Park City Song Summit returns for third annual event August 15-17

Park City Song Summit at The Forum on Sept. 9, 2023, in Park City, Utah. Photo: Erika Goldring Photo

'Park City Song Summit is a unique music festival that regards mental health and physical wellness as highly as the music being made,' - Rolling Stone 

PARK CITY, Utah —The Park City Song Summit will once again take over the city Aug. 15-17 for three days of not just set-after-set live performances, but deep dives into the wellness, mental health, and recovery aspects of an artist’s life on the road and in the studio.

Of course, there will be live music as well. Performing at the festival this year are Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, My Morning Jacket, Mavis Staples, Tank and the Bangas, Larkin Poe, Anders Osborne & Jackie Greene, Cimafunk, Cory Mon, Jobi Riccio, Josh Kelley, Eric Krasno & Friends (ft. Duane Betts, Jason Hann, Brad Walker, Jennifer Hartswick, Natalie Cressman, Nikki Glaspie, Jeremy Most, Tony Hall & Ivan Neville), Making Movies, Primera Línea and Steve Poltz. Get your passes for the festival now or find out which pass is right for you.

Join the Park City Song Summit for three days of live performances and deep dives into wellness, mental health and recovery

“Artists, songwriters, and creators give so much to their craft and by proxy, to us,” said Ben Anderson, Park City Song Summit founder. “How are we supporting those who have soundtracked our lives? How can we move this artist-to-fan relationship from the transactional to the truly supportive?”

His answer? A festival love letter to the power of songs. What started as Anderson’s passion for music has grown into what has become one of the most talked about independent music festivals in the country.

“Year three is going to be electric and we are already feeling the vibes as we prepare for the next iteration of this one-of-a-kind music event,” said Anderson. “As a lifelong musician and music fan, I love those holy moments when an artist locks in with an audience and they coexist on the same wavelength.”

Song Summit is programming with those cosmic moments in mind, continuing its immersive experience centered around deeply impactful panel discussions (aptly named “Labs”), mountain-air wellness activities, and performances by some of the best artists of the modern era. For the second year running, the Canyons Village Amphitheater will host evening shows, while afternoon and late-night venue offerings abound, sure to satiate even the most die-hard live music fans.

Participate in Song Summit Labs

The true heart of Park City Song Summit is Anderson’s answer to his aforementioned questions on how to support the artists we love so dearly. “At Song Summit, we believe it starts by listening,” he said.

Like years past—check out Rolling Stone’s coverage of PCSS 2023 here—Song Summit Labs allow fans to participate in discussions that dissect, illuminate, and interrogate the art of music and songwriting while being an inclusive space to talk about mental health, representation, social equity, recovery, and more of the every day, inner workings of musicians and songwriters we know and love. A diverse group of artists will lead talks on their own Labs while others will work with subject experts in the Lab’s related field.

Lab Moderators and featured guests are Cimafunk, Danny Clinch, David Manheim, Hilary Saunders, Ivan Neville, John Bukaty, Jay Blakesberg, Jay Sweet, Jim James, Karla Redding, Larkin Poe, Natalie Cressman, Jennifer Hartswick, Nathaniel Rateliff and Steve Poltz.

More About Park City Song Summit

Park City Song Summit is the brainchild of Ben Anderson, Park City resident and lifetime musician/founding member of the jam band Aiko. He started the Song Summit to celebrate his passion for music as well as his personal mission to bring clarity and normalcy to the struggles musicians, artists, and music lovers alike face around mental health and dependency.

“The Song Summit was created as an immersive hangout for song lovers here in the beautiful mountains of Park City, Utah; a chance to explore and celebrate the myth, inspiration, passion, and power of song with a group of musicians, creatives, songwriters, thought leaders, and industry pioneers,” said Anderson. “Creating and providing funding to grow Park City Song Summit was in part my love for song but to an even larger degree, to provide awareness and resources for those who may also be challenged by trauma, addiction, and mental health issues. Our Labs are meant to be a safe space for artists and audiences alike to be inspired by others who have faced these challenges and to explore the ever-relevant issues of inclusivity, opportunity, and equality.”

Song Summit supports the Song Summit Foundation and Stand Together Music.

Its founding partner, Stand Together Music, will continue to co-program this year’s event, focusing on highly relevant and educational topics like artificial intelligence, social impact platforms for artists and artist’s freedom of speech, among other practical workshops.

Song Summit Foundation (formerly known as “The More Than Music Foundation”) will also co-program again with Labs and activations like its new “Wellness Village.” Park City Song Summit is sponsored by Pendry, Canyons Village Management Association, Park City Resort, Cirque Lodge, Parsons Behle and Latimer and University of Utah Healthcare.