The West Coast Picnic began to provide an opportunity for Tibetans living as refugees in the U.S. and Canada to congregate and celebrate His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s Birthday together. In 1992, Tibetans began immigrating to the United States in larger numbers with the US Congress passing the 1990 Immigration Act, which allowed 1,000 Tibetans to immigrate to the United States.  This was the result of the His Holiness’ vision and the work of the Tibetan government in-exile at the time. 

Tibetan refugees were scattered among host cities throughout the United States, settling wherever non-profits and states provided a network of support, services, and assistance. Some of the host cities were able to accommodate only a couple of Tibetans, while other cities with a more robust social service network were able to host a few hundred. Suffice it to say, with the challenges of moving to a new country, from learning the language, culture, and bureaucracy; there weren’t many opportunities to gather and celebrate Tibetan holidays, including one of the most important being the birthday of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

The West Coast Picnic began in 1995 in Seattle and has been held yearly around His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama’s birthday. It has been an event hosted by one of seven major Tibetan settlements in the US and Canada (Utah, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle, Vancouver B.C./Vancouver Island, and Colorado), marked by sports competitions, elocution & debate in the Tibetan language, cultural song, and dance competitions. It has been a wonderful occasion for Tibetans around the U.S. to gather and meet one another annually with the common goal of preserving the Tibetan language and culture in brother and sisterhood.

About Salt Lake City

The Utah Tibetan Association is so excited for all of our Tibetan friends to join us in celebrating the 21st Annual West Coast Picnic. Salt Lake City is the capital and most populous city in Utah, located in the north-central part of the state, nestled between the Wasatch Mountains to the east and the Great Salt Lake to the west. The city is known for its beautiful natural surroundings, including the nearby mountains and the Great Salt Lake making it a hub for outdoor recreation, with numerous opportunities for skiing, hiking, and mountain biking in the surrounding area. The city is also home to the University of Utah, a major research university. Salt Lake City is a great place to visit for those who enjoy the outdoors, culture, and history.

Sites to Visit Within an Hour of Salt Lake City   

Ensign Peak

Utah State Capitol

City Creek Mall

Red Butte Gardens

Natural History Museum of Utah

The Hogle Zoo

Park City

Bonneville Salt Flats

Antelope Island

Lagoon Amusement Park

The Gateway Mall

Snowbird Resort

About Utah

While visiting us for the 2024 West Coast Picnic, we would recommend extending your trip and exploring outside of Salt Lake and seeing all that Utah has to offer.

Utah is the 13th-largest state by area, with a population of over three million people. The capital and largest city of Utah is Salt Lake City, which is home to over 200,000 people, including Utah Tibetan Community members. Utah has a rich history of indigenous groups, Spanish colonization, Mormon settlers, and statehood. The state is known for its natural beauty, cultural diversity, and economic diversity. Utah is well known for the abundance of public lands comprising countless state and national parks, of which the must visit for nature enthusiasts are the Big Five (Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park, Zion National Park, Bryce National Park, and Capitol Reef National Park). These unique landscapes are the backdrops of many famous Hollywood movies.

Sites to Visit in Utah within 2 – 4 hours: 

Dinosaur National Museum

Golden Spike National Park

Arches National Park

Canyonlands National Park

Zion National Park

Bryce National Park

Capitol Reef National Park

Bear Lake

Logan Canyon

Goblin Valley State Park  

Preferred Hotels in Salt Lake City near Westcoast Picnic Venues

SpringHill Suites by Marriott Salt Lake City Sugar House CLICK HERE FOR DISCOUNTED HOTEL RATES UNTIL 14TH JUNE.

The Little America Hotel – Salt Lake City   DISCOUNTED RATE FOR LITTLE AMERICA COMING SOON.

Places to Eat in Salt Lake City

Visit Salt Plate City for more information.

ONLINE TEAM REGISTRATION: MEN’S BASKETBALL   WOMEN’S BASKETBALL   UNDER-14 COED BASKETBALL   MEN’S SOCCER

SPORTS TEAM REGISTRATION FORM:  CLICK HERE

Rules and Regulations:   BASKETBALL       UNDER 14 CO-ED BASKETBALL     UNDER 14 SOCCER        SOCCER

Prizes:  

TBD FOR BOTH BASKETBALL AND SOCCER

Sports Registration Rules 

• Team registration fee is required to participate in the sports tournament.
• Team registration fee are as follows:

• • Soccer-Men: $350
  • Under-14 Soccer: Registration fee TBD
  • Basketball-Men: $300 
  • Basketball-Women: $250
  • Under 14 Co-Ed Basketball: $100 

• All participants must have a valid 3-Day West-Coast Trungkar ticket.
• All participants should be of Tibetan descent or spouse/child of a Tibetan descent.
• All players MUST have an individual uniform number assigned, which shall not change for the duration of the competition. This number must be displayed on the player’s uniform during any competition in which the player participates.
• All players must wear team Uniform/Jersey and protective gear or will not be allowed to participate.
• If both teams are wearing the same color, a decision will be made by a coin toss.
• Players wearing protective casts must submit a written approval by an authorized doctor or parents to the organizer. If the referee on the field deems a player’s protective cast is unsafe in any way, the player will not be allowed to play until the Tournament organizer sees a correction is made by the player and allows the player to play. If any change is needed it must be notified prior to the commencement of the tournament.
• Double Registering: No double carding of players is allowed, e.g., a player “A” registered for a team cannot play for any other team.
• If a team is not ready to play 15 minutes after the scheduled start time, they will forfeit the game. The absentee team is to be declared the loser.
• Trophy and prize for first place and second place (Amount TBD). 
• FIFA & NBA rules to be followed in all games unless otherwise mentioned or stated in under the tournament house rules. The final decision rests with the referee on the field. 
• Respect the game, play fairly and follow the rules and policies.
• Accept the decisions of the officials with good grace.
• Demonstrate good sportsmanship before, during and after the game whether you win or lose. 
• Any communication between the teams and the organizing committee must be through the team captain or manager.
• Be courteous to opposing teams, officials and facilitators and treat everyone with respect.
• Do Not engage in any behavior which would endanger the health and safety of any officials, players, staff members and spectators.
• Do Not initiate a fight with any individual.
• Players under the influence of alcohol or other substances will not be allowed to play. 

Registration Deadline:  April 30, 2024

Prizes:  

WINNER: $1000

Rules and Regulations

Judges’ Score Card/Points Structure

Link to Sign-up Form

Due Date:  April 30, 2024

Prizes:  

ELOCUTION (1ST PLACE: $150 PER AGE GROUP, 2ND PLACE: $100 PER AGE GROUP)

TAMSHEY/2 PERSON SKIT (1ST PLACE $300 PER GROUP, 2ND PLACE $150 PER GROUP)

TALENT SHOW (1ST PLACE $500, 2ND PLACE $250)

Rules and Regulations:   ELOCUTION        TAMSHEY/2 PERSON SKIT             TALENT SHOW

Points Structure:   ELOCUTION       TAMSHEY/2 PERSON SKIT           TALENT SHOW

Link to Sign-up Form for Tamshey/2 Person Skit & Elocution: CLICK HERE

Link to Sign-up Form for the Talent Show: CLICK HERE