Living, Playing & Writing in the Outdoors
Jackson Hole’s “crows nest” is a hidden seat on top of the tram car at Jackson Hole Ski Resort. If you’re not afraid of heights, you might want to look into joining this passionate team of Jackson Hole Tram mechanics. Get a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run the iconic Aerial Tram in this 2023 WYDAHO Adventure Film Festival Audience Choice Award winner.
It’s nearly March. The snowiest month of the ski season is only days away and places like Snowbird and Mammoth have already reached record-breaking base depths with no end to the powder days for the near future. While those who hate winter lament; those of us who live for sliding are doing the mother of all dances. And this spring will be the ultimate culmination of the best ski season since 1995. You can bet the coming festivals that celebrate spring skiing and shenanigans will rage from the energy this winter has stoked.
Spring skiing means less base layers, more sunlight, longer afternoons for apres. It’s the time for locals and guests to celebrate an epic ski season with festivals, events, tailgating parties, and pond skimming. How can you get in on the action? Check out our list of top spots to ring in the spring.
North Lake Tahoe SNOWFEST is one of the largest winter mountain festivals on the west coast. The annual 10-day event celebrates the best of North Lake Tahoe from ski town nightlife to outdoor family-friendly events. Get ready to party March 2-12 with parades, laser show and fireworks, pancake breakfasts, live music and concerts, bar parties, ski races, dog and pet events, ice carving, a polar bear swim and much more.
The concert and mountain lifestyle tour is a winter playground for music fans, skiers, snowboarders, and dog lovers alike. It gives you an excuse (do you really need one?) to get outside and gather with fellow winter lovers as you celebrate the move towards spring and warmer days with live music, giveaways and vendor booths. The tour visits Woodward, Park City, first on March 18 with headliner the Spazmatics and then moves to Snowbird March 24-26 and music from SunSquabi and Simba Sax.
Park City Mountain’s annual spans a whopping 16 days, starting with Oakley Week on March 23 and culminating with a 100-foot pond skim on April 8. Anyone can enter and there are prizes for the biggest splash, best costume, and best overall skim, plus tons of raffles and giveaways. There’s live music every afternoon and most evenings along with jugglers, magicians, s’mores and backyard games.
The Jackson Hole Rendezvous Spring Ski Festival is a two-day music festival on March 31 – April 1, 2023, that starts in downtown on Friday night but finishes in Teton Village on Saturday afternoon. Chart-toppers The Revivalists will headline with ZZ Ward and Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Then Yellowstone crooner Ryan Bingham headlines alongside Elle King plus Futurebirds and Dumpstaphunk. Tickets are free but you have to reserve on Eventbrite and it’s first come-first serve.
Bonus, skiers and snowboarders who own a valid 2022-23 winter resort season pass ANYWHERE in the world who travel to Jackson Hole during Rendezvous Fest can receive a 50% discount on lift tickets!
Canada’s biggest mountain music festival is back for two days of music, skiing, and an array of outdoor activities with your crew, March 31-April 1. The tunes are curated for a fun blend of folk, pop & alt- rock, and a full day of upbeat dance music on Saturday.
Bluegrass, jamgrass and roots music and beer. What more could you want? Oh, yeah, great skiing. This pair of three-day festivals will be held in Colorado and California, March 3-5 and March 31- April 2, respectively. Headliners in Steamboat – Greensky Bluegrass, The Infamous Stringdusters, Leftover Salmon and Paul Gauten and more will perform on four stages, over three days.
WWG part 2 will take place at Palisades Tahoe on March 31-April 2, with Trampled By Turtles, Greensky Bluegrass and Marcus King topping the bill.
Day passes start at $109 and include three hours of complimentary beer and spiked seltzer tastings.
Hands down the most off-the-hook spring ski festival in North America. Known to locals as WSSF, the World Ski & Snowboard Festival combines spring energy with a week of non-stop events and action on and off the slopes. Ski and snowboard competitions like Big Air and Slush Cup, music, art, photography, action filmmaking and exciting nightlife will happen April 10-16.
The country’s top multi-multisport event to benefit of Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation will have racers gearing up May 13 in Bend, Ore. Anyone can enter as individuals, pairs, or teams at PPPBend.com.
Since 1976 the event which features ski (alpine and nordic), bike, run, canoe/kayak, sprint legs annually attracts thousands of competitors from throughout the Northwest and beyond, and stretches from the slopes of Mt. Bachelor to the finish line in Bend’s Old Mill District.
