PARK CITY, Utah — Utahns and visitors from all over the world came to Park City Mountain to watch skiers and riders in the torchlight parade.
“It's the festive spirit, out in the winter, in the cold,” said Rich Newbery, a visitor from California. “There's nothing more Christmas-y than that.”
“This our first Christmas here,” said Brian Bush, a Park City resident. “We moved here in June, so we're just trying to soak it all in right now.”
It wouldn’t be Christmas Eve on the mountain without live music, free hot chocolate and cookies, and of course, Santa.
“This is our 60th anniversary season here at Park City Mountain,” said Sara Huey, Senior Manager of Communications.
“And we have been doing a Christmas Eve torchlight parade since 1964, the very year after we first opened for skiing and snowboarding.”
This year’s torchlight parade at Park City Mountain featured about 130 skiers and riders from the Ski and Snowboard School, with Santa Claus pulling up the rear.
“All the instructors coming down, I know they're the ones who are doing it, so seeing them all have fun,” said Kali Bush, a Park City resident.
Christmas Eve torchlight parades are an annual tradition at several of Utah’s ski resorts, like Deer Valley, Snowbird and Snowbasin.
“There's something about when the parade comes out of the darkness,” said Huey. “It feels even bigger, and if the stars are out it's a really awe-inspiring sight.”
