Beyond the beats: How Park City Song Summit redefines music festivals

Photo: Park City Song Summit

"The entire ecosystem really, like the life blood, are these independent events that are sprinkled throughout the country. They're not huge corporate events. They're really grassroots visionaries like Ben and his team that want to bring more than just music. They want to bring an experience to the community" - Phil Einsohn

PARK CITY, Utah — The Park City Song Summit, which will take place August 15-17, offers a distinctive approach to music festivals. This event is more than just live performances; it’s about creating a space for artists and concertgoers to connect deeply, share their stories, and enjoy music in a safe and welcoming atmosphere.

Founded by Ben Anderson, the Summit emphasizes wellness, recovery, and intimate interactions between artists and audiences. “We created a whole different kind of event that really puts wellness at the forefront, that has conversations that we call labs, panel discussions, live podcasts, and really have artist-to-artist and artist-to-thought leader discussions in an intimate setting,” Anderson said.

Anderson’s inspiration for starting the Song Summit stemmed from a desire to address significant issues within the music industry.

“We were talking about the epidemic of the mental health crisis and substance addiction and suicides, and really the epidemic of isolation,” he said. His vision was to create an event that incorporated music, wellness, and healing into a comprehensive experience.

“What we don’t want the Song Summit to be is just another big, commercial music festival. We aspire for it to be a place where artists and audiences can connect on a deeper level and support each other.”

Phil Einsohn, a manager for 7S Management, has worked with multiple artists who have participated in the Park City Song Summit. He values the unique environment that the event provides for his artists. “The entire ecosystem really, like the life blood, are these independent events that are sprinkled throughout the country. They’re not huge corporate events. They’re really grassroots visionaries like Ben and his team that want to bring more than just music. They want to bring an experience to the community,” Einsohn said.

Einsohn appreciates how the Summit allows artists to focus on their well-being. “These artists come in and they get to rest, and they get to talk about wellness and sustainability and mental health, which are historically not topics that artists usually tackle,” he noted.

Anderson’s commitment to providing safer spaces for artists to unwind between events, and decompress with meditations, yoga, sound baths, etc. are a testament to the style of festival he’s putting on.

“We really do take good care of our artists, and we want the people in that audience to understand what they go through and to realize, in order to continue this beautiful thing called music, we got to take better care of and be more mindful of the musicians,” Anderson said.

Steve Poltz, a songwriter and musician, who will be coming back to play at this year’s Song Summit, has been on the road playing shows since the 80’s. This year, Poltz has decided to come to Park City a few days early to soak in all the goodness that the mountain festival as to offer.

“I would say it’s more than a festival. It’s kind of an honor to be invited to it, because it’s this whole lifestyle, a different way of thinking, being very healthy, and treating people with respect, and talking about issues that are the hot topics of today – things that musicians run across like how to stay healthy, physically and mentally when you’re on the road,” Poltz said.

Poltz talked about the hurdles that musicians face every day and how Park City Song Summit provides not only a respite from typical troubles that artists are dealing with, but how the festival also provides musicians with a way to reframe their outlook and carry that positivity back out into their lives and music.

“When you’re traveling in this business you’re coming across hurdles every day. Be it a club canceled a show, or ticket sales are low, or, you know, God forbid, somebody died of a drug overdose or, I mean, it’s just life coming at you,” Poltz said. “When I left there I just felt more rested than I did after a regular festival. I said to my wife, I feel like I just came from a health camp, and then it made me want to spread the word to other people that we can do more. It’s nice to know that you have somebody in your corner.”

Brooks Kirchheimer, owner of Leave Room for Dessert Eateries, has been a sponsor of the Park City Song Summit for two years. His commitment to the festival is rooted in its local focus and positive community impact.

“Park City Song Summit is key because it’s 100% based in Park City. And that, to us, is huge because we want to try to keep the tax dollars and everything here in Summit County, in Park City,” Kirchheimer said.

Kirchheimer also appreciates the festival’s thoughtful organization and community-oriented approach. “The Song Summit goes about it the right way. They have the right size, the right impact on the city. They’re very well organized and lead, and I think that really goes a long way with the locals,” he noted. “It’s great to support a festival that does things the right way, because that’s how we operate as a restaurant ourselves.”

The Summit’s focus on creating a safe, substance-free environment is a significant draw for many attendees.

“This is not a party environment for artists to show up and just get wasted. This is a really cool, concentrated, safe place to show your authentic self as an artist,” Einsohn emphasized.

With its unique blend of music, wellness, and community, the Park City Song Summit continues to attract artists and music lovers alike. This August, attendees can look forward to a festival experience that prioritizes connection, healing, and genuine interaction.

For more information on labs, wellness events, and live shows, visit the Park City Song Summit website.