It’s 10 a.m. in Park City, and the first-day buzz of the festival is in the air, despite the dreary weather outside. Outside the Adobe House, a line stretches all the way to Dolly’s Bookstore. Light chatter carries throughout the long queue until a hush falls over the crowd.
“That’s Charli XCX,” one woman remarks as the line moves slowly forward. “Where is she?” the woman next to her asks. A quick glance confirms this, her long black hair and sunglasses instantly recognizable. She’s immediately crowded by a group of fans, and her all-white ensemble is just barely visible as she steps behind the doors into the exclusive “Vulture Spot,” the publication’s respective lounge at the festival.
As the door opens to the Adobe lounge, their red branding is impossible to miss. Salads and sandwiches sit to the left of the entryway, and PCs where you can test out Adobe’s software for yourself are scattered throughout the space. Helpful employees will also give you a tutorial on absolutely everything– Adobe employee Jackee Chang explained their software has a “very broad set of features.” Go upstairs, and there’s an interactive “studio” where you can shoot your own short film (with the help of their software). Exhales are visibly heard as festivalgoers rest their tired feet, although people are packed like sardines at small tables.
Right on the same block, taking over the Park City Museum’s normal spot, Canon Creative Studio offers a quaint reprieve from the bustle of Main Street. Inside, festivalgoers can help themselves to drinks, and sliders are served to guests before sitting down to discuss the premiere they caught last night, or the eye-opening panel they just went to. Canon is hosting several panels throughout the festival. On the First Last Day of the festival, the space inevitably fills up as film enthusiasts take a seat for a documentary filmmaking panel.
For the most chill vibes (both literally and figuratively), the Audible lounge is a must. A bright orange yurt upstairs offers hot beverages, as well as an auditory reprieve. The headphones on the wall replace the sound of pedestrians with gentle audiobook narration. Outside, groups pose for a photo op, the mountains providing a stunning backdrop. Fireplaces bring the feeling back to gloveless attendees’ hands as they rub them together to heat them up.
Although the hustle and bustle of Sundance is non-stop, these lounges provide a place for festivalgoers to kick back, relax and enjoy Park City. Lounges here are many things: a stop in between screenings, an industry mixer, or just curious attendees wandering about.
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This story is jointly published by Salt Lake magazine and non-profit Amplify Utah to elevate perspectives in local media through student and emerging journalism.
