The Experience

Understory encompasses a wide variety of workshops, events, and activities with a particular focus on the natural environment.

Offerings include thirty workshops led by renowned instructors and publishing experts over two and a half days for groups of eight to seventy people; a variety of guided outdoor activities, such as hikes and meditation; delicious food and beverages; plenty of free time; and ample opportunities to continue interesting conversations. Lunch will be provided Friday through Sunday; appetizers and dinner will be provided Thursday and Friday, respectively.

Events

Welcome Reception

Thursday, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Park City Gardens

Join us in the greenhouse at Park City Gardens for an official welcome by Understory founder Annie Tucker. Meet fellow attendees and workshop presenters while enjoying drinks and appetizers in a spectacular summer setting.

dinner & Keynote

Friday, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
Kimball Terrace

Tonight’s open-air rooftop dinner features a locally catered seasonal menu, signature cocktails, and Understory’s keynote speech by Book Architecture’s Stuart Horwitz. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served from 6:30 to 7:00; dinner begins at 7:00; the keynote is from 8:15 to 9:00.

Green-Light Your Book

Brooke Warner in Conversation with Annie Tucker

Saturday, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Location TBD

After workshops end on Saturday, join She Writes Press publisher and Green-Light Your Book author Brooke Warner in conversation with Understory founder Annie Tucker about the current state of the publishing landscape, the various paths to getting your book published, and, most important, how today’s authors can best advocate for themselves to ensure that their voices are heard.

WORKSHOPS

Friday & Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Park City Library, Park City Miner’s Hospital

Understory workshops focus on a wide range of craft-based and other topics to help participants become more adept, versatile, and confident writers. Ranging in size from eight to seventy people, these thirty courses offer something for everyone, from authors seeking targeted creative instruction in an intimate setting to those who thrive on the energy of large group sessions to those seeking remedies for specific writing hurdles. We will also have writing rooms available periodically for anyone who wants to freewrite with basic prompts.

Book Signings

Friday, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.; Sunday, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Dolly’s Bookstore

Dolly’s Bookstore has been an independent staple of the Historic Park City Main Street community, connecting customers with books and gifts, since 1972. Two published authors from the conference will host signings of their latest books here on Friday and Sunday. Dolly’s will also feature a special table exclusively showcasing books by Understory presenters and participants, for purchase during the conference.

Event Locations Map

Venues

Park City Miner's Hospital

The Miner’s Hospital Community Center was constructed in 1904 and served Park City’s medical needs for thirty years. In the 1930s, it became a private medical clinic, and in the late 1960s and ’70s it was a restaurant, skier dorms, and a hostel. Today, the Miner’s Hospital is a community meeting-and-event space and on the Utah state and national registers of historic places. Understory workshops will take place here Friday through Sunday.
Park City Gardens

Park City Gardens is a historic nursery that includes a flower barn, Park City’s first general store (now a café), acres of land to wander in, and a beautiful indoor-outdoor greenhouse where the Understory welcome reception will take place on Thursday.
Park City Library

Since 1928, the iconic redbrick Park City Public Library has been an anchor of Main Street and a beloved gathering place for book lovers, families, cinephiles, and dog owners. Understory workshops will take place here Friday through Sunday.
Kimball Terrace

Right in the heart of downtown, on the top floor, at the corner of Heber and Main, the Kimball Terrace is Park City’s premier event space. The East Balcony boasts views of historic Main Street while the West Terrace offers a panorama of the rooftop garden backed against the mountain slopes. Inside, the urban chic ambiance of the hall is driven by the new casual luxury of our mountain town. The Friday night dinner and keynote will take place here.