Whether you are a less-competitive racer who wants to join a team for fun, have an active day with friends or family, or an elite multi-sport athlete, the SELCO PPP has a place for you.
| American speed queen becomes first woman to ski legendary Streif course. |
| Lindsey Vonn strapped back into her skis and became the first woman to ever ski the Streif – and the first to ever dare to do so at night. The Streif is considered the greatest challenge on the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup and it is a race Vonn could never compete in due to only men’s downhill races being held in Kitzbühel. The American won everything there is to win in the sport before retirement in 2019 but one last dream goal eluded her in her illustrious career, the fearsome Streif in Kitzbühel, Austria. The 38-year-old said: “Only when you ski the Streif are you a real downhiller. The Streif is the pinnacle of all downhills, the most difficult course in the world. Nobody believed I could do it. After all my injuries, to now get the once-in-a-lifetime chance to kick out of the starting gate here and fulfil my dream is incredible…I’ve always had respect for the men that raced down the Streif, but I have even more respect now, because it’s one thing to go down it and another thing to ski to win; and now I can fully understand what that means. It has given me greater perspective how truly amazing these men are.” Vonn had not raced a downhill course in four years but pushed out of the start gate and entered the notorious Mausefalle (Mousetrap), with an 85% gradient. Setting off in the dark from the original start in preparation for the iconic race, Vonn crowned her career in spectacular style. How Vonn trained for the Streif She prepared intensely in preparation to push herself to the limits once again despite the severe knee injuries suffered in a career that brought Olympic gold, 82 World Cup victories and saw her crowned a multiple World Champion. Vonn borrowed the skis from US star Ryan Cochran-Siegle and had them prepared by her former service man Heinz Hämmerle. Hitting speeds of more than 100km/h at night added further drama to an already intense occasion. “I felt like I was jumping over the edge of the world,” said Vonn. I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous before a start in my life. I’m a thrill seeker. I’m an adrenaline junkie, and I love pushing myself to the absolute limit; being on the verge of being scared. I live for a challenge like this.” Vonn was coached by her compatriot Daron Rahlves, himself a course winner in 2003. He said: “To see Lindsey finally have a chance to ski on this track in this kind of situation is incredible. I had no doubt she could ski it, but I was questioning if she was going to really ski it with a lot of determination – I was really impressed that she did. This is true downhill, if you make one mistake, you can have some bad outcomes. But the way she just came out to own it was really impressive.” Vonn also revealed she took on the challenge for her mother Linda, who passed away in August. She said: “I knew she was watching me and was there as a guardian angel to help me accomplish this dream. I know she is proud of me. As she always ways.” – Watch Vonn’s run here: https://www.redbull.com/gb-en/videos/lindsey-vonn-takes-on-the-streif |
The Sundance Film Festival 2023, in its heyday, was the place to see and be seen. Even Vinny from Entourage brought his gang to “little Hollywood” to connect with producers, managers, writers and other filmmakers during the celebration of independent filmmaking in Park City, Utah. The opening weekend of the 10-day event was a constant rager in the early 2000s; with gifting lounges, filmmaker brunches, red carpets, and film school mingles filling up venues on both sides of Main Street; of course there was the random movie screening thrown in for good measure. Even before Covid, city officials eager to curb the chaos within city limits created curfews, rental restrictions, federal laws prevented VIPs from taking expensive swag without declaring it on their taxes and Sundance organizers squashed outside “sponsors” from piggybacking on their turf. Anyone remember all of the fringe “dances”? Lapdance, Xdance, Tromadance, NoDance, Slumdance, and the sole survivor- Slamdance?
Then, the Covid pandemic did its thing and wiped out all standards in its wake. The Fest went virtual, sponsors dropped out, Park City in January went ghost town and celebs found different ways to attract attention.
This year, however, the in-person Sundance experience is back, the town is primed and onlookers wonder what this iteration will bring. Press releases are touting a list of attendees that include:
Anne Hathaway, Cynthia Erivo, Penelope Cruz, Emilia Clarke, Jason Momoa, Stephen Dorff, Daisy Ridley, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jonathan Majors, Jeremy Allen White, Dakota Johnson, Sarah Snook, Gael Garcia Bernal, Alexander Skarsgård, Teyana Taylor, Ben Platt, Jennifer Connolly, Eve Hewson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Phoebe Dynevor, Randall Park, Nicholas Braun, David Jonsson, Stephen Dorff, Jason Genao, Bella Thorne, Karrueche Tran, Michael J. Fox, Tracy Pollan Fox, Ryan Coogler, Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth Banks, Thembi Banks, Amandla Stenberg Marlee Matlin, Adam Lambert, Mike O’Hearn, Will Ferrell, Moby, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Radha Mitchell. Actors, directors, writers who have movies screening at Sundance and still others will come just to play in the snow and tease paparazzi.
