Sundance starts tomorrow and the box office is open! For Locals and visitors alike this means giving yourself plenty of time to arrive where you need to go as traffic and parking will be congested. For skiers and snowboarders head to the mountains as it is a great time to enjoy the slopes with everyone at the movies.
We found a great article, Insider Tips and Tricks for Making the Most of Your Sundance Film Festival, that is useful for locals as well as for those coming into town.
Prepare for the Weather - Temperatures in Park City this time of year tend to hover around 12°F and 33°F during the day, so don’t be tempted to pack light.
“Put a pair of gloves in each of your jackets/coats (and bring extras). You will lose a glove or two,” says Rosie Wong, our director of industry relations, who’s coming up on her 16th Sundance Film Festival. “And if you live near a Uniqlo, I swear by their Heattech thermal leggings and undershirts. They’re thin, but they really work.” Don’t overlook the smaller details when it comes to your wardrobe choices. “Change your socks once a day—you’ll feel like a whole new person,” says Ashley Hoyle, assistant to our director of programming. Our director of producing and impact strategy, Brenda Coughlin, had some of my favorite advice on the subject of staying warm: “Two words: Hot. Toddy.”
Eat Well and Stay Energized - As several colleagues have pointed out, when you’re rushing between screenings, it can be hard to find time to eat—which is probably fine on the first day of the Festival but won’t feel so great by the end. Some words of wisdom?
Do stock up on food when you arrive—that way you won’t be tempted to subsist on sugary snacks and caffeine as the Fest wears on. But don’t go overboard: “That pot of lentils? Not going to get cooked or eaten,” notes Brenda. “Don’t drink [alcohol] on your first day; the altitude is a huge game changer,” says Ashley. “Drink as much water as you can. When you think you’ve had enough, drink some more!” “Put some protein or snack bars in your coat pockets for those times you forget to take time to eat (because who has time to do that???),” Rosie says. As for dining recommendations in and around Park City? “For all the Brits out there, the mushrooms on toast at Five5eeds is delish,” Brenda advises.
Plan Out Your Schedule - There’s an art to planning the perfect Sundance Film Festival schedule for yourself, and to master it, you’ve got to think about the distance between venues (“Allow at least 45 minutes to get anywhere,” says Brenda), sprinkling in a good amount of variety into the mix, and knowing your limits in terms of how late you can stay up (or how early you can wake up).
Luckily we’ve got an app (available in the App Store and Google Play) that can make things way easier, especially when you’re on the go. “The Sundance app’s eWaitlist works,” Ashley says; just make sure to show up to the venue at least 30 minutes early once you get your waitlist number.
And make sure you check out all of the things we have going on outside of the theaters. One highlight we hope you’ll join us for? “The Imagined Futures bonfire following Power of Story on Thursday, January 30,” Brenda says. “It’ll make for an amazing afternoon of rabble-rousing inspiration and warm contemplation as we head into the end of the Festival.”
See the Sights in Salt Lake City - Locals are already hip to the fact that we host a ton of our screenings and events in Salt Lake City (as well as at the Sundance Mountain Resort). In fact, buying our Grand Theatre Pass is one of the most economical ways to experience the Festival; it offers you admission to every screening at the Grand between January 24 and February 2.
“Experience the Festival in Salt Lake,” advises Michaela Buccola, assistant director of operations for artist programs. “Great theaters, amazing restaurants and bars, the same movies, and the same buzz! And if you want to ensure you have an experience like being on Main Street in Park City, be sure to select the Rose Wagner or Broadway theaters, and go to my favorite restaurant and next-door bar combos, such as Takashi and Post Office Place or Current and Undercurrent.”
Avoid the Festival Flu - Yes, it’s a thing. That’s why our volunteers recommend staying hydrated and starting a vitamin regimen ahead of your arrival at the Festival.
“Don’t touch doorknobs or elevator buttons with your bare hands!” Rosie cautions. “Use your elbows—do you know how many germy fingers touch those things every day? And carry antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizer; you WILL encounter someone who is sick.”
And Finally, a Few Things You Might Not Have Thought to Pack … Courtesy of our volunteers, who come from all over the country (and even all over the world) to help us put on the Festival every year. If you see a volunteer, remember to thank them, and note that Wednesday, January 29, is Volunteer Appreciation Day!
- Lotion (your poor chapped hands will thank you)
- Altitude-adjustment pills (FYI, Park City is about 7,000 feet above sea level)
- A phone battery pack
- A small flashlight (so helpful late at night)
- A good thermos (good for eating in line)
Sled and slide - Grab a couple of sleds and head to a local hill. For newbies, hit the mild slope beside Park City Library (1255 Park Ave), also home Lucky Ones Coffee, a convenient hot cocoa warm-up spot. For a bit more speed and air, try Park City Ice Arena (600 Gillmor Way) and slide off the back side of the rink into a soccer field runout; helmets are handy if you’re planning to hit the oft-present jumps. For those willing to work for the downhill, grab a handheld swiss-bob, and hike roughly a mile and 800 feet of vertical up Iron Mountain Trail (mountaintrails.org); slide the entire way down (helmet recommended).
