Before sunrise on Saturday, Shannon Mussett arrived at a nearly empty Trolley Square to claim her spot as first in line to buy tickets for the Sundance Film Festival.
She was one of nearly 3,500 Utahns who registered online for time slots to buy individual tickets for Sundance this weekend. She had the good luck to get the first half-hour time slot of the day and the energy to get up early enough to be first in line.
"It's the greatest cultural thing Utah has to offer," Mussett, a philosophy professor at Utah Valley University, said of the festival, which will begin Jan. 15. "It's one of these moments where you feel Utah is the best state."
Mussett got tickets to every movie she wanted, including several of the premieres where moviegoers are most likely to spot big stars.
Festival passes and packages of Sundance tickets are already on sale and general sales will open Jan. 12, but this weekend was Utah's turn to step to the front of the line. Local film buffs and celebrity watchers who registered online got their first chance to buy individual tickets -- up to 20 per person -- in Trolley Square and Park City on Saturday.
"We know that locals are our bread and butter," said Linda Pfafflin, Sundance senior manager of ticketing and customer service. "[These tickets are] for people whose lives we impact."
Pfafflin said Utahns constituted 43 percent of Sundance's total audience last year. After Utah, most moviegoers came from California, New York and Florida, she said.
This was the third year locals registered online for time slots, which were randomly assigned. The system meant short, indoor lines on Saturday.
Still, some longed for the drama of years past when no time slots were assigned and Utahns competed for spots.
"Sleeping over was always fun, like a slumber party," said Janean Parker, who held a 9 a.m. time slot Saturday. "We would sit outside freezing. Our friends would bring a heater. I miss those days."
Jason Williams, who said he's been buying tickets with a group of friends since 1991, also reminisced.
"It was actually a little easier," Williams said. "We'd come down and sleep the night before at Trolley Square."
Williams had an 8:30 a.m. time slot on Saturday but still, he took no chances, driving nearly 90 miles to Salt Lake City from Hyrum the night before.
Others, who were new to Sundance, appreciated the efficiency.
"It was easy," said Roy High School student Jenna Williams, who bought three tickets to "Humpday" as a Christmas gift for a friend.
Shawn Sant, 29, has lived in Utah his whole life but bought tickets to the festival for the first time this year. "At least I've been skiing," he said.
Sant, who got an 8:30 a.m. time slot on Saturday, was able to buy tickets to every movie he wanted, including "Mary and Max," a claymation movie about long-time pen pals.
"I lucked out," Sant said.
It's too late to register for locals-only, advance individual tickets. Locals who aren't registered, however, can go Sunday to the Trolley Square box office to try to buy tickets between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. or to the Park City Box Office, Gateway Center, 136 Heber Ave., between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Also, on Jan. 10 and 11, free Best of Fest tickets will be available. General ticket sales begin Jan. 12. For more information go to http://festival.sundance.org/2009/boxoffice.
