Whether groups want to tap into the eclectic, laid-back sophistication on Main Street or revel in mountain vistas and outdoor adventures, local DMCs take Park City gatherings to interesting heights.
Summit Events
www.summiteventsdmc.com
Summit Events specializes in high-touch programs that play on distinctive lures such as the Sundance Film Festival, according to Heidi Hughes, president.
“We can get groups into parties and screenings and put together an itinerary that immerses them in the whole Sundance scene,” she says. “It’s amazing because they’re really rubbing elbows with celebrities.”
Summit can also organize make-your-own-film events, in which groups shoot and edit their own video and have a private screening party.
Meanwhile, Summit stages unique “mountain man rendezvous” parties, which teach participants how to toss hatchets, pan for gold or shoot a bow and arrow.
Destination VIP
www.vipdestination.com
Destination VIP is committed to top-notch service and creativity, according to Rob Walsh, the company’s sales manager, who says one of its most interesting recent programs was a fly-fishing tournament on the Provo River for a 50-person group.
The event utilized a 5,000-square-foot waterfront home. Destination VIP brought in 12 fly-fishing guides (all “characters,” according to Walsh), and each person received custom-made Orvis rods and reels.
“It ended with a Western cookout with a bluegrass band playing, so it was great music, great food and great fun,” he says.
Mountain venues like Silver Lake Lodge, Legacy Lodge and Empire Lodge are also perfect for events, according to Walsh.
“These lodges are set among the aspens, and guests are welcomed with a fire, wine and a jazz trio, so it’s a high-end Ralph Lauren-style winter wonderland inside,” he says. “They can sit down to a dinner of buffalo or local trout, then step outside for a horse-drawn sleigh ride or an aerial skiing show performed by Flying Ace Productions.”
Groundwork Events
www.groundworkevents.com
Dedicated to thinking outside the box, Groundwork Events recently did just that for a Facebook company program.
“Rather than a typical wine and food pairing, we thought a beer and food pairing was more approachable for the demographic—17 guys from Facebook,” says Erica Cutler, owner. “We had a four-course chef demo by local chef David Jones, and a female brewmaster, Jenny Talley, from Squatters Pub Brewery here, talked about why a particular beer goes with filet mig-non and a red wine demi-glace, for example.”
Other distinctive Groundwork programs have included an Amazing Race-style event and build-a-bike team-building events.
