With the Sundance Film Festival in its final Utah season before relocating to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027 — and Park City set to welcome the 2034 Winter Olympics — the ski town is at a momentous juncture. The Hollywood door closes, the sports door opens (and ain’t that the story of entertainment these days?).
Making this closing chapter all the more poignant is the recent passing of fest founder and indie film pioneer Robert Redford, who transformed Park City into a global cultural destination.
“On a personal note, Mr. Redford’s vision ignited my own journey when I made my way to the Sundance fest for the first time in 1993,” says Eugene Hernandez, festival director and head of programming. “The experience changed my life, so I join all of us who celebrate Utah and this dynamic home for independent, global storytelling that he built.”
This week’s cinematic celebration is necessarily bittersweet. “I’m very sad to see the festival go,” says film producer Steve Richards, whose films have been featured at the fest. “To me, Park City and the Sundance Film Festival are in the DNA of one another, and I hope they cross paths again.”
To make the most of the curtain call, Richards and fellow industry insiders, who have second homes in Park City, share their top tips for where to stay, dine and play during Sundance and beyond.
Ski Secret
Despite an unusually slow start to winter across the Western United States, recent storms helped deliver a solid base, giving way to open runs and uncrowded on-mountain dining, one of the festival’s perks.
“Main Street is packed during Sundance, and the slopes are empty,” says Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Meredith Marks. “The usually chaotic venues on the mountain in upper Deer Valley and Silver Lake become the peaceful, quiet spots, unless there happens to be a Sundance party.”
If you’re squeezing in a few runs pre- and post-premieres, there is plenty to savor. Having more than doubled in size, the skiers-only paradise, hailed for pristinely groomed terrain, underwent the largest expansion in ski industry history.
The East Village Express, a new 10-passenger gondola linking the East Village to Park Peak is debuting alongside six new chairlifts, including the Pinyon Express, a modern heated bubble. With 31 lifts in total, 202 designated runs including the expansive “Dream” and nearly five-mile “Green Monster,” along with 4,300 skiable acres, Deer Valley cements its status as the mecca for powder hounds. And thanks to a new high-tech, automated snowmaking system (especially beneficial during this atypical winter), expect consistent snow coverage.
Deer Valley East Village is the newest hub and home to the Grand Hyatt, with Four Seasons and other hotels slated to open in 2028. Easily accessible from Main Street, this is also one of the few spots where Richards suggests for a last-minute lunch or dinner. “You have a better chance of getting into the bars and restaurants at Grand Hyatt than anywhere in or around Main Street.”
Set mid-mountain, Stein Eriksen Lodge reigns as the gold standard. “Stein is an industry favorite and always fun for après ski and afternoon hangs,” says Tiffany Kuzon, Mosaic Talent Manager. Between the genuine alpine ambiance, ski-in/ski-out access, ski butlers, and European style breakfast and lunch buffets, it’s a Hollywood mainstay. “The festival has been one of our most meaningful moments of the year to connect with our partners, from our home base at the iconic Stein Eriksen Lodge,” adds Kim Kelleher, CCO of AMC Networks.
For Kuzon, Canyons Village has a special appeal, too. “The secret is that it’s a little less crowded and there’s a village with shops and restaurants,” she says. “The Pendry is fun and Drafts at Westgate is great for burgers.”
The enclave is a skier’s dream, leaning towards intermediate and advanced terrain along with a few easy greens, breezy cruisers and a revamped kids and beginners area studded with magic carpets and whimsical kid-centric dining at Red Pine Lodge. And with the new 10- passenger Sunrise Gondola, zipping up to the action is faster than ever.
Après + Main Street Musts
The après scene spans from the Troll Hallen lounge at Stein Eriksen and Silver Lake’s nostalgic Sticky Wicket to the Vintage Room at St. Regis, where raw bar delicacies and cocktails flow amid the most raise-the-roof vibe in town.
Marks offers up other must-visits on Main Street. “I love Kemo Sabe; I do the caviar for their events and buy lots of hats from them,” she says. A hybrid shopping and social destination, guests design custom cowboy hats and belts and can slip away for a toast inside their hidden speakeasy.
Craving Japanese? Yuki Yama is her other go-to. “It’s always fab sushi,” she adds. The ambiance is intimate and buzzing, drawing locals, celebrities, and execs.
Tinseltown Treasure
Eager to trade Main Street mayhem for a dose of serenity? Perched across 3,500 acres in Wanship, The Lodge at Blue Sky, Auberge Collection is a mogul and Real Housewives-frequented hideaway 25 minutes from Park City. Along with new private residences underway, the resort is hosting a Noah Cyrus concert on February 27th.
Whether between film premieres or a post-Sundance reprieve, titans flock to the lodge for backcountry exploits like sporting clays, horseback riding, axe-throwing, and fly fishing — or opt to be whisked off to the private ski lounge. Decked with oversized sofas, homemade cinnamon buns and a hot chocolate bar, it’s steps from a discreet Park City chairlift. Afterward, a High West whiskey massage at Edge Spa or visiting the rescue horses at Saving Gracie Equine Healing Foundation awaits.
