Labor Day weekend brings Miners Day traditions, Swiss Days and more to the Wasatch Back

Park City Miners Day Parade Photo: TownLift // Randi Sidman-Moore

PARK CITY, Utah — Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end of summer, but there’s no shortage of ways to spend the long weekend in the Wasatch Back.

Park City is putting on its century-old Miners Day celebration, complete with a parade, local art and shopping, and the ribbon cutting for a new historic mining route. On the other side of the mountains in Wasatch County, Midway is hosting their annual Swiss Days.

Park City Miners Day

Park City’s annual Miners Day celebration returns Monday, Sept. 7, with a full day of events honoring the city’s mining history.

The morning begins in City Park with the Bark City 5K at 8 a.m. and the Miners Day Breakfast from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. The breakfast is free, with donations benefiting St. Mary’s Catholic Church religious education programs.

The celebration then moves to Main Street for the Running of the Balls, when thousands of golf balls race down the historic street as a fundraiser for local community organizations. The Miners Day Parade follows at 11 a.m.

Festivities continue in City Park with food, live music, kids games, and the traditional mucking and drilling competition.

Historic Mine Route opens

A new way to explore Park City’s mining history will officially launch on Miners Day.

The Park City Historic Mine Route is a self-guided hiking and biking experience that connects historic mining sites around town. The route includes more than 80 wayfinding signs, 18 interpretive signs, and a GPS-triggered audio guide featuring stories from local historians and mining experts at 24 historic sites.

The route is scheduled to open Monday, Sept. 7, with a ribbon cutting to be held live at the Miner’s Day Parade.

MinersART returns to Miners Hospital

The three upper floors of Miners Hospital will open to the public Sept. 4-6 for MinersART, a free art show featuring 10 local artists and The Local Readery.

Visitors can meet the artists and learn more about their work, with the September show featuring metal art by Kelly Gallagher, glass art by Mitch Bedke, fabric art by Becky Ruley, and wood birdhouses by Jim Sheeran.

The show also includes jewelry by Steve Johnson, photography by Ginny Coombs and Kirsten Kohlwey, and paintings by Beverly Brown, Jeanne Hansen, and Renee Mox Hall.

The Local Readery will offer books by local authors on Friday and Saturday.

MinersART will be open Friday from noon to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Park Silly Sunday Market

The Park Silly Sunday Market will take over Historic Main Street on Sunday, Sept. 6, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The free market features local and regional artists, makers and vendors, along with live music, street performances, and food vendors.

For those spending the weekend in Park City, the market offers an easy way to fill out the day between Saturday activities and Monday’s Miners Day celebration.

Friends of the Park City Library book sale

Book lovers can stock up during the Friends of the Park City Library’s annual Miners Day weekend book sale.

Thousands of donated books will be available for $1 to $3 on the third floor of the Park City Library. The sale runs Sunday, Sept. 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Monday, Sept. 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

On Monday from 2 to 4 p.m., shoppers can fill a provided tote bag with books for $15. Proceeds support Park City Library programs and services.

Midway Swiss Days

Just over the mountain in Midway, Swiss Days returns Friday and Saturday, Sept. 4-5.

The annual celebration fills Midway Town Square with more than 180 juried artisans and vendors, along with food, live entertainment, and Swiss-themed festivities. The event is free to attend and runs from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. both days.

Saturday’s schedule includes a 10K race and chuckwagon breakfast at 7 a.m., followed by the Swiss Days Parade at 10 a.m.

With its combination of shopping, food, music and traditional Swiss celebrations, Swiss Days is one of the Wasatch Back’s largest Labor Day weekend gatherings.