Aspen Ruggerfest

Outdoor Central Core

The annual Aspen Ruggerfest is held in September at Wagner Rugby Stadium and Rio Grande Park. The Aspen Ruggerfest brings to Aspen the best rugby talent from around the world, including Aspen's own rugby team, the Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Football Club. In past years, rugby teams that have competed in the Aspen Ruggerfest have included the US Air Force, Denver Highlanders, Denver Barbarians, Virginia Cardinals, and the Kansas Jayhawks. Rugby matches are always exhilarating and exciting, so check out some of the games during this year's Aspen Ruggerfest.

Free Snowmass Summer Concerts

Cultural Family Friendly Nightlife Outdoor Snowmass Village Slopeside Mall

The free Snowmass summer concerts on Fanny Hill are held on Thursdays during the summer season. Fanny Hill is an amphitheater venue at 8500 feet with a 4000 person capacity. Each week, a new band performs a free, outdoor concert, and musicians range from rock 'n' roll to funk to R&B to country. Check out one or all of these free concerts, since there's nothing like spending a beautiful summer evening on Fanny Hill, listening to live music. The Snowmass free summer concerts welcome new names each summer, so you're guaranteed to discover a favorite, new band year after year. 

Concerts are held on the Fanny Hill Concert Stage at the end of the Snowmass Mall. We recommend taking the free RFTA bus service from Aspen and the Intercept Lot, or the free Village Shuttle service throughout Snowmass. It is best to get off at the Snowmass Mall stop.

Golden Leaf Half Marathon

Outdoor Aspen

The Golden Leaf Half Marathon is a popular backcountry foot race between Snowmass and Aspen, starting in Snowmss Village. Since the half marathon is held when the aspen leaves normally turn from green to gold, the race brings partcipants through beautiful  stands of golden aspen trees. In years past, the race start has been located at Fanny Hill on Snowmass Mountain, and the race finish has been located at Koch Park. Both of these places are great for cheering on the race partcipants. If participating in the backcountry run sounds more fun, the Golden Leaf Half Marathon is certain to be a challenging, fun, and rewarding experience. See the event website or visit the Facebook page for more information.

Jazz Aspen Snowmass (JAS) Labor Day Experience

Outdoor Snowmass Village

With three days of outdoor concerts in beautiful Snowmass Village, the Jazz Aspen Snowmass (JAS) Labor Day Experience is the best way to spend Labor Day weekend in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Over the years, the JAS Labor Day Experience has brought to the Roaring Fork Valley some of the biggest names in music. Past performers at the Labor Day Experience include the Allman Brothers Band, Elvis Costello, the Black Eyed Peas, Keith Urban, Train, Sugarland, Wilco, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Black Crowes, Kid Rock, Michael Franti, Mumford & Sons, and more. Plan to attend the JAS Labor Day Experience, and get ready for a weekend filled with lots of live music, sunshine, and dancing.

Owl Creek Chase

Outdoor Aspen Snowmass Village Owl Creek

The Owl Creek Chase is a cross-country ski race in Snowmass Village, CO. The first race took place in 1985. The race starts at the Snowmass Cross Country Center and ends at the Aspen Cross Country Center. The Owl Creek Chase course is 21 kilometers of fun skiing and beautiful views.

Owl Creek Chase offers a classic race and a skate race, with prize money awarded for the classic race.

If you don’t want to race, you can sign up for the Owl Creek Chase Tour. It’s the same course, but without the competitive element. You get to enjoy all of the race amenities, like aid stations and a free shuttle from Aspen to Snowmass after the race.

Schneetag

Family Friendly Outdoor Snowmass Village

What better way to close out the end of a spectacular ski season than by watching, or participating in, an outrageous on-mountain event involving DIY watercraft and a pond? Schneetag, which is German for "snow day", has become a popular closing day activity on Snowmass Mountain. The activity involves teams barreling down a run on Snowmass Mountain in a homemade watercraft. Sometimes, these fun DIY watercraft make it over the pond, but there are also times when engineering fails the participants, and leaves them swimming their way out of a chilly man-made pond. Check out Schneetag during all of the Snowmass Mountain closing day festivities!

Snowmass Mardi Gras Celebration

Outdoor Snowmass Village Slopeside Mall

In Colorado, there are lots of places to ski and party, but few places are like Snowmass during Mardi Gras. In Snowmass, you get the best of both worlds. The Snowmass Mardi Gras celebration is like having a little piece of New Orleans right in the heart of the Rockies. A 38-year tradition, Snowmass will celebrate all the Fat Tuesday traditions in late February! See the full Mardi Gras schedule.

Winter X Games Aspen

Nightlife Outdoor Aspen Buttermilk / Tiehack

Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen, Colorado is the main stage of the Winter X Games. The mountain has hosted the action sports competition for over a decade now.

Held in late January, X Games Aspen attracts huge crowds to Aspen Snowmass. And in the past few years, the annual event has grown to include a festival village and musical performances. Past artists include Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, Skrillex, Chromeo, Tiësto, Phoenix, Axwell, and Matt & Kim.

X Games Aspen offers free admission to all of its sporting events. And that means, anyone can watch 200+ talented athletes compete at their highest caliber, day and night.

X Games Aspen has welcomed the athletes listed below to compete for medals and purses.

• Jamie Anderson
• Gretchen Bleiler ― Snowmass local
• Bobby Brown
• Kelly Clark
• Simon Dumont
• Heath Frisby
• Arielle Gold
• Tucker Hibbert
• Gus Kenworthy
• Levi LaVallee
• Colten Moore
• Iouri Podladtchikov
• Mike Schultz
• Shaun White
• Torin Yater-Wallace ― Aspen local

Get pumped for this year’s Winter X Games Aspen. Learn more about the event by visiting the X Games Aspen site.

The Winter X Games Aspen is a popular event, and often leads to sold-out accommodations. The sooner you reserve an Aspen or Snowmass vacation rental, the better.

Have questions about the right Aspen Snowmass vacation rental for you?

Give us a call ― 1-866-209-1540, or send us an email. We'd be delighted to review our rental inventory with you.