Once a year, the rich and fabulous elite of Hollywood descend upon the quiet ski town of Park City, Utah for the Sundance Film Festival. This year’s festival kicks off today and runs until January 26. There will undoubtedly be some outstanding movies shown and amazing parties, but if you don’t have a golden ticket to a VIP event, where can you hang out and unwind with some drinks? If you’re in Park City now for Sundance, here are a few great bars you can hit up after taking in some up-and-coming films:
427 Main Street: Okay, just to be clear, there is not a bar called 427 Main Street – this is just a street address. Back in the day, the building used to be the Summit County War Veterans Memorial Building, but now it’s home to a few great bars/venues. You can go to Park City Live (a live music venue), O’Shucks Bar & Grill (considered to be a relatively cheap dive with friendly bartenders) or Rock & Reilly’s Irish Pub (a popular Los Angeles bar that just opened in Park City). This building is really a one-stop shop to suit all of your drinking needs.
Downstairs: Remember Danny Masterson, the guy who played Hyde on “The 70s Show”? Well, Downstairs is his bar and the first celebrity-owned nightclub in the state of Utah. Downstairs is more “loungey” than the other bars you’ll find on Main Street with its dark-lit decor, stage for jazz and rock, and a D.J. booth. PS: Lil Jon is going to be there tonight. Maybe they’ll be serving “crunk juice.”
Epic: This dance nightclub is brand spanking new and just hosted it’s grand opening in December (it’s where The Star Bar used to be). It’s got an electric atmosphere and will undoubtedly be packed with people who want to experience the new space. Maybe a celeb or two will walk in.
Cisero’s Good Times Bar: Cisero’s is just a really chill place with live music, sports on every TV and drinks that are pretty affordable. They still have bottle service though, so if you’re with some snooty industry folk, they’ll be happy with the extra frills. There’s also a full Italian restaurant upstairs, so you can have dinner and then make your way down into the basement bar.
If you’re among the elite this upcoming week, check out these spots. Not cool enough to check out Sundance? (Neither are we). Pop in DVD and grab a glass of wine.