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Canyons gets a jump on Independence Day

Independence Day is only a couple of days away. However, some people can’t wait that long to party.

That’s why Canyons Resort celebrates a day early.

Dave March, marketing and events manager for Canyons Resort, said the free July 3 celebration has been a tradition since he can remember.

"I don’t know the exact date it started, but I’ve been up here for 11 years and we’ve always done something on the July 3," March told The Park Record. "It’s a fun holiday weekend. It’s the unofficial kick off for the summer, and we want people to come check out the resort and see what we have to offer."

Canyons recently recreated the mountain with the village and added the new Ski Beach area and the Orange Bubble Express air lift.

Due to the wet spring, though, the Ski Beach area will not be ready to house the July 3 concert, March said.

"The stage will be set up in a different location because we’re sodding the new Ski Beach, which will be similar to Deer Valley, where you sit on the grass and you look down on the forum," he said. "The Ski Beach will be ready when we kick off our summer concert season on July 16, and we’re looking forward to that. In the meanwhile, the July 3 concert will be set up in another part of the resort."

This year’s music attraction will the funk and soul cover band The Soulistics, which will start playing at 7:30 p.m..

"The Soulistics are great and play high tempo, rhythm and blues, funk, soul and rock, a little bit of everything," March said. "This is the first time in a number of years we don’t have the Disco Drippers playing our event. While The Disco Drippers have been great, but we thought we’d try something new."

Regardless of the change in bands, the goal is still the same," he said.

"We want fun music, party music where people know the songs and can sing along," March explained. "We’re just going to have a blast dancing."

Of course the evening will wrap with fireworks.

"The fireworks start around 9:30 p.m. and will go until 10 p.m.," March said. "They’ll be shot off from the parking lot adjacent to the Silverado Lodge."

In addition to the music and fireworks, other Canyons attractions include the new Farm Restaurant, food carts and other vendors, March said.

"We’ll have snow cones and ice cream and Kettlecorn," he said. "We’ll also have our barbecue set up that will also provide not only barbecues, but burgers and brats and stuff like that, and people can always bring their own picnics with whatever they want, including alcohol."

The Red Pine Gondola, which opened July 1, will run 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., March said.

"The Cabriolet and Frostwood lifts only run during events in the summer. So they’ll be running that day as well from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m."

Each year, attendance increases, March said.

"This year, we’re expecting 5,000 to 6,000 people, so we ask that they carpool, ride their bikes or use the bus system," he said. "We’ll also be pretty full in our hotels, so we would like everyone to park at the Cabriolet Parking and take the lift to the event.

"That way, everyone can have a great time, without having to worry about overcrowded parking lots."

Canyons’ July 3 celebration is an event that gives something back to the community, March said.

"We provide a free concert and a free fireworks show and invite anyone who’s in town for business or for the holiday," he said. "We do this every year, whether it falls on a Sunday, Monday or Wednesday or a Friday night, as a way to thank our local community.

"We work with the Park City Chamber bureau, so we certainly have a strong relationship with them," March said. "We want to show what Canyons is all about and how important Canyons is to Park City, and it’s a great way to kick off a July 4 Independence Day weekend, really."

Canyons’ July 3 celebration featuring the Soulistics will take place at the resort, 4000 Canyons Resort Dr., on Sunday, July 3. The resort is open at 11 a.m. The music begins at 7:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, visit http://www.thecayons.com


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