Selfies with Celebs: Our Team Rocks Another Sundance Film Fest

Every year, when the Sundance Film Festival comes to town it’s quite an event…a whole bunch of events, actually!

Locals and international guests flood the streets of our beloved Park City, Utah, and the air buzzes with excitement. At dozens of parties up and down Main Street, guests debate what new films are drawing attention and which celebrities have been sighted.  

Meanwhile, our team works behind the scenes to make those parties happen.

Our bakers have been up since midnight baking from scratch. Our chefs were in the kitchen at 2:00 AM churning out tasty treats. The whole team is on their feet for 12-16 hours every day working their magic and making every guest feel taken care of. And they do it all with a smile.

 Then they come back the next day to do it again. And again.  And again.

They are absolute rock stars!

So here are a few of the photos we caught of the real heroes of Sundance 2024.

Meet the Superstars!

Andrew, Tricia, Micah, Brina, Seth, Mary, Gabby, Lindsey and crew pause for a selfie with Chef Melissa King, winner of Top Chef: All-Stars L.A. 

Our Head Chef Hunter and our Chef de Cuisine Robert were honored to work alongside Chef Melissa here at Kimball Terrace.

“I heard someone say that Marcus was in the house. For real. My friend said she saw him over by the—oh my gawd! There he is!”

“I swear I’ve seen her somewhere before! Is that…Juliann?”

Robin, Jaz, Brooke, Danielle, Kate, Brandon, Sabrina, Mary, Gigi, Jocelyn, Katie, Tessa, et al. bringing order to the chaos.

Managers, directors, designers, set dressers, coordinators, producers…these people do it all. Brooke, Megann, Angela, Paige, Clayton, and McKenzie at Kimball Terrace.

Local celebrity sightings! Brandon snaps selfies with Morgan and Sabria.

The crowd we always wished we were cool enough to hang with: Gigi, Mischa, Hannah, Joe, and Paige.

Ryan handling mishaps with the grace and dignity of a pro.

Aaaaand…cut! That’s a wrap.

New Year’s Wedding Dinner at Kimball Terrace

 Weddings are always a delight for us to cater here at Kimball Terrace, but a New Year’s wedding? That’s something extra special!

This adorable couple celebrated their rehearsal dinner with us on New Year’s Eve before tying the knot the next day.

A gorgeous candlelit dinner was accentuated with toasts from family and friends.

The dinner transitioned into a delirious New Year’s Eve party. Dancing. Drinks. Confetti. Dress-ups. Cold spark machines on the terrace. It was an evening to remember. 

At midnight, we brought out a little surprise for the guests—baked Alaska with festive sparklers.

A special shout-out to Karli Spangler Events (formerly Ivory and Vine) for helping plan this amazing celebration! Thanks!

A Park City Winter Wedding at Kimball Terrace

There isn’t much snow on the slopes yet, but the chill is in the air and the Park City winter wedding season has begun!

In these weeks of late fall and early winter, Park City transforms from a bustling tourist town into a quieter, more intimate setting—perfect for a destination wedding. The weather is idyllic; accommodations are easy to make, and it can feel as if you have the whole picturesque place to yourself. Which is exactly how it seemed for this beautiful couple, Marissa and Eli, who celebrated their Park City winter wedding here at Kimball Terrace.

KIMBALL TERRACE

Overlooking the heart of downtown, the Kimball Terrace is Park City’s premier event space and wedding venue. A wrap-around balcony offers panoramic views of historic Main Street to the east and Park City’s world-famous ski slopes to the west. The outdoor patio can accommodate up to 150 guests with an additional 300 inside, so when the evening turns nippy, your guests can luxuriate in the comfort of our Main Hall while still taking in the natural alpine beauty through our floor-to-ceiling windows.

A PARK CITY WINTER WEDDING

It seemed as if Marissa and Eli had chosen their color scheme to match the soft greys and muted blues of Park City itself! With comfortable lounge furniture and homemade blankets aplenty, the outdoor patio felt more like a cozy living room.

