Forum Fest 2026: Park City’s Ultimate Guide to Free Music & 4th of July Fun

The mountain air is warm, the sky is fading from gold to navy, and a few hundred drones are rising above the Wasatch peaks in perfect formation. Down below, thousands of people are spreading out blankets on the grass, kids are still buzzing from a long afternoon of cornhole and carnival games, and the headliner is about to take the stage. No ticket. No cover charge. Just a mountain summer evening that happens to be the best 4th of July you’ve ever had.

That’s Forum Fest at Canyons Village — and in 2026, it’s back bigger than ever with three nights of live music, a drone show that will stop you mid-sentence, and a lineup that gives you something to look forward to each night of the long weekend. We’ve been managing Canyons Village vacation rentals for 26 years, and this event is one of the genuine highlights of the Park City summer calendar. Here’s everything you need to plan your trip.

🎪 What Is Forum Fest?

Forum Fest is a free, three-day outdoor celebration hosted every 4th of July weekend by the Canyons Village Management Association (CVMA) at the Forum at Canyons Village, Park City Mountain. Now in its fifth year, it has become Park City’s signature summer community event — equal parts music festival, family carnival, and mountain gathering.

Here’s what you actually get across the three days:

One important note on fireworks: due to extreme drought conditions across Utah this winter, traditional fireworks displays may be limited or replaced by an expanded drone show depending on fire risk assessments closer to the event. Either way, the night sky show is spectacular — the drone choreography alone is worth the trip.

📅 Forum Fest 2026 Dates & Schedule

Forum Fest 2026 runs Thursday, July 2 through Saturday, July 4. The venue opens at 4:00 PM each day, with the Frostwood Gondola starting even earlier on July 3 and 4. All concerts and evening programming follow the schedule below.

Schedule subject to change.

🎤 Meet the 2026 Headliners

Three nights, three completely different musical experiences. The 2026 lineup is the strongest Forum Fest has seen — a Grammy-nominated soul legend, a rock icon, and one of country music’s current No. 1 artists. Here’s who’s taking the stage.

The energy at Forum Fest builds from the first opener all the way through the night sky show.

🎸 Allen Stone — Thursday, July 2

If you’ve never seen Allen Stone live, July 2 is your night. The Grammy-nominated soul and R&B artist grew up as a pastor’s son in Chewelah, Washington, absorbed in gospel music — and it shows in every note he performs. His sound is genuinely genre-defying: funk, gospel, folk-rock, and classic soul woven together into something that hits harder than it has any right to. He spent years touring the West Coast 200 nights a year, building his reputation the old-fashioned way, and has since shared stages with Stevie Wonder, Al Green, Dave Matthews Band, and Erykah Badu. The energy he brings to an outdoor festival setting is something else entirely. This is an ideal way to kick off the long weekend.

🎸 Rick Springfield — Friday, July 3

July 3rd is the emotional peak of Forum Fest weekend, and Rick Springfield is the right artist for it. With a career spanning five decades, a multi-Platinum catalog, and one of rock’s most iconic #1 hits in “Jessie’s Girl,” Springfield has been putting on electrifying live shows for longer than most of his audience has been alive. His 2026 tour blends full-band performances with intimate moments, delivering a setlist that moves through fan favorites and deep cuts alike — “Don’t Talk to Strangers,” “Affair of the Heart,” “Love Somebody,” and the medleys that keep the energy high from first song to last. The night before the 4th, with this crowd, in this setting — it’s going to be a special evening.

🎸 Dylan Scott — Saturday, July 4

Country music under a mountain sky on the 4th of July. Dylan Scott closes out Forum Fest 2026, and the fit is perfect. Six No. 1 singles into a career defined by authentic storytelling and a rugged-romantic sound, Scott arrived at 2025 with back-to-back chart-toppers — “Boys Back Home” and “This Town’s Been Too Good to Us” — and his current single “What He’ll Never Have” is still climbing. He broke through with the triple-Platinum “My Girl” in 2016 and has built one of modern country’s most devoted followings since. If you’ve been looking for an excuse to celebrate the 4th in the mountains, this is it.

🎯 Everything That Happens at Forum Fest

The concerts are the centerpiece, but Forum Fest fills the entire afternoon and evening. Arrive at 4:00 PM — or earlier on July 3 and 4 when the gondola opens at 1:00 PM — and you’ll find plenty to do before the headliner takes the stage.

👴 The Frostwood Gondola — Free Rides with a View

The Frostwood Gondola operates complimentary throughout the event, giving you elevated views of the venue, the village, and the Wasatch Range. July 2 hours run 3:00 PM–11:00 PM; July 3 and 4 hours extend to 1:00 PM–11:00 PM. It’s a detail most visitors don’t think about until they’re already in line. Worth noting: if you’re staying in Canyons Village, you can ride up before the evening rush and claim your spot early.

🐟 Kids Zone & Family Activities

Forum Fest is genuinely designed for families — not just tolerant of them. The dedicated kids activity zone runs from 4:00 PM each day alongside the Nuzzles & Co Puppy Pit (4:00–8:00 PM), which is exactly as popular with children as it sounds. Cornhole tournaments run at 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM sign-up slots on July 3 and 4. Add mechanical bull riding, family games, and public art installations throughout the village, and you have a full afternoon’s worth of entertainment before the first opener takes the stage. Kids who arrive at 4:00 PM and stay for the drone show get a complete evening — not just the concert.

