Snowmass and Aspen News & Events update

The holiday season in Snowmass is made special by Christmas carolers singing songs of joy in the Snowmass Base Village, fun holiday kids’ activities, visits by Santa Claus, and general merriment on the mountain. Spend the days skiing with the family on Snowmass Mountain, and in the afternoons, head over to the Snowmass Mall for a holiday après ski gathering in one of the many great Snowmass restaurants.

The Snowmass Mall and the Snowmass Base Village are completely transformed for the holiday season. Santa’s Village moves south from the North Pole to Snowmass with festive decorations and Christmas music from December 21 – 24 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm at the Snowmass Mall and Snowmass Base Village. Children can sit with Santa to share their hopes for a special Christmas present while having their photo taken for free. During the Christmas week, there will be free kids’ holiday activities at the Snowmass Base Village. Throughout the month of December, children who have not yet shared their Christmas wishes with Santa can write and send a letter to Santa Claus, and then drop the envelope off in a special North Pole mailbox in the Snowmass Mall. Also throughout the holiday week, listen to the What the Dickens Carolers perform some classic Christmas holiday standards.

The Torchlight Parade and fireworks show on Snowmass Mountain are scheduled for December 27 at 5:00 pm, with the fireworks show at 6:30 pm. The Torchlight Parade takes place on Fanny Hill, with Santa Claus on skis leading the pack down to the Snowmass Base Village. Adults and children 8 years and older are welcome to participate in the Torchlight Parade as torchbearers. To participate in the Torchlight Parade, visit the Snowmass Base Village Guest Services Information Desk or call them at 970.923.0560.

For more information about the holidays in Snowmass, contact Alpine Property Management. Our real estate brokers live, work, and play right here in the Roaring Fork Valley, so they know all about the best ski runs, après ski joints, restaurants, and Aspen and Snowmass events. Also, they can assist with planning ski holidays in Snowmass from lift tickets to ski equipment rentals to their specialty, Snowmass luxury home rentals.

The summer season is winding down here in Aspen and Snowmass, but the celebration of these last great days of summer continue with the Snowmass Wine Festival and the Snowmass Balloon Festival. Both take place during the same weekend, so visitors and locals can enhance their wine palate by sampling over 300 wines from around the world, and then head anywhere in Snowmass Village to view the colorful balloons ascend into the perfectly blue skies over the Roaring Fork Valley.

The 37th annual Snowmass Balloon Festival schedule of events runs from Friday, September 14 through Sunday, September 16, 2012. Catch a part or all of the 3 hour long Colorado Rat Race on Friday morning, which showcases the expert balloon handling skills of over 30 balloonists as they race against one another down the Roaring Fork Valley. Then, on Saturday and Sunday morning, watch in awe as the balloonists collaborate on a synchronized ascent during the SnowMASS Ascension. The Saturday Night Glow event, featuring music by the Colorado band Better than Bacon and a barbecue dinner provided by Big Hoss Grill in Snowmass, is certain to be a stunning visual spectacle. Enjoy music and delicious barbecue while marveling at the balloons as they float higher and higher, resembling a rainbow of gemstone lanterns in the deep black sky. All of the Snowmass Balloon Festival events are free and open to the public. To get up close and personal with the balloons and the balloon operators, all ascents and descents during this weekend-long festival will take place at the Snowmass Village baseball field.

For lovers of wine, there is nothing quite like the Snowmass Wine Festival, an event held in such a beautiful location right here in Snowmass Village that it could be argued that the wine tastes so much better because of it. The wine tasting and wine critiquing begins on Friday night with a four course dinner at the Artisan Restaurant at the Stonebridge Inn. Each course of the meal is carefully paired with a Spanish wine, making for a creative complement of flavors. The Snowmass Wine Festival Grand Tasting is set to take place from 1 pm – 5 pm on Saturday in the Snowmass Village Mall with live music from the Night Plane band and a silent auction where highly praised wines and awe-inspiring works of art will be up for grabs in a bidding war.

