Post Malone, Alesso to Headline New Salt Lake City NYE Festival

Post Malone and Swedish DJ Alesso will headline a new New Year’s Eve festival in Salt Lake City, serving as the centerpiece for a four-day sports and entertainment marathon known as “Winter Weekend.” The event, announced by Smith Entertainment Group on Wednesday, is designed to anchor the celebrations surrounding Utah’s first-ever outdoor NHL game, featuring a matchup between the Utah Mammoth and the Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles Stadium on December 31, 2026.

By bundling an NHL Winter Classic game, a New Year’s Eve festival, and NBA matchups, Ryan Smith and his organization are attempting to create a weekend of sports and entertainment unlike anything Utah has experienced before.

A Four-Day Collision of NHL and NBA Action

The “Winter Weekend” schedule is a dense sequence of professional sports. The festivities kick off with the Utah Jazz hosting the defending NBA champion New York Knicks on December 30. Immediately following the conclusion of the NHL Winter Classic at Rice-Eccles Stadium on New Year’s Eve, the action shifts to the Delta Center for the music festival starting at 4 p.m. The momentum continues into the new year, with the Jazz facing Boston on January 1 and the Utah Mammoth taking on Vancouver on January 2, 2027.

Utah, A Winter Weekend to remember. 🏔️Presented by @Delta pic.twitter.com/mslFnXzogg

— https://x.com/utahmammoth/status/2115490422302871766

Ryan Smith, chairman and CEO of Smith Entertainment Group, framed the initiative as a way to redefine the state’s image. In a statement, Smith said, We wanted to create a weekend unlike anything Utah has experienced before, adding that the vision is to give fans across the country a reason to make Utah their New Year’s Eve destination.

Kygo and Post Malone Headline Festival Lineup

To ensure the festival has global pull, Smith Entertainment Group partnered with Palm Tree Crew, the entertainment company co-founded by DJ and producer Kygo. Post Malone—born Austin Post and a resident of Utah—has performed at Rice-Eccles Stadium each of the last two years. He currently commands over 63 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

Joining him is Alesso, who brings a dedicated electronic dance music following of more than 16.5 million monthly listeners. To prevent the event from becoming an exclusive enclave for high-rollers, the organization has committed to a specific pricing tier: more than 6,000 tickets will be listed for under $125. This move is intended to keep the celebration accessible to a broader range of fans rather than relying solely on premium pricing.

For those looking to secure a spot, the timeline is tight:

Presale: Begins online Thursday at 10 a.m.
General Sale: Begins Friday at 10 a.m.

Youth Hockey Events Bridge Professional and Grassroots Sports

While the headlines focus on the stars at the Delta Center, the “Winter Weekend” extends into the grassroots sports community in Sandy. The Select Health Ice Center will host a series of events designed to bridge the gap between professional spectacle and youth development. From December 27 to 30, the Gretzky Hockey School will conduct a camp for youth players aged 6 to 14.

Rice eccles stadium is viewed before an ncaa college football game between utah and houston saturday oct in salt lake city ph

This leads directly into the Utah Mammoth Winter Cup, an event featuring multiple youth teams that begins on New Year’s Day and runs through January 3.

The Logistics of a City-Wide Celebration

Moving people from Rice-Eccles Stadium to the Delta Center for the festival presents a logistical challenge. The evening involves a transition of crowds from the Winter Classic to the festival, which begins at 4 p.m.

As the date approaches, more programming is expected to be announced, filling the gaps between the major games and the headline performances.

We’re bringing four days of sports and entertainment together to create something special for Utahns and give fans from across the country a reason to make Utah their New Year’s Eve destination.