About the Ski Affair
What is the Ski Affair?
The high-spirited Ski Affair, the J. Willard Marriott Library’s largest fundraiser of the year, is an annual awards banquet and reception. Attracting some 300 ski and snowboard enthusiasts, the event helps launch the annual ski season in the Intermountain Region. The gathering honors individuals and organizations that have played prominent roles in shaping today’s billion dollar ski and snowboard industry.
What is the purpose of the event?
The Ski Affair not only heralds the beginning of the forthcoming ski and snow sports season but also serves as a significant occasion for fundraising and increasing awareness for the Archives at the Marriott Library. This gathering unites us to commemorate our shared devotion to skiing and the safeguarding of its illustrious history across Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. It's a moment to pay tribute to those who have left indelible marks on the winter sports industry and to celebrate their invaluable contributions.
What goes on during the event?
The specific activities and agenda for the Ski Affair may vary from year to year, but we aim to create a memorable experience for attendees who share a passion for skiing, winter sports, and the outdoors. The 2023 event will include:
- Social hour with over a dozen ski-themed items in an opportunity drawing guests can enter to win
- Three-course plated meal and hosted bar
- Program hosted by the Marriott Library celebrating the historic snow of the 2022-23 winter season
- Awards ceremony for the S.J. Quinney and Rue Raemer Award Honorees
Who attends?
Everyone is invited! Approxmiately 320 tickets are available, including reserved tables of eight people for purchase. Whether you are an avid skier or simply interested in the ski culture, this event promises an evening filled with engaging conversations, networking opportunities, and insights into the world of winter sports.
Where does the money go?
Proceeds from the Ski Affair help solicit, collect, catalogue, file and digitize the Marriott Library's Ski and Snow Sports Archives, which were established in 1989 and have become the largest collection of skiing history in the country.
The collection includes the records of the Olympic/Paralympic Winter Games of 2002 held in Salt Lake City, a massive collection of materials donated by the family of ski pioneer/legend Alf Engen, and more than 300,000 photographs donated by Ski Racing Magazine.
Visit the Digital Library to view the digitzied items of the Ski and Snow Sports Archives.
How can I get involved?
We'd love to have you attend the Ski Affair! The library also continually accepts ski/snowboard related photos, scrapbooks, videos and films, brochures, flyers, news stories and feature articles, race results, manuscripts and personal collections. Finaical donations can be made at lib.utah.edu/give.