The September weekend of the balloon and wine festivals in Snowmass is a great way to enjoy what technically counts as the last weekend of summer. Have an unforgettable vacation in Snowmass enjoying the Colorado sunshine, the great Snowmass hiking trails, the Snowmass Wine Festival, and the Snowmass Balloon Festival. One suggestion for a great way to spend the weekend would be to hike up the Rim Trail to view the jewel-like balloons float up and down in the sky, and then hike back down just in time for the Snowmass Wine Festival Grand Tasting in the Snowmass Village Mall. For assistance in finding the perfect Snowmass vacation rental, contact Alpine Property Management today by calling 1-800-543-0839. We will be more than happy to assist in planning a memorable and fun end-of-summer vacation in Snowmass.

Summer is here in Aspen and Snowmass, and with the sunshine and green aspen trees comes a slew of exciting summer events and activities. Summer days are filled with hiking, biking, fly fishing, trips to Aspen’s popular Saturday Farmers’ Market, boutique shopping in downtown Aspen, and enjoying the sights and sounds of this beautiful mountain town. Add to this list of summertime fun Theatre Aspen productions at the Hurst Theatre, music performances by the Aspen Music Festival and School, art exhibitions and events, culinary festivals, the Vince Gill and Amy Grant Golf Classic, and more. Clearly, there is much to enjoy in Aspen and Snowmass this summer season.

This season’s Theatre Aspen theatrical productions include Avenue Q, How I Became a Pirate, and The 39 Steps. The Tony award-winning musical comedy Avenue Q kicks off this summer’s Theatre Aspen slate of productions with performances running through July 21, 2012. Opening night for How I Became a Pirate is scheduled for July 11, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. How I Became a Pirate is an electric musical about pirates who recruit a young female pirate in an effort to locate a place to bury their pirate’s booty. The Theatre Aspen season rounds out with The 39 Steps, often described as an exciting fusion of Monty Python comedy, an Alfred Hitchcock film, and a thrilling spy novel. Performances of The 39 Steps run from July 25 – August 18, 2012. Theatre Aspen performances are nothing short of brilliant.

Nothing can compare to an energizing hike up Aspen Mountain followed by a picnic at 11,000′ while listening to classical music performed by students of the Aspen Music Festival and School. Each Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at the top of Aspen Mountain, students from the Music Festival and School will perform a free concert. These free classical music concerts will be held through August 11, 2012. If hiking up Aspen Mountain and out to Richmond Ridge is not one’s cup of tea, riding the gondola to the top offers excellent views of Aspen and the surrounding mountains.

Art and Aspen have always been a great mix as there truly is no better place to view fine art than in a place as beautiful as Aspen. Now in its third year, ArtAspen returns to the Aspen Ice Garden with over 1,000 works of modern and contemporary art from 30 of the most notable art dealers and galleries in the country. ArtAspen benefits the Anderson Ranch Arts Center and runs from August 2 – 5, 2012.

The sixth annual Greenalicious Culinary Extravaganza will be held this year on July 17 at The Little Nell. This year’s Greenalicous event features a five-course dinner spotlighting the cuisine of celebrated chefs. Greenalicious attendees can look forward to not only a delectable meal, but also to enjoying the virtuoso music skills Bobby Yang, who will be playing at the event. The Greenalicious Culinary Extravaganza benefits the Children’s Health Foundation. Tickets and tables for the event are on sale now.

The ninth annual Vince Gill and Amy Grant Golf Classic is scheduled for July 30 – 31, 2012. Featuring a gala dinner, a concert, and a day of golfing with PGA Professionals like Fred Funk, this year’s classic is the place to be for any golf lover. The Golf Classic benefits Challenge Aspen.

With so much going on, it is highly probable that one will want to stick around the entire summer to not miss any of the fun in Aspen and Snowmass. Alpine Property Management is here to assist with our outstanding selection of Aspen and Snowmass luxury vacation rental properties that allow for optimal enjoyment of a vacation in the Roaring Fork Valley. For more information about Alpine Property Management and our luxury vacation rentals, contact us today at 1-800-543-0839.