone suggested she run for a board position. She didn’t expect to get elected, but here she is. Haselton said she is working on expanding a more formal volunteer program at the center that would help Dixon with some of his work, like greeting people who come into the center looking for information or telling them about the center’s lunch program and events, freeing Dixon up to focus on his other duties.

Haselton has also left her mark on the Park City community as president of the Newcomers Club of Greater Park City. The club meets once a month for a coffee and speaker social, as well as for other, more adventurous activities like river trips, skiing outings, book clubs and wine tastings. 

Haselton said that Park City Senior Center has the most vibrant community of seniors she’s ever seen. 

“It’s a very active, very involved group of people,” she said. “It’s not like a typical senior center. My parents were involved with senior centers, and they didn’t have anything like the activities that we have. It’s just so much fun.” 

Sylvia Geoff is a newer board member who also came to town later in life. Originally from California, she moved to Park City in 2003 and became a member of the center about a year and a half ago. 

Geoff has been involved in the community since she arrived. She was assistant to the CEO of Park City Hospital around its opening in 2006, taught English as a second language at Treasure Mountain Junior High and was also a librarian there. Now, she’s semi-retired, which is her way of saying she’s as busy as ever. She coordinates events for the seniors and works at the Christian Center of Park City’s Boutique Thrift Store.  

She’s lived all over, too. Geoff met her husband in Houston and lived in Stockholm, Sweden, and the U.K. Her husband is from Park City, so when it came time to put down roots, the family decided to move closer to relatives.

Geoff said that she enjoys encouraging members to stay active and live healthy lives. 

“I’m just kind of a caregiver at heart. There’s people here that are using either walkers, wheelchairs — I’m there to provide help, just like Nick (Calas),” she said. “Nick and I are just kind of one of the younger ones.”

She, like Calas and Haselton, is part of what makes service feel so normalized in Park City. It’s what they’re here to do.  

“As long as I can get these active members, keep them active, excited about events,” Geoff said, “that’s what makes me happy.” 

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