Park City Celebrates Olympians and Paralympians with Homecoming Parade

Youth Sports Alliance event honors athletes and inspires next generation

Apr. 4, 2026 at 3:09am

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A fragmented, geometric painting in bold colors depicting a winter sports parade, with figures and objects broken down into sharp, overlapping planes.A cubist interpretation of the joyful energy and community spirit on display at Park City's Olympic and Paralympic homecoming parade.Park City Today

The Park City-based Youth Sports Alliance hosted its annual Olympic and Paralympic Homecoming Parade on Friday, April 3, 2026, celebrating the 56 local athletes who represented 16% of Team USA at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy. The parade featured Olympians and Paralympians from across Utah, including medal winners like luger Ashley Farquharson, who won bronze in 2026.

Why it matters

The parade is a long-standing tradition in Park City, which has become known as an 'Olympic town' due to its deep ties to winter sports. The event not only honors the achievements of local athletes, but also aims to inspire the next generation of competitors by showing them that their dreams of Olympic glory are within reach.

The details

The parade featured athletes marching down Main Street in Park City, waving to cheering crowds and signing autographs. Highlights included speeches from medalists like Farquharson, who spoke about the importance of the community's support, and remarks from local leaders like Park City Mayor Ryan Dickey, who celebrated the town's outsized representation on Team USA.

  • The parade took place on Friday, April 3, 2026.
  • The 2026 Winter Games were held in Milan-Cortina, Italy.

The players

Ashley Farquharson

A 27-year-old luger who competed in the 2022 and 2026 Olympics, winning a bronze medal in 2026.

Emily Fisher

The executive director of the Youth Sports Alliance, the organization that has hosted the Olympic and Paralympic Homecoming Parade since 2006.

Ryan Dickey

The mayor of Park City, who celebrated the town's 56 athletes making up 16% of Team USA at the 2026 Winter Games.

Finley Rohbock

A 13-year-old member of a Park City club-level alpine ski racing team, whose mother Valerie Fleming won silver for Team USA at the 2006 Winter Games.

River Mercer

A 6-year-old girl excited to watch the parade and learn about Olympic figure skating, which is her favorite sport to watch.

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What they’re saying

“It comes with me everywhere because I feel like everyone here is just as excited as I am. So if you see me in the grocery store, you can hold it.”

— Ashley Farquharson, Olympic Luger

“I want to be just like her. I want to be in the Olympics just like she was.”

— Finley Rohbock, Park City Skier

“Being active, being involved in a team is a great thing. We hope she finds a passion.”

— Jack Mercer, River Mercer's Father

What’s next

The Youth Sports Alliance is already looking ahead to the 2034 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, which are slated to return to Utah. The organization hopes to continue inspiring the next generation of winter sports competitors in the years leading up to those games.

The takeaway

Park City's deep connection to the Olympics was on full display during the homecoming parade, which celebrated the town's outsized representation on Team USA and the power of community-based sports programs to nurture Olympic dreams. The event underscored how Utah's winter sports legacy continues to shape the next generation of athletes.