The annual week begins Wednesday, Feb. 25 with a welcome party on Main Street before skiers hit the hills through Sunday.
While it's the 16th year in Park City, the event company Elevation hosted its inaugural gay ski week 24 years ago at Mammoth Mountain in California. Founder Tom Whitman said he wanted to create a space for people on the slopes to feel included.
“There tends to be a cliche that our gay communities are hubbed in big cities, and so as someone who loves snow sports, I wanted to create a space where we could build community in those places,” he said.
In partnership with local nonprofit Summit Pride, the five-day gathering has events in Old Town daily at 4 p.m. along with on-mountain activities.
“We also have some special events, like a burlesque show on Saturday night as well,” he told KPCW on the “Local News Hour.” “And then on the mountain, there are the Summit events, and then people are skiing across both Deer Valley and Park City.”
Summit Pride Foundation President Virginia Solomon says the organization will have two on-mountain events and all are welcome.
“We are having First Tracks on Friday, so folks want to show up around 7 a.m. Tickets for that are available at summitpride.org,” they said. “They'll be opening the lift up early. Get some laps in before it opens to everybody else, so you get the runs to yourself, and then breakfast afterwards.”
Saturday, Summit Pride and Park City Mountain will partner for a pride parade to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. The parade at 2 p.m. begins at the top of the Bonanza lift to the Legacy Lodge. It’s followed by an après party at the lodge. Tickets are required.
The week wraps up Sunday with a farewell party at the Downstairs on Main Street.
After Park City, gay ski week heads to Mammoth March 18 to March 22.