Beyond a spot for actors to strut, Park City provides the ideal location for big brands to establish cozy havens where they can cater to VIPs with hot beverages and snacks, while getting their name networked. In the past, we’ve seen Lyft, Grey Goose, Google, Sony, ICM, IMDB, Fuji, Stella Artois, L’Oreal, Acura, Canada Goose, MoviePass, DirecTV, Southwest Airlines. Some of the spaces these brands establish welcome the general public. Others require a name on a list. These are what are known so far.
Shabbat Lounge
Address provided upon RSVP, daily from Jan. 20-22
The Shabbat Lounge returns to Sundance with a program of events that include Friday night Shabbat dinner, a Friday night Oneg Soirée, Saturday L’Chaim Cholent Chill, Saturday night Havdalah concert and a Sunday Jewish filmmakers and friends brunch. (RSVP required: shabbatlounge.org.)
Ericka Nicole Malone Entertainment’s Indie Director’s and Creator’s Spotlight
The Cabin, 427 Main St., Friday, Jan. 20, 10 a.m.-11 p.m.
The invite-only event is a day-to-night activation that celebrates diversity in filmmaking with a program that features conversations, networking, performances and entertainment. Confirmed panelists and performers include Ericka Nicole Malone, Tabitha Brown, Matty Rich, Craig Ross Jr., Wendy Raquel Robinson, Vanessa Estelle Williams, Sha’leah Nikole, Alfred Jackson, Keith Robinson, Angie Stone and more. The scene will feature light bites, warm beverages, cocktails, mocktails, gifting and sounds by DJ Q-Nice. From 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., the venue will transform into a “neo-soul lounge” with live performances by Robinson, Nikole, Jackson and Stone.
Sommsation Lounge
408 Main St., daily Jan. 20-22
During the fest’s first weekend, Sommsation will offer a limited number of curated sommelier-led wine tasting experiences for wine lovers and Sundance attendees to book from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily and can be booked via Concierge@Sommsation.com. In addition to the tastings, Sommsation will host private industry events, movie premieres, junkets and panels at the Sommsation Lounge and will be sponsoring several events throughout the fest.
Audiences Want Climate Stories
The Box at The Ray, 1768 Park Ave., 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Join the Redford Center for an interactive session that features filmmakers and industry experts discussing the role indie film plays in the climate movement. Speakers include Megha Agrawal Sood (Doc Society), Jeff Orlowski-Yang (Exposure Labs), Tracy Rector (Nia Tero), Anna Jane Joyner (Good Energy), Jill Tidman (Redford Center), and 2023 Sundance Film Festival featured filmmakers Matthieu Rytz (Deep Rising) and Sophie Barthes (The Pod Generation).
Creators Lounge by Stanley …PUBLIC WELCOME
The Cabin, 427 Main St., daily Jan. 20-22, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
A free activation mounted by the makers of the vacuum-insulated, stylish food/drinkware products to celebrate Sundance with fun activities and beverages in iconic Stanley drinkware. Programming will include a latte art class, build your own hot cocoa bar, aura readings, musical performances (by The National Parks, Bri Ray, DJ Joune, Drew Holcomb and others), poetry readings (in partnership with SLAM) and more.
White Claw Shore Club
608 Main St. in Park City, Jan. 19-22 (Jan. 19: 1-10 p.m.; Jan. 20-22: 11 a.m.–10 p.m.)
The exclusive hard seltzer of Sundance Film Festival 2023, the first White Claw Shore Club be bringing all the Apres Ski vibes to life in a premium lounge experience complete with live performances from emerging musicians, including Abraham Alexander, and immersive works from local artists. White Claw will also debut a new 30-second ad, directed by Laura M. Gonçalves, that will run in between every five films premiering at the fest. Attendees can visit a customizable beanie station, enter exclusive giveaways, or “grab a White Claw and chill.” The White Claw Shore Club will be open to registered attendees; festgoers can access the QR code invite on mini branded snowboards that will be located in several areas throughout Sundance. Must be 21+. More details here.
Access to this venue is by invitation only.
