If watching Trump being sworn in doesn’t sound like the utopian night-in of your wildest dreams, Salt Lake is offering a wide range of coping mechanisms events for people to attend on and around Inauguration Day that include neither loudly celebrating with an “I voted” badge held high or crying in the flickering light of your television. So set down your wine glass, take off your mourning pajamas, and reschedule your week with any of the following:
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 18:
- Urban Lounge End of the World Party/Concert
- The name says it all. Also, 100% of ticket sales will be donated to ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) & Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
- 241 S 500 East @ 7 p.m.
- Tickets: $5, http://www.ticketfly.com
THURSDAY JANUARY 19:
- “We Live It. We Breathe It: A Discussion on Systemic Racism”
- Suspiciously-timed panel hosted by the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah.
- 201 Presidents Circle, Room 204 @ 12:30 p.m.
- No ticket required
- The Ghostlight Project by Salt Lake Acting Company
- A nation-wide demonstration creating “light for challenging times ahead” and protecting “values of inclusion, participation, and compassion for everyone.” Directly following, the crowd will sing John Lennon’s “Imagine” and have a reception in the theatre.
- 168 W 500 North @ 5:30 p.m.
- No ticket required
- Concert for Peace @ St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
- Featuring Jan Chamberlain (who resigned from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir following their acceptance of the invitation to perform at the inauguration) as well as many other acclaimed folk & opera singers.
- 261 S 900 East @ 7 p.m.
- No ticket required
FRIDAY JANUARY 20:
- Utah Rejects Trump’s Agenda Protest
- A protest lead by U of U Students for a Democratic Society. Ideal for anyone wanting to be fully immersed in the topic of many heated Facebook debates.
- Wallace Bennett Federal Building, 125 S State St @ 7 p.m.
- No ticket required
- Utah DSA January Meeting
- The Utah Democratic Socialists’ calls it a “meeting of mourning and a meeting of celebration, as we plan our next action.” But, like, it’s totally casual.
- 631 W North Temple 700 @ 5:30 p.m.
- No ticket required
- What a Joke! at the State Room
- Local comedians coming together as a part of a larger comic series throughout the nation supporting the ACLU.
- 638 South State Street @ 8 p.m.
- Tickets: $25, ticketfly.com (must be 21 or older to attend)
- “I Was a Stranger” by Brevitas and Lux Singers
- A joint choral concert in support of refugees & immigrants.
- Sacred Heart Catholic Church 946 S 200 East @ 7:30 p.m.
- No ticket required, but donations to International Rescue Committee encouraged
SATURDAY JANUARY 21:
- 2017 Clean Air, No Excuses Rally
- A protest lead by numerous environmentalist groups including HEAL, Utah Moms for Clean Air, Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, Mormon Environmental Stewardship Alliance and Utah Rivers Council. It’s almost as if we should be taking care of the earth or something.
- Utah State Capitol Building, E 300 North @ 1 p.m.
- No ticket required
- Women’s March on Main
- Part of a nationwide march in support of equality for all genders, races, sexualities, marginalized people, and humans in general. Lead by Chelsea Handler and other filmmakers and actors attending Sundance. Inspirational true-story movie soundtrack and narration encouraged, but not mandatory.
- 220 Main Street, Park City @ 9 a.m.
- No ticket required, but registration encouraged: eventbrite.com
MONDAY JANUARY 23:
- Women’s March SLC
- The closer-to-home version of the Women’s March, minus the crowds of people yelling for selfies with someone who may or may not be Jake Gyllenhaal that you’d run into in Park City.
- Utah State Capitol, 350 N State St @ 2 p.m.
- No ticket required
IF YOU (somehow) SURVIVE ALL OF THIS:
- Treat yourself to the best movie of the year, eat all the cookies, and take a deep breath. We got this.
by Amy Whiting
