PARK CITY SONGS OF SUMMER

Deer Valley Concert Series returns after taking a gap year

BY TONY GILL

LISTEN CLOSELY. Can you hear it? That’s the sweet, sweet sound of music returning to the mountains of Park City. As tunes start drifting with the warm summer breeze, we instinctively flock to the hills in search of good vibes and aural refreshment. Park City has no shortage of summer music venues and performances, but the centerpiece has to be Deer Valley, where a surprisingly varied cast of performers takes the stage each season.

The Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater hosts three separate series: The Deer Valley Music Festival, the Grand Valley Bank Community Concert Series and the Deer Valley Concert Series. The resort’s eponymous music festival is the summer home of the Utah Symphony, where they’ve played with all manner of renowned performers like the B-52s, Elvis Costello and Gladys Knight. The Grand Valley Bank Series, hosted by Mountain Town Music, is a set of free shows wherein locals of all stripes are invited to get their groove on without exorbitant costs.

The Deer Valley Concert Series, which hosts notable national touring acts from a diverse list of genres, was a notable absence last summer. The series was put on hiatus as Deer Valley underwent some on-mountain capital improvements, but now that those are wrapped the stage is set for a triumphant return in 2023.

Under the bright lights some serious star power is set to appear. Though the full lineup and scheduling is still in flux as of publica- tion, confirmed shows on the horizon include plenty to be excited for. Folksy americana sensations CAAMP—whose name is a bemusing acronym for slugging cheap booze and who enthralled Red Butte Garden during a show last summer—play on July 16, while Park City mainstays and festival-circuit heroes Michael Franti & Spearhead—who I’ve seen a shameful number of times—are slated for August 11, and the one-and-only Kenny Loggins—the man of Danger Zone fame and fortune who’s currently basking in Tom Cruise’s reflected glow once again—will perform on September 2 as part of his farewell tour.

To view all the latest details and a complete schedule and list of performances for The Deer Valley Music Festival, the Grand Valley Bank Community Concert Series and the Deer Valley Concert Series, visit Deer Valley’s website.

2250 Deer Valley Dr, 435-649-1000, deervalley.com