There must be something to this whole get-your-friends-together-in-the-dark, hold out nasty smelling flares and snake all the way to the base in one long conga line thing. Why else would so many resorts offer a torchlight parade for participating or viewing?

Deer Valley Resort’s torchlight goes down December 30 at 6 p.m. on Big Stick ski run on Bald Eagle Mountain. Those friendly DV hosts will be handing out complimentary hot cider and cookies on the Snow Park Plaza.

Wolf Mountain in Ogden Valley hosts a family New Year’s Eve event that includes horse-drawn sleigh rides and the torch parade. The night starts at 4 p.m. with night skiing for $22 until 9 p.m. For an extra $15 add dinner and a sleigh ride before the torchlight. The parade and fireworks start around 9 p.m.

Gather on the Plaza Deck at dusk for bonfires and Snowbird‘s New Year’s Eve Torchlight Parade and Fireworks. The newly remodeled Aerie Restaurant in the Cliff Lodge will have a special fixed menu and scheduled seatings.

Finally, head over to Alta Ski Area if you want charity attached to your torchlight experience. The parade follows the main cattrack to the Wildcat Base. They will have a “free-flowing” start time to minimize standing around in the cold. Families can participate then be at the base to watch the fireworks. Sorry, Folks, but no hot cocoa before the parade start. Instead, the money saved will go to the Utah Food Bank on behalf of all Alta skiers. Load the Collins lift at 5:15 p.m. and get off at the angle station. Children need to be accompanied by an adult and have their own headlamps or flashlights. Adults carry the torch. All participants need to be intermediate level or stronger. Open containers are not allowed so fill the Camelbak with Schnapps (and your own hot cocoa).

Happy New Year!

It’s been a long time since Club Suede’s owners left the country, leaving the Junction’s only nightclub and live music venue shuttered amid rumors of controversy and fines. Though the upstairs bar, lounge and concert venue at Kimball Junction is still on the seller’s block, a new hotspot is finally emerging. Molly Blooms, Irish Pub and Burger Bar, will be rocking the northside of Park City with dueling pianos. The idea sprang from long-time local singer/songwriter Rich Wyman and buddy Michael Rogers. The two play Dec. 29 (next Saturday night) then hand off the podium to guest pianists every Saturday night during the winter.

Molly Blooms owner Gregg Davison told The Park Record, “I was thoroughly impressed by the quality, the entertainment value and the interaction with the crowd [at the Tavernacle Dueling Piano Bar in Salt Lake City]. I knew I just needed to get that show in Molly Blooms.”

Jamming at the Tavernacle

If you’ve never witnessed a dueling piano event, hold onto your seats. The vibe is electric. It’s essentially karaoke with the whole room singing to live piano music and no autotuner.

Bar goers fill out request forms, donate some green and sit back and wait to hear their song. The more you pay, the sooner the tune. Guests can even pay to make the song stop. A bidding war could potentially start between those who want the song to continue and those who don’t.

“It’s not a scripted show, but we do have a couple of songs in our back pockets to keep the show rolling or to interject some energy,” Wyman told the Record. “We also have laptops with us, so we can call up the chords of songs we’re not quite familiar with.”

The main room is designed around two baby grand pianos with concerts beginning at 9 p.m. Molly Blooms is open to all ages until 10 p.m. because the spot between Park City Coffee Roasters and the Kimball Post Office is also a restaurant. That makes for a great way to end the evening with the family. Burger and blues coming up!

Reservations are suggested. (435) 645-0844.

Other after-hours venues in Kimball Junction:

Jupiter Bowl, 435.658.BOWL (2695).

Maxwell’s, 435.645.7468

These days Christmas begins before Thanksgiving and Park City has embraced that plan. Carolers, tree-lighting celebrations, and gift shopping are already electric. It begins with free parking on Main Street through Dec. 21. Yay! If only Santa would grant me my wishlist gift of yanking those evil meters out all together. But enough about me. There’s a whole lot more to Utah during the holidays than strolling through Temple Square oohing and ahhing at all the lights.

More Free Stuff-

Thursday, Nov. 29

The Park City Museum hosts a free “History Speaks” Lecture from former Salt Lake City Mayor DeeDee Corradini who fought to get women’s ski-jumping included in the Olympics. 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 30

Carolers will perform on Main Street from 5 – 7 p.m. to kick off the monthly Main Street “Gallery Stroll”, featuring nearly two-dozen galleries showcasing their respective artists and special exhibits. Some of the spots even offer free nibbles and wine.

Saturday, Dec. 1

Street entertainers perform from 3 – 5 p.m., and carolers sing from 5 – 7 p.m. as festivities surround the annual Park City Tree Lighting in Miners Park at 5:30 p.m. Santa will also stop by for photos.

Thursday, Dec. 6

Check out the Park City Museum for free and take in the “Linedrives and Lipstick: The Untold Story of Women’s Baseball,” travelling exhibit.