Prefer to be pulled up the hill? Nab a seat on Park City Mountain’s Alpine Coaster (parkcitymountain.com) and control your own speed as you whoop through the track. Or mosey over to Midway’s Soldier Hollow (utaholympiclegacy.org) and allow the conveyer to pull you—and your tube—up to the top of six lanes of downhill sliding. Tips: Book ahead. You can also check out the new Woodward Park City’s tubing hill and more (details on p. 98). Olympic venue Soldier Hollow is also ideal for a Nordic outing (see more cross-country options on p. 76).
Reach new heights - Throw on a harness and hit the ropes courses at Utah Olympic Park (UOP, utaholympiclegacy.org). Start at the Discovery Course beside the Nordic jumps, then work your way up to the Canyon and Summit Courses, both located beside the bobsled track. Winter and spring at the UOP tends to be less crowded in terms of ropes course antics, but team training can be in full-throttle mode, which means you could spy an elite athlete while hanging out 55 feet in the air. Not into ropes courses? Check out the hands-on exhibits at the on-site museums, take a tour, consider splurging on a bobsled ride with a pro (if you’re age 16-plus and have a minute), or plan your trip to coincide with an event—perhaps the IBSF Para Sport World Cup in February. Tips: Call ahead, as the ropes courses are not always open during snowy months (also, check to see if additional activities, such as the Extreme Zipline and Drop Tower, may be up and running); stop by the Visitor Information Center (1794 Olympic Pkwy) to grab a BOGO coupon for the UOP’s Gold Pass; and check the weight requirements for the activities to avoid disappointing little ones.
Icy magic - As long as the temperatures are right, the Ice Castles in nearby Midway (Homestead Resort, icecastles.com) provide a fantastical outing from late December through late February. Stroll, crawl, and slip through the 25-million-pound ice edifice, covering roughly an acre with tunnels, slot canyons, thrones, slides, 40-foot spires, and infinite LED-lit icicle wizardry. Tips: Book ahead online, try to hit weekdays to avoid crowds, and wear waterproof pants for exploring the frozen slides and tunnels.
Glide in the Zamboni’s wake at two local rinks: Park City Ice Arena (600 Gillmor Way, 435.615.5707, parkcityice.org; check the website for open skate times) or Resort Center Ice Rink, outdoors at PCM’s base (1415 Lowell Ave, 435.615.8165, parkcityicerink.com). Have your own skates? Head to the pond at Willow Creek Park, and maybe drop in on a hockey game—but check Basin Recreation’s grooming report (basinrecreation.org, under the Trails Report tab) to make sure the ice is solid and cleared first.
New kid on the block - If the 125-acre action sports playground replacing (and expanding) what was once Gorgoza Park is half as cool as its sister POWDR properties, Woodward Park City (3863 Kilby Rd, 435.658.2648, woodwardparkcity.com) is vying to be the top spot as kid, teen, and teen-at-heart heaven. Slated to open this winter, the campus rolls out lift-served skier/snowboarder zones, targeting starter snow bunnies to extreme athletes. And for those lamenting Gorgoza’s passing, there’s a revamped tubing hill, too. Feel like heading indoors? The on-site, 66,000-square-foot facility (well equipped for testing those flips, twists, and beyond) is tricked out with ramps, a trampoline, a foam pit, a spring floor, parkour, and a concrete zone—essentially a skatepark, but for all nonmotorized wheels (think BMX); there’s a pump track, too. Already, plenty of elite athletes have loaned their expertise to the creation—slopestyle fans, don’t miss Red’s Backyard (a Red Gerard-designed park). Oh, and there’s a bar-café on tap for viewing the action, lodge-style eats on the main level, and a digital media lab on the lower level. Though the campus is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., folks can drop in or stay all day. Tips: Book the two-hour tubing hill or indoor facility passes ahead, snag a day pass, or go all-in for a $100 monthly pass.
Splash - Sometimes the best way to tire out the clan is a day of swimming—yes, even in winter. The South Summit Aquatic Center (350 E 200 South, Kamas, 435.783.2423, ssafc.org), also known as the Kamas Pool, has a massive indoor leisure pool complete with lazy river, two-story tube slide, small slide, and splash features, as well as a lap pool with two diving boards and a climbing wall (open intermittently). Tips: For added indoor fun, the facility’s 33-foot climbing wall (not the more petite poolside one) is open Saturdays. Wrap up the outing with a slice of cheesy pie at Summit Inn Pizza (80 S Main St, Kamas, 435.783.4453, summitinnpizza.com). And don’t show up on Sunday, when the Kamas pool facility is closed.
