By Olivia Lowry
With the opening ceremonies for the 2002 Olympic Games just 364 days away, Salt Lake is ready to celebrate.
Events will begin Thursday, Feb. 8, at 7 a.m. at the NBC Studios in New York.
Mitt Romney, president and CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee, will be joined by Olympians Picabo Street and Michelle Kwan for an appearance on the 'Today Show.'
In Salt Lake City, SLOC will be launching the Olympic Arts Festival program at 11 a.m. in Abravanel Hall. The glasswork of Dale Chihuly will be featured, as well as Robert Pinsky, 39th Poet Laureate of the United States.
There will also be short performances by other Cultural Olympiad artists. The Olympic Arts Festival is scheduled to run from Feb. 1 through March 16, 2002.
The most anticipated event of the day will take place at 6 p.m. in the Gallivan Center Ice Rink. Romney, (fresh off of a plane from N.Y.), will be joined by Olympic figure skater Todd Eldridge to unveil Utah''s Olympic torch route.
The Olympic Torch Relay for the rest of the United States has already been announced, but Thursday, Feb. 8, will be the first time that the Utah route is revealed.
Following the drama of the Olympic Torch Relay announcement, Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson will kick off a party in the Gallivan Center.
There will be live music, dancing, balloon art, face painting, fireworks and many other activities to help the public celebrate the One-Year-Away-Day for the Olympics.