Saturday, Dec. 8

Time for doggies to meet Santa! Have your best friend snap a photo with the jolly man -just be sure he doesn’t snap back. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” takes the stage, at 4 p.m., and Street entertainers will perform from 3-5 p.m., and carolers from 5-7 p.m. (location tbd).

Dec. 14-15

Carolers
and Street entertainers from 3 to 7 p.m. Santa stops by the Town Lift, time to-be-determined.

Friday, Dec. 21

The Electric Parade, featuring cars festooned with Christmas lights and inflatable decorations, glides down Main Street at 6 p.m. and awards will be presented for Best Use of Lights and the Best Christmas Spirit, Most True to Authentic Park City, and Best in Show.

And in Salt Lake City…

Nov 29 – Dec 01

Inspired by the world famous German Christmas markets, the Christkindlmarkt and Lantern Parade offers a unique holiday shopping and cultural experience. Tantalizing food and festive holiday entertainment await you at This Is The Place Heritage Park. 2601 E. Sunnyside Avenue, SLC

Thru Jan 06

Tinkertoys used to be the ultimate Christmas gift. See why at the TINKERTOY Exhibit at Discovery Gateway. Giant replicas of the classic construction set provide the framework for fun, educational activities inspired by GE technologies that turn imagination into working solutions to real world challenges.

Fri./Sat. thru Dec. 22

The Downtown Holiday Market at Gallivan brings local and handmade goods in time for giftgiving. Unique, one-of-a-kind items abound. From 11 a.m.- 8 p.m.

Thru Dec. 28

All aboard the Downtown Jingle Bus. Holiday season visitors can hop on and off the free nightly bus for a holiday themed trip around The Gateway, Temple Square, Gallivan Plaza and City Creek Center, seven nights a week from 5 p.m.-11 p.m.. Map available at downtowslc.org/jingle

Dec. 29-31

Eve 2013. It started as a family friendly way to celebrate the New Year. Now, it’s so much more. http://eveslc.com

The HERA Climb 4 Life is swinging back into Utah next week and if you’ve ever thought of learning to climb, meeting fellow climbers, getting your kids to climb, learning outdoor photography or just spending the weekend with a great group of people then you absolutely MUST join this event. Trust me on this one. I love events and the Climb 4 life is one of my all-time favorites. And now, the event, held every year in September to raise money for ovarian cancer research, isn’t just about climbing.

It’s three days rather than four this year and instead of holding the activities on Friday and Saturday, they’ve moved them to Saturday and Sunday to make it easier for people to attend. My first Climb 4 Life was about getting women on rocks; now it’s about encouraging men, kids and chicks to explore the outdoors along the Wasatch whether climbing, hiking or taking photos. Yep. You heard right. I’m going to be taking outdoor photos this time around. How could I resist? New this year is a component where participants can spend the time with professional photographers, videographers and trainers, tweaking their photo skills. I’m going to be splitting my day shooting and learning how to better use Photoshop to edit my pics. Olympus Visionary sponsored Jay Kinghorn will lead the weekend along with Jeremiah Watt, and Black Diamond Photo Editor Sandra Salvas will be delivering a presentation on “What Makes A Great Photograph” on Saturday. The whole weekend is just $60 and it goes to a valiant cause. The price is miniscule for what you get and – if you raise $250 in donations – you can also take part in a raffle guaranteed to net you more than that in swag. There are parties Friday and Saturday nights and a Sunday afternoon closing party. I’ve always gone solo, but you can form a team. Basecamp is the Black Diamond Equipment parking lot. You can register there on Friday night but it’s better to do it online beforehand. Once you sign up, you get a goodie bag and an itinerary that includes two days with some of the best guides in their respective fields.

If you can only spare one day, bring out the fam for a “Families with Children Half-Day Climb”on Saturday (1-5 pm). It’s $30pp and you still get the Saturday night party and a goodie bag. Children of all ages are welcome to climb with their families and the personal guide from Utah Mountain Adventures. Maybe you want to climb a little harder or you have no interest in climbing at all but you child does? Drop Junior at Rockreation Indoor Climbing Gym on Saturday for the Kids Indoor Climbing
for ages 5 – 18. They’ll climb from 1-5 p.m. for $30 per child. Parents/legal guardians must fill out a waiver, but they don’t need to remain. That’s cheaper than most babysitters! You do need to register your child beforehand to make sure there are enough participants and coaches. Contact Jessica at jessicakinghorn@gmail.com or 801-505-5273.

Finally, you can also spend two days hiking places like Grandeur Peak and Gobbler’s Knob if you would rather keep your feet on the ground. Hiking guides from the Utah adventure nonprofit SPLORE will break you into groups depending on experience, ability and interest. Again, it’s $60 and that includes everything.

Click here to see the rundown for HERA’s Climb4Life.