The lovely couple and their party sat down to a clean, classy tablescape that brought together the natural grandeur of the Wasatch Mountains with the elegance of fine dining.

 THE FOOD

The caterers at Culinary Crafts pulled out all the stops, with creative cocktails and food pairings for a 6-course meal.

First up: a delightful spread of candied pecans, apple slices, strawberries and figs, honeycomb, house-baked ciabatta, and artisanal offerings from local Utah cheese-masters, Beehive Cheese. These were paired with a color-changing gin and tonic featuring Cerulean Gin from Utah distillery, Holystone.

The butter-poached lobster with orzo and parmesan was served with a refreshing white sangria spritzer that featured Holystone Perla vodka along with Culinary Crafts’s Albion White private label wine.

A rosemary, orange, and cedar smoked Negroni (featuring Holystone Bosun Navy Strength gin) was the perfect complement to pork belly with sesame-glazed Brussels sprouts.

Olive oil cake, poached pears, spiced sabayon, and a tasting of Utah artisan chocolates, together with a Tremblement de Terre made with Holystone’s Absinthe Verte put a sweet ending to an amazing evening.

What a privilege it was to help create this couple’s Park City winter wedding and to witness their joy!

Choosing a Date for Your Park City Wedding

The question isn’t “Should I get married in Park City?” The question is “When should I plan my Park City wedding?”

It’s no wonder we get so many inquiries from couples who want to schedule their Park City wedding. Along with its world-class skiing and winter sports, Park City offers breathtaking natural beauty year-round, plus fresh alpine air, fantastic food and service, and an intimate, small-town vibe. It’s the perfect place for a local or destination wedding.

But should you plan your Park City wedding when the mountains are draped in fall colors are when the slopes are deep in snow? Should you tie the knot when spring wildflowers are blooming or when the cool mountain air is a welcome relief from the summer heat? Every season in Park City has its pros and cons for prospective couples, but here are the factors to keep in mind as you think about when to plan your Park City wedding.

Winter Weddings in Park City

Park City attracts over half a million visitors every year, which is a lot for a small town of only 8,000 residents! Many visitors come for the great winter sports, of course, and the city can get pretty crowded in the cold months. Despite the congestion and other challenges, winter is still a lovely time to be married in Park City, especially for couples who have a special connection to our fair city. Maybe you met on the slopes and have fond memories of “shredding the gnar” together. Maybe you just want to cuddle up in a cozy cabin and enjoy a little solitude with your partner. Whatever you love about Park City in the winter, you can certainly find a one-of-a-kind nuptial experience here.

Tips for a Winter Park City Wedding:

·         That same legendary snow that makes Park City a favorite winter destination can also present difficulties for couples who choose a winter wedding here. At the Kimball Terrace, we are only about 40 minutes away from the Salt Lake City International Airport, but when the roads get snowy and icy, it can take your guests significantly longer to make the trip. And if we get hit hard by a snowstorm, they may not be able to get here at all! If you have guests flying in from out of town, you’ll need to make sure you’ve accounted for the weather.

• During the winter season when Park City bustles with tourists and ski enthusiasts, hotels and other services can reach their peak capacity, especially in January when the Sundance Film Festival comes to town. Make sure that your out-of-town guests have plenty of time to book their accommodations in advance.

• Between November and February, the holidays place extra demands on everyone’s time and attention. During those months, some people just won’t be able to free up their schedules, so you can expect to see a higher dropout rate from your guest list.

Challenges aside, a Park City wedding in the winter is more than worth it! Call us biased, but we think that when the snow flies, our beloved town is nothing short of magical.

Spring Weddings in Park City

How does the saying go in Park City? “April snowstorms bring May snowstorms?”

We’re kidding.

Mostly.

