Free, Fun Family Activities for Christmas & New Year’s Eve at Brian Head, Utah

Brian Head, UT – Free Christmas Eve Bonfire & S'mores, along with a free New Year's Eve “Torchlight Parade” will be served up this holiday season at Brian Head, UT, location of the nearest Utah powder for the Southwestern United States – known by many skiers and snowboarders as the "Greatest Snow on Earth." Multiple lodging options, many including ski/snowboard packages, are offered via Brian Head Resort, local lodges and area condominium rentals.

The free Christmas Eve Bonfire & S'mores will be held at the local fire station. It centers on a blazing bonfire set against snowcapped Rocky Mountains. Hot cocoa and yummy s'mores will be served to all, and Santa will be there! The festivities will begin at 6 p.m. on December 24, 2010 at the Brian Head Town Fire Station, adjacent to the Brian Head Resort at 535 Brian Head Boulevard.

The free New Year's Eve grand “Torchlight Parade,” featuring skiers and snowboarders gracefully gliding down the slopes, will be held at Brian Head Resort above Giant Steps Lodge. It will begin about 6 p.m. as darkness settles in on the 11,307 foot summit of Brian Head Peak and will be followed by a spectacular fireworks display.

Following the fireworks, Giant Steps Lodge Grill will offer a New Year's Eve party for the whole family. Doors open at 7:45 p.m., and at 8 p.m. a prime rib dinner with all the fixings will be served –and there will be a children’s table. The party also includes party favors, a midnight champagne toast, a full cash bar and dancing to live music from “Too Much Fun.” The cost is $40 adults and $15 for 12-year-olds and under. The lodge is located at 329 S. Highway 143, Brian Head, UT 84719. More information is available at 435-677-2035 and www.brianhead.com.

Many Brian Head holiday veterans enjoy combining Utah skiing and snowboarding with New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas, just three hours south on Interstate 15. Las Vegas’ New Year 2011 will include a spectacular fireworks show by Fireworks by Grucci of New York, fired from the roofs of the MGM Grand, Aria, Planet Hollywood, Caesars Palace, Treasure Island (TI), The Venetian and the Stratosphere. A quieter New Year’s Eve is offered nearby Brian Head at Zion and Bryce National Parks and Cedar Breaks National Monument.

For non-skiers or -snowboarders, Brain Head Resort offers snow tubing nightly until 8 p.m. from December 22 through January 5, except for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve. Brain Head features Utah's premier Snow Tube Park. It's like a frozen waterslide, offering 6 lanes to choose from and a surface lift that effortlessly whisks you to the top of the park.

About Brian Head Resort: at 9,600-11,307 feet above sea level, it is the highest ski resort base elevation in Utah. It averages nearly 400 inches yearly of the "Greatest Snow on Earth," has three terrain parks, eight lifts, 65 ski trails and 650 acres of ski terrain for downhill skiing, snow tubing and snowboarding from mid-November through mid-April. There are also assorted options for après ski dining and drinking, entertainment and ecotourism, as well as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and much more. Brian Head’s very family-friendly atmosphere includes an uncrowded setting with no lift-lines, an award-winning, all-inclusive children's program for ages 3-12 at Navajo Lodge Learning Center, an entire mountain and facility dedicated to kids and newcomers to winter sports.  There is also a state licensed day care facility. Brian Head’s location is perfect for combining a skiing or snowboarding trip with a visit to Las Vegas. Likewise, Brian Head is likely closer to more national parks than any other ski resort town in North America; Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, The Grand Canyon, and Great Basin are all within easy reach. Cedar Breaks National Monument is two miles from Brian Head.