Free and Inexpensive Events in Salt Lake City

NBA All-Star Weekend will bring the stars, basketball and otherwise, to Utah.

And for some events, that means five-star prices, too. To get tickets to events like All-Star Saturday, which includes the dunk contest, or the main event on Sunday, Feb. 19, you’re looking at a four-figure payout. (More details on this below.)

But there will still be plenty to do over the weekend of February 17-19 at much more reasonable prices, even free.

Here’s how to enjoy NBA All-Star Weekend on any budget.

Free activities and events

Grit Rail Jam at Olympic Legacy Plaza at The Gateway: Two snowboarding competitions will take place at Gateway Olympic Square, as athletes show off their rail tricks to an open audience. First, amateurs will compete on Friday, February 17th from 2-5pm, and then professional snowboarders will compete on Saturday, February 18th from 3-6pm. Winners will receive medals and cash prizes. Grit Rail Jam is free and open to the public.

Entertainment on TRAX: The Downtown Alliance, Salt Lake City and UTA have contracted nearly 50 singers, comedians, musicians and magicians to perform inside the train cars during All-Star Weekend. Performances will run from the Gateway to the Gallivan stops in the city centre. Hosts working with each performer will act as guides, answering visitors’ questions and providing directions.

UTA will have free rate days throughout February 12 to 21. Throughout the month of February, anyone with a one-day travel ticket can travel for free on the UTA system.

The Salt Lake City store at The Gateway: The subject of a recent Tribune profilefashion expert Calyann Barnett is curating two pop-up retail stores at The Gateway. Brands with collections inside include Cactus Jack, MRKT, StockX, The Webster Miami, CounterPoint and Mitchell & Ness with Slam & Thrifthood. The shops are open from 10am to 8pm from 16th to 18th February and from 11am to 4pm on 19th February.

CENTRAL at Gallivan Plaza: An art and music show next to the high street. A total of 25 musicians will perform above recycled shipping containers; artwork by local artists will be displayed inside these containers. A generative AI film will be screened on the Gallivan stage. Several sculptures, including one created for the event, will be on display on the island’s grounds. CENTRAL will be free and open to all ages from 1 to 10 p.m., from February 17 to 19.

NBA Ice Cubes at Trolley Square: A free basketball shooting game. Like a huge, tricked-out version of Pop-a-Shot, players can compete alone or against others as they shoot five different baskets at different heights. Winners can earn prizes such as tickets to 2023 All-Star events, merchandise and more. Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, now through the end of All-Star weekend.

Events $20 or less

Utah Jazz Catapult at Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum: Opened on January 30, the catapult is a new permanent exhibit at the museum that shoots basketballs into a hoop to teach children about force, momentum, gravity and converting potential energy into kinetic energy. Children can step on a foot to experiment with the force required to make a shot.

Admission to the museum is $13.50 per adult and $12.50 per child.

NBA HBCU Classic at the Huntsman Center: Southwestern Athletic Conference teams Grambling State University and Southern University will compete in the annual showcase of historically black colleges and universities. The game is at 2 p.m. on February 18.

Lower bowl tickets are $10 for end lines, $20 for sideline tickets.

NBA G League Next Up Game at Huntsman Center: The best players in the G-League will play an All-Star-style game at the Huntsman Center on February 19 at 1 p.m. It is the first time that this competition is held. Of particular interest: Scoot Henderson, the presumed No. 2 pick in the 2023 NBA draft, should play in this game.

Tickets are $15, capacity is general admission.

Events $50 or less

NBA All-Stars Practice: Fans can watch the NBA All-Stars practice for the game. As you can imagine, it’s not nearly as strenuous as an actual NBA practice, but both rosters will go through several shooting drills, run a play or two, and generally get to know each other. Practice is on February 18, at 11 a.m

Upper bowl tickets are $50, lower bowl finish line tickets are $125 and lower bowl sideline tickets are $150. Within these sections, tickets are general admission.

NBA Crossover at Salt Palace Convention Center: A huge NBA themed fan convention. As they say, “NBA Crossover will engage fans in its largest footprint yet, with immersive experiences, brand activations, live performances, NBA and WNBA appearances, limited-edition merchandise and collectibles , art and memorabilia, clothing customization and more.” Crossover will be open from February 17 to 19 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m

The ticket price is 40 euros for adults and 20 euros for children under 12.

All-Star Celebrity Game at the Huntsman Center: The annual exhibition basketball game between two teams of celebrities, whose actual basketball ability varies widely. Jazz owners Ryan Smith and Dwyane Wade will serve as captains for both teams. Celebrity listings have not yet been announced.

Tickets started at $35, but are sold out. Limited tickets are still available in the Huntsman Center Upper Bowl for $45.

Rising NBA Stars at Vivint Arena: The annual NBA Rookie-Sophomore game has a new format: they will be divided into four teams, which will play a three-game tournament played to a final total. The match is at 7 pm on February 17 at the Vivint Arena.

The cheapest tickets started at $40, but there are only a couple of spots left. There are also a few $50 seats left. There is a higher ticket amount of $60 in the Vivint Arena Upper Bowl. Lower Bowl tickets start at $200.

The expensive events

NBA All-Star Saturday Night: The dunk contest, 3-point contest and skills challenge take place tonight at Vivint Arena, along with a quick gig or two in this made-for-TV event. The ceremonies begin at 6 pm on February 18.

Single-game tickets are not sold; instead, those who wish to attend must purchase an NBA Experiences package with other amenities. For All-Star Saturday, these packages start at $999.

NBA All-Star Game: The event features the Eastern Conference and Western Conference All-Stars, on two teams selected by the captains. New this year: Captains will pick teams immediately prior to the game at 5.30pm on February 19.

Single-game tickets are not sold; instead, those who want to attend the game must purchase an NBA Experiences package with other amenities. For Sunday’s game, these packages start at $1399.