While we do occasionally get snow in April or even May in Park City, the spring weather here is delightful. Our ski resorts typically stay open until mid or late April, which means that couples who choose a spring Park City wedding can have the slopes to themselves! Travel and accommodations are easier to handle once the heavy snows and winter crowds are gone. Plus, spring in the mountains is an especially romantic time of year. If you haven’t been here when the green starts to return and everything smells fresh and new, then you haven’t seen Park City at its finest!

Another of our favorite things about a spring wedding in Park City is the delicious array of local spring ingredients  we love to incorporate into our menus. (Check out our strawberry-rhubarb semifreddo with candied dried rhubarb and pistachio crumble. A-maz-ing!)

Summer Weddings in Park City

Having just survived one of the hottest summers in history, we all know what a joy it is to escape the summer heat and retreat into the cool comfort of the mountains. The weather in Park City is consistently about ten degrees lower than down in the Salt Lake valley. That means that if you’re planning an outdoor summer wedding, your guests will be eternally grateful if you have it in Park City.

Unlike resort towns like Veil that basically shut down after the skiers leave, Park City has a thriving community year-round. Summer in Park City is jam-packed with recreational opportunities , entertainment, and events for you and your guests to enjoy, including… 

• Concerts with the Utah Symphony and a wide range of visiting artists

• Over 450 miles of hiking and biking trails

• Seven public and eight private golf courses

• Watersports at nearby state parks

• Fly fishing or river rafting on the Weber and Provo Rivers

• Horseback riding

• Hot air ballooning

• The Alpine Coaster, Alpine Slide, and Olympic Park bobsled ride

In fact, Park City gets so busy in the summer that you’ll need to check local event calendars for any conflicts. For example, June’s “Savor the Summit” event involves a crowd feasting at a mile-long table that runs right down the middle of Main Street! While it’s a beautiful event and one of our favorites, you should be aware that a thousand people eating in the middle of the street can affect traffic patterns!

Similarly, Main Street is closed for the Park Silly Sunday Market every Sunday throughout the summer. It’s a delightful tradition and well worth experiencing, but make sure it doesn’t interfere with your wedding plans.

Although Park City doesn’t see quite as much tourism in the summer as it does in the winter, it’s still pretty hopping! We see a lot of summer weddings at Kimball Terrace and other Park City venues. While June and August are always in high demand, July is usually not quite as busy, so July might be a good time to fit in your Park City wedding.

On a side note, bear in mind that Utah liquor stores are closed on Sundays and certain state holidays, so your out-of-state guests might be surprised to find the stores closed on July 24th.

Fall Weddings in Park City

We’ve saved the best for last.

If you’re looking toward an outdoor wedding, you can’t ask for better weather than you’ll find in Park City in the fall. Cool, sunny days and gentle breezes are what you can expect. The aspens are vivid orange and gold; the scrub oak and maples are fiery reds. It’s hard not to fall in love in Park City in the fall.

In the hospitality industry, autumn and spring are known as the “shoulder months” because they lie on either side of the busy tourist seasons. But in the fall, the crowds are gone and Park City settles into a gentle calm that has everyone feeling at ease. People are just a little friendlier and more relaxed. The locals will tell you, fall is the time to see Park City at its very best.

Don’t get us wrong; there’s still more than enough to do in Park City during the fall. You just won’t have to fight traffic or worry whether you can squeeze in a reservation. You can also find some great local deals as the weather cools. Many hotels offer free cocktail hours, cheese tastings, or s’mores on the patio, or other fun promotionals.

Bear in mind that the sun sets early in the mountains, and it starts to get chilly here much sooner than in the valley. Check local sunset times, and talk to your planner about setting an appropriate schedule for the big day. If the party will be going late at all, you’ll need to provide sufficient lighting and heat.

 General Tips for Planning a Park City Wedding

• Schedule way early! Venues often book out a year or more in advance, so start scheduling as soon as you’ve decided on the general time for your Park City wedding.

• Talk to your partner. It’s important that you both be on the same page about your visions and dreams for your big day before you dive into the details of planning.