Acura Festival Village & Acura Energy Stage and Energy Lab PUBLIC WELCOME
Acura Festival Village is 480 Swede Alley, ; Acura Energy Lab is 364 Main St., daily programming, Jan. 20-23, 12p-6p. 21+
Fest sponsor Acura will have its largest presence ever as the official vehicle and presenting sponsor of the fest for the 13th consecutive year. New for 2023: Acura has expanded to include two venues supporting the indie creative community with a fleet of Acura MDX and MDX Type S performance SUVs (official vehicle of Sundance) traversing the streets of Park City, Utah, and Acura’s full lineup of performance vehicles on display. The Energy Lab will feature an energized experience with a photo booth and an interactive art installation, complimentary coffee bar, live DJ, phone charging stations. Energy Stage will also feature performances, parties, interactive experiences and interviews with talent.
Canada Goose Basecamp, 558 MAIN ST. , Jan. 20-29, 12-6p PUBLIC WELCOME
Canada Goose invites you to escape from the cold at Basecamp. Explore their retail pop-up, try on iconic styles, learn about their history with the film industry; from behind the lens to special on-camera moments, and why they’re a film set staple. Each day, fans can expect new and innovative programming, special events, and surprise guest appearances. Beverages & coffees served from 12-6 p.m. January 20-23 and 12-4 p.m. January 24-29
The Audible Listening Lodge, 675 MAIN ST, Jan. 19 – 22, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. PUBLIC WELCOME
There’s more to imagine at the Audible Listening Lodge! Enjoy beautiful views of Park City and let your imagination run wild listening to the curated catalog of premium content. Sit back and relax—everyone’s welcome to join in on the fun.
Chase Sapphire on Main
573 Main St., Jan. 20-24, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
The lounge will play host to premiere parties, LA Times co-presented panel discussions and a special Chase Sound Check with Anderson .Paak at TAO Park City. Sapphire Preferred and Reserve cardmembers can also stop by daily for complimentary refreshments, live music and activations including an aura reader, customizable travel accessories, a live watercolor artist and more.
Chef Melissa King Menu Takeover, Chase Sapphire on Main, 573 Main St., 1-3 p.m.
Melissa King will present two items, mushroom congee with sous vide quail egg in the morning, five spice pork belly bao in the afternoon. Cardmembers will have the opportunity to meet her; hear more about her inspiration behind the dishes; and receive recipe cards for each item.
Macro Lodge, 201 HEBER AVENUE, Jan. 20-22: 10 a.m.-2 a.m., Monday, January 23, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
The 6th Annual MACRO Lodge at the Sundance Film Festival offers talent, filmmakers, and changemakers a place to connect and convene at the Festival for a mix of conversation, community, and culture, to elevating the voices and stories of Black people and people of color.
Access to this venue is by invitation only.
Sundance ASCAP Music Café
The Park, 950 Iron Horse Drive, 2-5 p.m.
Paring down to just one day this Fest, the Sundance ASCAP Music Café will host an afternoon of exclusive acoustic sets from songwriters plus an insightful conversation between the composer and filmmaker of a Sundance title, courtesy of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.
SCREEN TIME CONVERSATIONS
2:20 PM: ROGER SUEN (composer) + JUSTIN CHON (director) discuss JAMOJAYA
2:50 PM: NAINITA DESAI (composer) + LAURA McGANN (director) discuss THE DEEPEST BREATH
PERFORMANCES
3:15 PM: AMIGO THE DEVIL
3:50 PM: SHA’LEAH NIKOLE
4:30 PM: SLAM POETS ft. SAUL WILLIAMS, MOMOLU S K STEWART + JOSÉ SOTO (celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize-Winning film SLAM)
Sunrise House
Riverhorse on Main, 540 Main St., daily from Jan. 20-22, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Daniel Dae Kim’s 3AD teams with Gold House and the Asian American Foundation (TAAF) to mount the Sunrise House, the official pan-AAPI house of the Sundance Film Festival. The Sunrise Collective will feature interactive daytime programming and host two dinner and celebration events. More here.
Indigenous House
Star Bar, 227 Main St., Jan. 21-22, daily programming
IllumiNative, the Native woman-led social justice organization, launches the Indigenous House at this year’s fest. The space will serve as a gathering spot for storytellers and audiences seeking new voices and fresh perspectives, and a space to recognize and celebrate Native creatives, artists and industry leaders who are advancing Native representation and inclusivity in TV and film. Programming will feature events, dinners, panels, integrated in music, fashion and food to immerse attendees in Native culture and celebrate its impact on society and pop culture. Sponsors include Open Society Foundations, the Pechanga Band of Indians, Pop Culture Collaborative, Decolonizing Wealth Project, The Christensen Fund, Culture Change Fund, MacArthur Foundation and Nielsen.