🪟 The Drone Show & Fireworks

This is the moment that stops conversations. Hundreds of synchronized drones rise above the Forum stage after the headliner’s set, choreographed to music in patterns that take full advantage of the mountain backdrop. The drone show is a confirmed nightly feature for 2026. Traditional fireworks may be limited depending on fire risk conditions — Utah has experienced significant drought this year, and the final decision on ground-level pyrotechnics will follow official fire safety assessments closer to the event. The drone show alone, framed by the Wasatch peaks on a clear July night, is genuinely worth planning your trip around.

🍳 Food, Drinks & the Village

On-site food and drink vendors are open throughout the event. No outside food, beverages, or coolers are permitted inside the venue — but free water stations are available once you’re in. The smarter move is to arrive early and eat dinner at one of the Canyons Village restaurants before the headliner. The base area has solid options for every mood, from a relaxed pre-show dinner to quick bites between activities. Our Canyons Village restaurant guide has the full rundown with hours and recommendations.

🏛 Forum Fest vs. Main Street — Do You Have to Choose?

This is the question we hear most from guests planning a 4th of July trip. The honest answer is: you don’t have to choose. These two celebrations happen at completely different times of day, which means guests who plan it right can experience both.

Main Street’s 4th of July celebration runs in the morning through early afternoon — the parade, the downtown street energy, the classic small-town holiday buzz that Park City does particularly well. Forum Fest is an afternoon and evening event, with doors opening at 4:00 PM and programming running through 11:00 PM. There’s no overlap.

A practical July 4th itinerary for guests staying in Canyons Village: enjoy the Main Street festivities in the morning, head back to your rental to rest and have lunch, then take the free Park City Transit bus or Summit Bike Share over to Canyons Village for Forum Fest by 4:00 PM. The bus is the easiest option on a busy holiday — no parking to deal with, no traffic to sit in on the return. Bike share works well if you’re comfortable with the route and want to make the most of Park City’s trail and path network.

The key insight: staying in Canyons Village puts you steps from Forum Fest in the evening — and Park City’s free transit connects you to Main Street in the morning. You get both.

For a complete guide to everything happening across Park City on the 4th of July, see our Park City 4th of July guide.

🚌 Getting to Forum Fest — Parking & Transportation in 2026

This section is the most important thing to read before you go. Getting to Forum Fest in 2026 requires a little more planning than previous years due to ongoing construction at Canyons Village — and the venue’s own parking policies during the event make advance preparation essential.

Park City’s Summit Bike Share program is one of the smartest ways to get to Forum Fest — skip the parking entirely.

🚗 Driving & Parking

During Forum Fest, Canyons Village surface lots are restricted to vehicles with 3 or more occupants. If you’re driving solo or as a couple, you will not be able to park in the surface lots. Carpool with another couple or family, and you’re in. The Cabriolet parking structure — previously the primary parking option — is closed for construction and unavailable this season.

🚌 Free Shuttle Service (Recommended)

Shuttles run 3:00 PM–11:30 PM from five pickup locations throughout the Park City area. This is the simplest option for most visitors:

🚲 Public Transit & Bike Options

Park City Transit and High Valley Transit both serve Canyons Village. The Summit Bike Share program is a great option if you’re staying somewhere along the bike path network — and complimentary bike parking is available on High Mountain Road between Westgate Park City and Pendry Park City. Note that no bikes are permitted inside the event venue.

Sustainable transport is encouraged across the board: High Valley Transit, Park City Transit, carpooling, and bike share all reduce the parking pressure and get you there without the stress of finding a spot on one of the busiest nights of the year.

💡 Local tip: Guests staying at Canyons Village properties skip all of this entirely. Walk out your front door and you’re at the venue. On a night when parking is restricted and shuttles are busy, that advantage is worth real money.

🎰 What to Bring — and What to Leave Home

Cornhole tournaments run at 1 PM and 4 PM sign-up slots on July 3 and 4 — arrive early to get in.

A few things to know before you pack your bag for the evening.

Note: Unattended chairs or blankets left for more than 10 minutes will be removed and brought to Lost & Found. Event policies are subject to change.

🏠 Where to Stay for Forum Fest 2026 — Canyons Village Lodging

In 2026, staying in Canyons Village for Forum Fest isn’t just the most convenient choice — it’s the smart one. With the Cabriolet parking structure closed for construction and surface lots restricted to vehicles with 3 or more occupants, commuting in creates real logistics friction. The guests who wake up on July 2 with a Forum Fest condo already booked are the ones who spend the evening enjoying the music, not circling for parking or waiting for shuttles.

We’ve been managing Canyons Village properties since 1999 — more than any other vacation rental company in Park City. Our Lowest Rate Guarantee means you won’t find these properties cheaper anywhere else. Browse the properties closest to the Forum stage below.

Browse All Canyons Village Rentals →

Planning a larger group trip, or want a personalized recommendation? We also manage properties at every price point across Park City and offer group lodging coordination for multi-unit stays. Our Lowest Rate Guarantee applies to every booking — and our 48-Hour Money-Back Guarantee means zero risk when you book direct.

And if you’re already thinking ahead to the full summer calendar, Forum Fest is just the opening chapter. Concerts on the Slopes runs July 10 through August 29 at the same Canyons Village amphitheatre — a ticketed summer music series with its own standout lineup worth planning around.

❓ Forum Fest 2026 — Frequently Asked Questions