At this point, all in Park City are counting down the hours until Sundance 2009 kicks off tomorrow. Main Street is offically a "Loading ONLY" zone and there are people in town that definitely mark the transition from the average mountee townee to trendy socialite. I went to the corner "cafe" for a quick bite this evening - delicious club sandwich btw - and after chatting with him for a moment, he said that business has offically begun for him. He is the only venue within reasonable walking distance that sells cigarettes. While normally a non-popular product while mountee townees are roaming, Sundance brings him the big cancerous biz. Over the years he has figured out what brands sell at Sundance and he only carries those. How intelligently hysterical. He says that since this morning he has sold 54 packs of cigarettes. Normally, he's lucky if he sells ten. "At a bargain $6 a pack, thats serious revenue," I said. "Yeah, though the smokers don't usually buy food here, so its a fair financial substitue for anything my lunch menu...That'll be $6.50," he says as he hands me my sandwich.
I have been told by a few locals that ticket sales are up from last year, an unexpected statistic considering the current national economic situation and the Utah-supported-Prop-8 boycotters. Interestingly, however, there are less reservations and rentals citywide. A visitor to the gallery explained that she always rents her house out at Sundance, and while she had her advertisement up on Craigslist for months, she only in the past week got a renter. This was after she dropped her price $150 from her original nightly asking price which was $1200. Among her friends, she said she got lucky. She, among other locals I have spoken to, believe this Sundance marks the year of the local. Ticket sales might be up and Sundance is an event sure to bring people to town regardless of money, but I can see how a combination of the state of the economy and Utah boycotters in lieu of Prop-8 passing are effecting those in attendance of Sundance.
On my walk back from the cafe I was stopped in front of what is usually Montgomery Lee Fine Art (one of the classiest, oldest, galleries on Main Street) so that a group of ripped men in tight tees could carry a piece of furniture from a moving van into the gallery space. Another stylish man wearing thick hipster glasses was fixing a "Q" logo sticker on the door. Upon looking in, I saw that the entire first floor had been transformed from your typical gallery space into a neon blue glowing club setting, complete with couches and bar area. Absolut's Queer Lounge has officially tagged their territory, despite all of the Prop 8 crap that has gone down here. Or should I say IN spite of. I was glad to see this up and happening, cause frankly as much as boycotting makes a statement, I think visibility and action make a much louder noise. Come to Utah, raise hell. Its a much needed change of pace that very closeted mindsets need in order to instill any sort of EVENTUAL change. I am not saying that Park City is not gay-friendly; I am saying Park City might be the only place that is gay-friendly, in addition to some holes of SLC. Hopefully raising some sort of awareness, maybe even making a few local headlines, will dissuade a few brainwashed turds.
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