Ahh, Park City’s summer music scene. Some people think it’s all about lounging in lawn chairs jamming to an unplugged local act. Others say it’s about cheering a big, national touring show in an amphitheater capped off by fireworks and a drone display. Someone else insists it’s about singer-songwriters and behind-the-scenes music conversations. And then there are the tribute bands. The Nashville acts. The musical theater. Wait, did somebody say opera? Incredibly, all this is available in a single summer in Park City, Heber Valley and Sundance. The only downside? Choosing the events to attend and what to miss. Here’s a handy guide to help you sift through so many summer sounds, plus always check the concert lineup for Concerts on the Slopes, Canyons Village Summer Concert Series and Egyptian Theatre, all in Park City.
Park City Opera
Park City Opera (PCO) wants everyone to get a taste of this musical art form, which hasn’t had a home in Park City since the Main Street opera house burned down in 1898. PCO purposefully stages their performances in nontraditional spaces like city parks and cozy bars, venues that feel comfortable and familiar even if opera doesn’t feel familiar to local audiences … yet.
“By making all these venues homes for opera, we’ve seen audiences who may have thought they don’t really feel any attachment to classical music or opera become superfans,” says Lena Goldstein, PCO’s executive director and one of three founders.
Summer concert series events are offered in partnership with Mountain Town Music every Monday at City Park Bandstand, where audiences learn and explore classical vocal music from around the world in 60- to 90-minute performances. Whether performed in English, French or German, supertitles and spoken dialogue in English are provided to help audiences comprehend the stories.
For those Parkites who are won over or who are already opera subscribers in major cities, PCO stages two full operas a year but with their signature twist. Expect to see the shows at Temple Har Shalom’s sunlight-filled venue or for the first time at Eccles Center for the Performing Arts.
“We think that even if you grew up going to the Met with your mom or grandmother, you’ll gain a new experience of immersive opera by seeing it up close,” Goldstein says.
PCO is dedicated to the community, hiring primarily local artists for shows small and large. Last year’s lineup included seven visiting artists and 35 locals. The orchestras for both 2026 shows are Utah based, and choruses are typically all local singers. Creative and administrative roles also are available to locals, including high school students.
Goldstein believes opera is fast gaining support in Park City “because it’s being done by young people with big vision right here at home.”
Bluebird Cafe Summer Concert Series
It’s been said that watching singer-songwriter performances at Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe is like hanging out in a living room with the artists. For more than two decades, Bluebird Cafe has partnered with Sundance Mountain Resort to bring that cozy, intimate vibe to area audiences at the Sundance Outdoor Summer Amphitheater.
Over six summer weekends, both new and established talent from Nashville perform unplugged on barstools from the amphitheater stage. Acts are acoustic and feature three singers with guitars telling stories about how their songs came to be and performing them in the way they originally envisioned. Although the amphitheater holds 1,400 people, Sundance manages to recreate the intimate, authentic feel of Bluebird Cafe.
Performers are thoughtfully matched and are often longtime friends before they take the stage together, so audiences are brought into real relationships between the singers as well as the relationships they have with their music.
“The audience is part of the circle of storytelling and song singing,” explains Sundance Programming Director Mari Turner. “After every single show, people will come up to me and say, ‘That’s the best one yet.’”
Sundance is transitioning its summer theatre venue to also host big, touring bands. This year, expect Texas country headliner Midland.
Song Summit
The conversations at Song Summit take fans even further behind the scenes. Founder Ben Anderson describes this music festival as “eastern thought meeting western struggles.”
At this three-day event, performers are supported with access to nonalcoholic beverages, healthy food, recovery meetups, meditation and exercise. Fans, who also have access to wellness options, can gain a window into the musicians’ worlds through Summit Labs. These are intimate, artist-led conversations that shed light on the pressures of success, the isolation of touring and the opportunities it creates for drug and substance abuse.
Dinners for artists and fans alike are co-created by Chef Andrew Zimmern and a featured musician. These delicious demonstrations are also storytelling events, an immersion into the hearts and minds of the performers.
Anderson hatched the idea for Song Summit in 2017, while talking with a colleague about the rampant loss of people in the music community to mental health problems and suicide. “There’s big-time anxiety because of the need to constantly perform, constantly groom their fan base and constantly be ‘on,’” he says. “We have this penchant for allowing ourselves to go inside instead of reaching out for help.”
Song Summit has become a place where musicians can get support, enjoy performing and learn to cultivate good health and longevity in their careers. This year’s lineup will include bluegrass, folk, indie rock, New Orleans funk and a tribute to Bobby Weir of the Grateful Dead.
Anderson has heard many stories of recovery and support during the 15,000-person event. “There is healing there, there is hope there, there is inspiration there and there is light,” he says. “We are not your average festival.”
Festivals Featuring Music
Deer Valley Music Festival Utah Symphony with guest artists play classical music including symphony orchestra and opera
Forum Fest A Park City Canyons Village Independence Day celebration with music, fireworks and drone shows
Whoot and Holler Festival The Owl Bar sound at Sundance Mountain Resort’s Outdoor Summer Amphitheater
Hops on the Hill at Stein Eriksen Lodge Live music with food and beer tasting
Kimball Arts Festival Music collaboration with Mountain Town Music
Song Summit Music and wellness event with concerts, conversations, labs, and wellness activities like yoga
Music Happenings in Heber Valley & Beyond
Back 40 Ranch House Grill, Saturday and Sunday, 6-8 p.m. /// Cafe Galleria, weekends, 5:30 p.m., and select weekend mornings, 10:30 a.m. /// Main Stage Live, Monday, Heber City Main Street Park, 6:30-8 p.m. /// Melvin’s Public House, Friday, 7:30-10:30 p.m. /// Midway Music on the Square, Wednesday, 6 p.m. /// Heber Valley Railroad Depot, select dates, 8:30 p.m. /// Soulful Sundays, Heber City Main Street Park, 6-7 p.m. /// The Owl Bar, Friday and Saturday, Sundance Mountain Resort, 8-11 p.m. /// Woodenshoe Park Concert Series, select Fridays in June, July and August, Peoa, 6:30 p.m.
