A Wednesday lift ticket at Snowbird can do more than get someone on the mountain this winter.
The Utah ski resort is accepting applications for its 2026-27 Play Forever Wednesdays program, which directs $5 from every qualifying Wednesday lift ticket sold to a selected Utah nonprofit.
Applications opened Sept. 1 and will remain open through Oct. 15. To qualify, organizations must be based in Utah and identify the specific project the funding would support. Snowbird says the program focuses on organizations working to protect the environment, increase participation and provide relief to local communities.
The concept is simple: ski Snowbird on a qualifying Wednesday, and a portion of the ticket purchase goes directly toward that week’s featured organization.
Nearly $50,000 Donated Last Winter
The money can add up quickly.
Snowbird says Play Forever Wednesdays generated nearly $50,000 for participating organizations during the 2025-26 ski season. Since the program began in 2021, the resort says total donations have surpassed $230,000.
That means last winter alone accounted for more than one-fifth of all money distributed through the program since its launch.
For 2026-27, Snowbird will again donate $5 from eligible adult, senior and youth lift tickets purchased either online or at a Snowbird ticket window on qualifying Wednesdays. Complimentary and promotional tickets, Alta-Bird upgrades and tickets included in lodging packages do not count toward the program.
There is no separate donation guests need to make at checkout. The $5 comes from Snowbird’s qualifying ticket sales.
The Money Goes to More Than Environmental Groups
Although Snowbird operates the program under its broader Play Forever initiative, the beneficiaries extend beyond traditional conservation organizations.
Recipients during the 2025-26 season included groups working on water conservation, clean air, outdoor access, housing, health care, land protection, youth skiing and backcountry safety.
Among them were Utah Water Ways, Utah Clean Air Partnership, TreeUtah, Wildlands Network, Breathe Utah, Housing Connect Fund, SheJumps, Wasatch Backcountry Rescue and Summit Land Conservancy.
That range is intentional. Snowbird says participating organizations generally fall into three categories: protecting the environment, expanding participation and providing local relief.
It also means a skier buying a Wednesday ticket could be supporting anything from conservation work in Utah’s mountains to avalanche rescue, community health programs or efforts to make outdoor recreation more accessible.
Applications Are Open Through Oct. 15
Utah nonprofits interested in participating this winter have until Oct. 15 to apply.
Snowbird requires applicants to be Utah-based and to explain the project that would receive funding. Selected organizations will then be assigned qualifying Wednesdays during the ski season, with $5 from applicable ticket sales going to that week’s recipient.
The timing comes as Snowbird prepares for another winter in Little Cottonwood Canyon.
Unofficial Networks reported this summer that Snowbird was completing the replacement of its longtime Chickadee double chair with a new fixed-grip quad featuring a loading conveyor. The project is one of several changes underway around Snowbird and neighboring Alta ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Play Forever Wednesdays may be a smaller investment but after five years it has distributed more than $230,000!
For Utah nonprofits, the next opportunity to benefit from it is open now.
You can apply for or learn more about Snowbird’s Play Forever Wednesdays program here.