• Pick your venue first. Which venue you choose may determine what dates are available or what deals they can offer (e.g. lower rates on a weekday). Once you’ve shopped around and decided where you want to host your big event, then home in on the specifics of when.

• Work with a planner. This is probably the single most important piece of advice we can give you about planning your Park City wedding. A local planner can help you find the best deals, avoid pitfalls, and make your celebration even more wonderful than you’ve imagined.

• Book a caterer. Third in line after your venue and planner, you should lock in on your caterer. Some venues will have their own catering or offer a list of caterers they allow/prefer to work with. Popular caterers tend to book out far in advance, so don’t wait too long.

• Account for weather. As pleasant as the weather usually is in Park City, it can change several times a day. If any part of your wedding celebration will be outdoors, make sure your chosen venue has a backup plan for inclement weather.  

• Think of your guests when choosing your date. Park City hosts a lot of destination events where the majority of guests are traveling, so a weekend—especially a 3-day weekend—is ideal. They should keep in mind that airports can be busier on weekends, and venues/vendors are likely to book out sooner on those dates.

• Don’t get too many opinions. Finally, don’t get caught in the trap of trying to please everyone. Like most new couples, you’ll probably be offered all sorts of advice. Take everyone’s advice (including ours) with a grain of salt. It’s your wedding, so do what works for you and your partner. Huge celebration or small and intimate, mountaintop ceremony or ballroom party, it should all fit your style.

 If we can help make your visions happen for your Park City wedding, please let us know! We’d be delighted to help.

The Five Best Things to Do in Park City in the Summer

Park City is famous for its world-class winter sports, but there’s more than enough going on in P.C. to make it worth a visit during the warmer months. Here are five fabulous things to do in Park City in the summer.

Come “Savor the Summit”

This Saturday, June 24, will be Park City’s annual Savor the Summit event.

What is Savor the Summit? Well, picture a mile-long table stretching down the middle of Park City Historic Main Street. Imagine that table overflowing with culinary offerings from Park City’s best restaurants. Now picture diners toasting, talking, and basking in the joy of a totally unique al fresco dining experience in the clean mountain air as the sun sets over the Wasatch range.

Sound amazing? It is!

You can’t buy tickets for this event. Instead, make a reservation by going online here and perusing the Savor the Summit menus for the 20+ participating restaurants, then giving your chosen restaurant a call. This year’s line-up features everything from gourmet pub food to upscale French and Japanese, so there’s surely something to match your palate. The hardest part will be choosing!

For 2023, Kimball Terrace and Culinary Crafts will once again be a sponsor for Savor the Summit. In partnership with Dilécta Wines, we will offer a five-course meal prepared by our own Kaleb Crafts. All proceeds will benefit the charity TAG Ranch. Check out the menu here and come join us at the Grand Table!

Take In a Concert

Every year, as the weather starts to turn hot, the Utah Symphony packs up and takes its show to the mountains for the summer. From June to August, the symphony will perform at Park City’s Deer Valley Music Festival. Concerts will be held at the Deer Valley Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater and at Saint Mary of the Assumption church, while private Park City homes will host salon events. Other performers who will be giving concerts in Park City this summer include Kenny Loggins, Old Crow Medicine Show, and the incomparable Ben Folds.

Explore Your Wild Side

Park City is the place for outdoor recreation in Utah. Summer outdoor offerings include

• over 450 miles of biking and hiking trails,

• one of the longest bobsled rides in the world at Utah Olympic Park,

• boating, paddle boarding, and other water sports at nearby Rockport State Park or Jordanelle State Park,

• fly fishing or river rafting  on the Weber or Provo Rivers,

• hot air ballooning (although Park City’s annual Autumn Aloft event has officially been retired, you can still enjoy high altitude views through companies like Bigfoot Balloons, Skywalker Balloon Company, and Utah Balloon Flights),

• horseback riding,

• speeding down the Alpine Coaster or the Alpine Slide,

• golfing at one of the seven public and eight private courses around Park City, or

• taking a zipline ride at Park City Mountain or Utah Olympic Park. 