ECOLUXE Park City ABC4TV Media Lounge
255 Main St., 11:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Veteran producer Debbie Durkin, a 30-year Sundance vet, returns to produce a 15th annual ECOLUXE Media Lounge in partnership with ABC4TV. Positioned on a purposeful, sustainable platform of wellness, Durkin launches HYDRO Infused Sodas and Brava Home’s newest Smart Oven. Brava Chef Travis and Amanda Gyuran of Elevated Eats will fuel guests with curated and performance-based foods, Amare Global’s The Mental Wellness Company’s GBX pep beverages hydrate, The Vitamin Bar IV Park City nurses energize with B12 shots, IV Therapy and oxygen machines, and exhausted stars have the option of picking up trips to Dominican Republic’s Casa de Campo Resort & Villas for post-fest recovery. Streetwear brand Voice of the Vanishing Earth will be featured, a company that donates 51 percent of profits to protect animal species. Luxury wellness company Hemped Park City will introduce Bees Knees products. Chickadee Gear premieres children’s snowsuits, and more surprises to come.
Sundance Film Festival Opening Weekend Art Lounge….PUBLIC WELCOME
Kimball Art Center’s Art Lounge, 1251 Kearns Blvd., Jan. 20-22, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily
Kimball Art Center hosts attendees in their quest for culture at this space located between the Eccles Theatre, fest headquarters, Holiday Village and The Ray. The current exhibition features Between Life and Land: Material, part of a three-part exhibition series focused on telling stories of artist’s relationship with the lens. It includes three films by Robert Smithson and Nancy Holt.
Festivalgoers will once again return to theaters while still having the opportunity to see online films chosen for this year’s Sundance Film Festival. It’s a “hybrid” event this year and in-person and online single Sundance Film Festival tickets go on sale starting tomorrow, Thursday, January 12th at 10 a.m. PT. The 2023 Festival will take place January 19–29, 2023, in person in Park City, Salt Lake City, and the Sundance Resort, along with over 130 films available online across the country January 24–29, 2023.
Sundance invites audiences to create their own Festival experience by selecting feature films, short films, and Indie Episodics. The 2023 Lineup includes 110 Feature Films from directors including Nicole Holofcener, Ira Sachs, Sebastián Silva, Anton Corbijn, and more; and 45 first-time feature directors to discover. See exciting new projects featuring talent including Anne Hathaway, Cynthia Erivo, Penelope Cruz, Emilia Clarke, Jason Momoa, Daisy Ridley, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jonathan Majors, Jeremy Allen White, Sarah Snook, Gael Garcia Bernal, Alexander Skarsgård, Teyana Taylor, Ben Platt, Jennifer Connolly, Eve Hewson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Phoebe Dynevor, Randall Park, Nicholas Braun, and documentaries on Stephen Curry, Michael J. Fox, Willie Nelson, Brooke Shields, and many more including visionary directors and emerging talent. The documentary programming illuminates the ideas, people, and events that shape present day dialogue, from Ukraine and Iran, to the current food crisis.
In addition to the film program, there will be panel conversations running January 19–23, 2023 in-person and available online starting January 24-29, 2023. Sundance Film Festival’s Beyond Film conversations are open to the public and made up of three series called Power of Story, Cinema Café, and The Big Conversation. Beyond Film rounds out the Festival experience, providing a place for the community to engage through artist conversations, filmmaker panels, and audience discourse. Talks this year include Barry Jenkins, Dakota Johnson, Jonathan Majors, Randall Park, and Marlee Matlin.
Individual in-person screening tickets are $25, while online access to one film is $20. Purchase an Explorer Pass for $25 to maximize your Festival experience, unlocking six immersive days of online access to Indie Episodic screenings and select Short Film programs.
You can still purchase the Salt Lake City in-person pass (until 1/16) for $500 to enjoy films playing in theaters across Salt Lake City, including The Megaplex Theater at The Gateway, giving priority access to all in-person screenings in Salt Lake City with just one pass for the entire Festival. Explorer Pass benefits are included. And a special SLC Youth Pass is available to attendees ages 18–25 to purchase at a discounted price of $200 (until 1/16).