Ever since the pioneers arrived, Big Cottonwood Canyon has been the place where Salt Lake City folks have gone to enjoy summer breezes. Now there's even more reason to drive up the canyon.

In addition to the art gallery at Brighton and the free Sunday concerts at Solitude, there are geology talks and tours and star gazing parties. It's called the Brighton Institute and it's brand new.

The Brighton gallery features paintings, pastels, pottery and basketry from artists who live in the canyon or have close ties to it. Talent oozes out of them.

Artist include a full time artist, two university professors, a retired Brighton official, the Brighton ski school director and the Brighton ski school training director. Most of the artists are also powder hounds.

"When it's a powder day, I ski before I work in my studio," said full time pastel artist Carolyn Keigley. whose work exerts the energy and beauty of the mountains.

The gallery is located in the Brighton Store – the log building at the start of the Brighton loop.

There's also music on the mountain. Solitude hosts free concerts from 3 to 6 p.m. every Sunday. Bring a chair, but please no food or drink. Snacks are available there.

And you can "rock on" with a geology talk or tour based at Solitude. And there are star parties.

"We're trying to show there's culture in the canyon," said Steve Jorgensen, a retired ski pro who helped spearhead the consortium called the Brighton Institute.

More programs are in the planning stages, but the founders want to get this summer's programs rolling. "Nobody knows we're here yet," said Jorgensen.