Ketchum Hosts Third Annual Winter Solstice Celebration

KETCHUM, Idaho – The City of Ketchum invites residents and visitors to join in celebrating the longest night of the year under some of Idaho’s darkest skies.

On Saturday, Dec. 21, the city is gearing up to toast the Winter Solstice and celebrate Ketchum’s designation as an International Dark Sky Community and its partnership in the nation’s first International Dark Sky Reserve.

The event gets underway in Town Square at 5:00 p.m. with music by Tylor and the Train Robbers. Stay warm by the fire pits with hot cocoa, compliments of the City of Ketchum. Local food and beverage will be available for purchase.

In addition to the live music, there will be plenty of activities for everyone’s entertainment. They include a photo booth, face painting in the igloo and planetarium shows inside City Hall. Shows are scheduled for 5 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., with limited seating. Space is filling up quickly, so reserve your spot by emailing participate@ketchumidaho.org.

Following the live performance by Tylor and the Train Robbers, you can hear music by the Grateful Dead in Teton Gravity Research’s 25-minute film, Fire on the Mountain. Watch the “stars” shred and surf under the moonlight on the big screen at Town Square.

“I’m looking forward to seeing all of our residents and holiday visitors on Saturday to celebrate our dark skies,” said Mayor Neil Bradshaw. “There will be lots going on in Town Square and I welcome everyone to come out, look up and connect under the stars.”

Ketchum was designated an International Dark Sky Community in October 2017 by the International Dark-Sky Association, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting dark skies and working with government leaders to manage urban light pollution across the globe.

Ketchum is the first Idaho city to earn the distinction. The city is also part of the International Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve, which was also approved in 2017.