Park City readies Olympic anniversary bash with pin trading, Beijing broadcast, sports demonstrations
The event in Old Town is expected to be the largest commemoration of 2002 in a decade

Park Record file photo
Park City plans to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 2002 Winter Olympics with activities like pin trading, a giant video board broadcasting this year’s Games in China and fire pits in Old Town.
Similar to the celebration in the community during 2002 itself.
City Hall early in the week publicized details of an event scheduled on Feb. 12 that will mark the anniversary. The Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation is putting on the celebration, which is slated for Bob Wells Plaza on Swede Alley from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m.
It has long been anticipated Park City would hold some sort of significant event in honor of the anniversary, but details had not been widely publicized until the release of information from City Hall in anticipation of a Park City Council meeting scheduled on Thursday.
Some of the highlights of the event will include:
• a video board showing the competitions in China and footage from the Olympics in 2002
• upward of 10 to 15 fire pits, which organizers say will be similar to those used as warming stations in 2002
• the mascots from the Games in 2002
• meet-and-greet opportunities with athletes who competed in 2002. A list of the athletes was not provided as part of the information to the elected officials, but there are numerous Olympians with close ties to the Park City area and elsewhere in Utah
• demonstrations of winter sports like curling and hockey
• unspecified participation by the George Eccles 2002 Winter Olympic Games Museum located at the Utah Olympic Park
Banners with an Olympic theme will be placed on Main Street light poles.
The event is expected to be the largest commemoration of the Olympics of 2002 since the 10-year anniversary a decade ago. The Park City area was crucial to the Games, with Park City Mountain Resort, Deer Valley Resort and the Utah Olympic Park each being important competition venues. Main Street was one of the top locations to celebrate the Games, drawing large crowds of revelers.
The anniversary also will unfold amid the Games in China and as Salt Lake City and the wider Olympic region is bidding to host a second Olympics as early as the event in 2030. The Games of 2030 are expected to be the next awarded by the International Olympic Committee, possibly later in 2022.
A flier detailing the Feb. 12 commemoration released by City Hall says the parking lot at Bob Wells Plaza will be closed for the event. The load in and set up is planned Feb. 10 followed by permitting the next day. The installation will be removed the day after the event. The information indicates City Hall staffers hold the authority to approve the event through an administrative process, meaning a vote by the City Council is not required for approval.
Mayor Nann Worel and the City Council on Thursday are slated to discuss the event at a meeting scheduled to start at 4:50 p.m. The meeting will be held virtually. More information is available on the City Hall website, parkcity.org. The direct link to the meeting agenda can be found here.

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