Celebrity Skifest Returns to Deer Valley Resort

Deer Valley Resort will open its 30th ski season on Dec. 4 with a two-day celebration featuring former Olympians and more than a dozen celebrities.

Robert Kennedy, Jr., Larry David and Golden Globe nominee Virginia Madsen are among the A-listers who will attend the 18^th annual Deer Valley Celebritiy Skifest, a charity event to benefit the environmental advocacy group Waterkeeper Alliance.

Curb Your Enthusiasm actor Susie Essman, author Max Kennedy and television journalist Bob Woodruff are among those expected to compete in the lighthearted giant slalom competition, along with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Patrick Warburton, Oliver Hudson, Rob Morrow, Ian Zierling, Joey Pantoliano, Hill Harper and Dylan Bruno. Ski legends Steve and Phil Mahre, Tommy Moe and Heidi Voelker are also expected to participate. For Skifest veterans Kennedy, David and Louis-Dreyfus, this year will mark a long-standing tradition of the celebrities' support for Waterkeeper Alliance, an umbrella group that fosters community programs to protect local ecosystems and water quality.

The mid-mountain Silver Lake Village will again host the Skifest, allowing spectators to dine, shop and ski while taking in the race action adjacent to Birdseye ski run. Live music, sponsor tents and media coverage will add to the excitement, with plans by CBS to air the competition on Sunday, Dec. 5 at 5 p.m.

For skiers, Deer Valley will feature more snow than in recent years, thanks to several November storms that have dropped more than five feet on Park City, leaving ample fresh powder to start the season. True to the standards that have earned Deer Valley the no. 1 ranking in North America for the fourth consecutive year by SKI Magazine, the resort will feature meticulously groomed runs over much of the mountain.

Silver Lake will have much to offer skiers and visitors alike, with the new family-friendly Cena Restaurant and Lounge and Royal Street Café open for business, as well as the famed Silver Lake ski beach, complete with a sun deck and lounge chairs.

Lodging in Silver Lake includes slope-side condos and private homes, including luxury options at Black Bear Lodge and The Chateaux. For skiers looking to stay in a private ski home, Silver Lake offers many vacation rentals ranging from three to six bedrooms.

The Deer Valley Celebrity Skifest races are open to the public and begin at noon on Dec. 4 and 5.