How to Host a Summer Gathering, Park City Style

Summer in Park City, Utah feels nothing short of magical. After long months of snow and quiet, the mountains come alive in a season that feels fleeting, golden, and full of possibility. Days stretch wide and bright. Evenings cool gently. Every gathering, every moment outdoors, carries the sweetness of a season too beautiful—and too brief—to take for granted.

It’s here, in this majestic mountain town, that Âme Atendre took root. Inspired by the landscape’s quiet grandeur and the way life shifts with the seasons, we craft pieces that honor connection, beauty, and time well spent.

Summer has always been a treasured season for us—a time for long tables under the open sky, easy conversations, and meals that stretch into twilight.

Here are a few of our favorite ways to gather during a Park City summer.

When the Table Tells a Story

There’s a certain magic that happens when the food you serve is rooted in the place you’re in. A guest takes a bite of something familiar—a berry, a local cheese, a favorite wine—and suddenly a story surfaces.

Someone remembers picking cherries as a kid on summer trips to Park City. Another recalls a small vineyard just outside town where they celebrated an anniversary. Even a simple dish of roasted potatoes might bring back the memory of a farm stand passed every weekend on the drive up the canyon.

When cooking ingredients that come from here, they carry more than flavor. They carry memory. And that’s what makes a gathering feel alive. The table becomes a place where stories are exchanged as naturally as the food itself—layered, nostalgic, personal.

This is how connection deepens: not through perfection, but through details that invite people to share a part of themselves.

Food: A Menu That Tastes of Park City

Summer in Park City is a fleeting, golden season, made even more special by the abundance of local produce and small-batch goods. For us, there’s nothing more fulfilling than crafting a party or picnic meal that celebrates the flavors of this place. It’s a way to eat well, support local growers, and savor ingredients at their freshest.

Whether gathered from the farmers market, a roadside stand, or your own backyard garden, the ingredients you bring to the table carry a sense of place—and of care.

Here are a few of our favorite recipe ideas for a summer menu rooted in the season with fresh flavors and, of course, grilling:

Appetizers

Start the evening with fresh, shareable bites:

• A cheese board with local artisan varieties
• Pickled vegetables or garden radishes
• Fragrant honeycomb and stone fruit preserves
• Sourdough or flatbread with herbed butter or tapenade

Mains

Let simple preparations highlight beautiful ingredients:

• Barbecue mountain trout with lemon and fresh herbs (extra points if you catch it yourself fly fishing)
• Utah bison sliders with grainy mustard and roasted peppers
• Roasted carrots, fingerling potatoes, and summer squash
• Corn on the cob brushed with herb butter

Salads & Sides

Celebrate the season’s vibrant harvest:

• Mixed greens with edible flowers and fresh herbs
• Sliced cucumbers tossed with dill and crème fraîche
• Warm farro with cherry tomatoes and roasted beets
• Watermelon and mint with a touch of sea salt

Desserts

Keep it rustic, fresh, and meant to be shared:

• Peach galette or berry cobbler
• Dark chocolate bark with sea salt and nuts
• S’mores layered with small-batch chocolate

To Drink

Choose light, communal sips that complement the evening:

• Local red blends or chilled rosé
• Herbal iced tea with lemon or lavender
• Sparkling water with fresh herbs or stone fruit slices
• A simple spritz cocktail with citrus and botanicals

A menu like this nourishes more than the appetite. It invites a deeper connection to the land, to one another, and to the fleeting beauty of a Park City summer evening.

Decor & Atmosphere: Bring the Outdoors to Your Table

In Park City, nature sets the tone. Summer here is a season of warm light, weathered wood, and wild blooms. We like our gatherings to take a cue from the landscape—unfussy, elemental, and full of texture.

Linen and other natural fabrics add depth to the table, especially in earthy tones and unpressed finishes that feel soft and lived-in. Hand-thrown ceramics with subtle, imperfect glazes offer a grounded kind of elegance.

We’re drawn to details that carry the outdoors in. Smooth river stones become place markers. A sprig of sage or mint tucked into a napkin adds scent to the experience. Wildflowers gathered from a local field or pick-your-own farm can be loosely arranged in glass bottles or mismatched jars.

It’s not about creating a perfect table. It’s about making space—visually and emotionally—for people to feel at ease, to notice the beauty around them, and to lean in a little closer.

Some of the most memorable gatherings in Park City begin just as the sun slips behind the peaks. There’s something about mountain twilight—golden, lingering, full of possibility.

As evening settles in, small sensory details can help shape the atmosphere:

• Lighting: A soft glow brings warmth and intimacy. String lights draped above or woven through nearby trees can turn any setting into something luminous and inviting.
• Music: The right soundtrack carries a gathering forward. We often turn to local artists or acoustic sets discovered at places like the Park Silly Sunday Market to set a tone that feels rooted and relaxed.
• Scents: Summer evenings have their own rhythm, and scent is part of it. Citronella, lemongrass, and cedarwood not only keep mosquitoes at bay—they gently perfume the air with notes that feel distinctly of the season.

These thoughtful touches help guests settle in. They create an environment that feels open, grounded, and just a little bit magical.

Bringing the Mountain Spirit to Any Setting

Even if you’re far from Utah, it’s possible to bring a bit of Park City’s mountain spirit into your own space—whether it’s a backyard, a balcony, or a rooftop above the city.

Start with what’s close to home. Farmers markets, craft fairs, and nearby vineyards offer ingredients and objects with a true sense of place. Choosing local, seasonal elements brings warmth and authenticity to any gathering.

Set the table with something found—a feather, a shell, a smooth stone. Small, natural gestures like these invite guests to slow down, notice, and settle into the moment. Paired with thoughtful tableware, they become quiet reminders that beauty doesn’t have to be elaborate to feel meaningful.

To us, the magic of a Park City summer lies in place and pace. The land shapes what we gather, and the rhythm of the season shapes how we gather—slowly, generously, with time enough for stories to unfold.