Immerse Yourself in the Kimball Arts Festival

From August 4-6, Park City’s Historic Main Street will come alive with the Kimball Arts Festival. The festival features exhibits and demonstrations by artists working in various media, plus good food, two live outdoor stages, a “creation station” for kids of any age, and so much more!

If you buy a Weekender or VIP Pass, be sure to come relax with us in the Kimball Terrace VIP lounge where you’ll enjoy yummy bites from Culinary Crafts as well as beer, wine, and craft cocktails from High West Distillery.

Throw a Party (or, Better Yet, Get Married)!

We’re only half-kidding.

Summer in Park City is the perfect time and place for a celebration, especially of the nuptial variety. At Kimball Terrace, we absolutely love hosting corporate and private events in the summer months, as well as destination and local weddings, because the alpine weather is pleasant and the views are gorgeous. It’s the absolute best time of the year to utilize our indoor and outdoor spaces.

Whatever warm-weather fun suits your style, we hope you’ll come join us in Park City this summer.

Range Rover Comes to Park City

This February, Kimball Terrace was honored to host Range Rover House, a curated event celebrating the Range Rover lifestyle.

The Kimball Terrace’s rooftop provided a breathtaking view of Park City’s snow-packed slopes. It also made a stunning showcase for two Range Rovers, including the gorgeous new Deer Valley edition. (This is a very limited edition with only twenty vehicles produced!)

Throughout the twelve-day event, Culinary Crafts presented four food services each day: brunch, lunch, après ski, and night bites. The après ski was especially fun because they highlighted food from different world-class ski destinations: a delicious raclette melting station for Switzerland, a Kir Royale cocktail and glühwein for France and Austria, etc. They also featured traditional foods from Italy, Utah, and Japan.

We converted half of our Kimball Terrace venue into a spa and wellness area, replete with an oxygen bar, yoga area, and sound bath. Guests were also treated to the services of masseuses, a professional perfumer, and a cosmetics consultant!

A heartfelt thank-you to all those who helped make this exquisite event possible, especially Land Rover, BOND Wines, Architectural Digest, and Chef Evan Rich of the San Francisco restaurant Rich Table. We love you al!.

 Eat well!

Kimball Terrace Welcomes Sundance Film Festival

Every year, the Sundance Film Festival brings a wild week of prodigious parties and celebrity sightings to Park City, Utah.  And each year, our Kimball Terrace team is delighted to open our doors and hearts to our wonderful guests. But this year was different. After COVID shut down the festivities in 2021 and 2022, it was especially gratifying to once again share our lovely venue with our Sundance guests.

Out on the terrace, the weather was freezing, but we treated the public to hot toddies and spiced hot chocolate, s’mores, and empanadas—in addition to the panoramic views of Main Street and the magnificent Park City slopes.

It’s always a treat to rub shoulders with so many talents in the movie industry. This year’s guest list included Kevin Hart, Anne Hathaway, Jason Momoa, Jennifer Connelly, Michael J Fox, Brooke Shields, Emilia Clarke, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and many others.

Special thanks to host, Audible, and to Variety Studios. It was a pleasure to cater your fantastic party!

Kimball Terrace joins Rocky Mountain Bride’s vendor collective

We are delighted to announce that Rocky Mountain Bride magazine has invited Kimball Terrace to join its 2023 vendor collective.

The Rocky Mountain Bride vendor collective is an exclusive guide to the best wedding vendors and venues in the U.S. and Canadian Rockies. We are honored to be featured among this amazing group of wedding professionals.

We’re also delighted that Rocky Mountain Bride is highlighting Utah’s extraordinary wedding and hospitality industry. As the only state in the U.S. to be awarded three Michelin stars (designating it an “exceptional destination” and “worth a special journey in itself”) Utah is ideal for destination weddings. We’re glad that more and more people are discovering the truth that Utah is a beautiful place to live, work, and celebrate!

Watch for photos of our gorgeous weddings and special catered events.