There will be much hoopla and many reasons to celebrate in the coming week as Top of Utah residents remember the 2002 Winter Olympics.
The GOAL Foundation, Ogden city, Weber State University, Snowbasin Resort and the Ogden/Weber Convention & Visitors Bureau have teamed up to present the 2002 Winter Games Reunion.
Special activities, entertainment and discounts are planned for Thursday through Sunday in Ogden.
The greater Ogden-area festivities for the 2002 Winter Reunion include a snowshoe 5K fun run, a Winter Games celebration at The Ice Sheet in Ogden, discounts for Olympic volunteers at Snowbasin Resort and a special reception before the 12th annual Banff Film Festival screening.
Park City events already are under way.
Upcoming events include an Olympic Park community celebration and two separate photographic displays of 2002 events.
"I think it will be a great, fun way to reflect on something that changed our community in a fun way," Ogden Mayor Mike Caldwell said of the planned activities.
"We still are enjoying benefits from the Olympics. It changed our community.
"It gave us worldwide exposure. Snowbasin gave us some significant exposure."
Ogden events are planned as a celebration of the world-class events and venues as well as a means to rekindle the volunteer spirit seen during the games by introducing participants to other events at which they could volunteer.
Those associated with the GOAL Foundation hope to sign up volunteers to be a part of events like the Ogden Marathon and Hurt in the Dirt and to support events that come to Ogden, such as the Dew Tour and Xterra Tour of Utah.
"We are very, very excited to reignite the volunteer spirit that the Winter Olympics brought to the Ogden area," said Jenny Scothern, executive director of the GOAL Foundation. "We just really wanted some activities and events to do that."
Scothern said that the GOAL Foundation started as a result of the volunteer spirit that existed during the Olympics.
"We're excited to celebrate this incredible energy Ogden saw back then," she said. "We are continuing the energy."
Ogden activities will be as follows:
* Snowbasin Resort, home of the 2002 Games downhill, combined and super-G, will offer a discounted all-day lift ticket of $20.02 on Thursday to volunteers from the 2002 Winter Olympics. Volunteers who show their coat or credentials are eligible for the discount. A group volunteer photo will be taken at 1 p.m. on the plaza of Earl's Lodge.
* Weber State University will host a snowshoe 5K fun run at 6 p.m. Friday.Participants will run through the WSU campus, at 3848 Harrison Blvd., concluding at The Ice Sheet in Ogden for a Winter Games presentation. Registration to participate is $20.02 and includes a T-shirt.
* An opportunity to purchase a ticket to an Ogden Mustangs hockey game for $2.02 will be available for the first 300 people who register on the website getoutandlive.org/schedule. Additional hockey tickets may be purchased for a minimal charge.
* The Ice Sheet, 4390 Harrison Blvd., Ogden, home of the 2002 curling competition, will host a Winter Games ice presentation at 7:05 p.m. Friday in conjunction with an Ogden Mustangs hockey game.
The Ogden Curling Club will present curling demonstrations between game periods.
The GOAL Foundation will honor founding, former and present board members, volunteers and community supporters during the event, and Olympic memorabilia will be on display.
* The Banff Film Festival will be held Saturday and Sunday. The festival will host a celebratory Winter Games reception before a film screening at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the Hampton Inn & Suites, 2401 Washington Blvd. in Ogden.
Tickets are $15 for the reception only and $30 for the reception and a film ticket.
Tickets also may be purchased for the reception and both nights of films.
Elsewhere:
* The Kimball Art Center 2002 Olympic Retrospective will run through April 7 at the center located at 638 Park Ave. in Park City.
The photographic exhibit will feature official Olympic photographs and memorabilia.
Participants also will be able to post their own photographs and memories on the community wall downstairs.
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
* The George Eccles 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum at Utah Olympic Park is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The new exhibit features 2002 Olympic Winter Games photographs and memorabilia.
For more information about Park City events, visit saltlake2002.com.
For more information about Ogden events commemorating the Olympics, visit getoutandlive.org and click on a Winter Games Reunion button.
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