Friday, December 22

Aspen Film Academy Screenings
Times vary, Wheeler Opera House & Paepcke Auditorium

Catch up before awards season at this film series, which highlights 29 acclaimed films actively campaigning for Academy Award consideration. Free to voting members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, British Film and Television Arts, and associated guilds, this annual tradition is also open to the general public. $20 (general admission), $15 (members), aspenfilm.org

History Ski Tour
11 a.m., & 1 p.m., Aspen Mountain

Learn about the amazing mining and ski history lying literally beneath your feet as you tour Aspen Mountain with a long time local historian. Meets at Guest Services cabin below the gondola at the top. Free with lift ticket ($94), aspenhistory.org 

Ullr Nights 
5 p.m., Snowmass Mountain

Bundle up and ride the Snowmass gondola to some family-friendly snow play, including lift-served tubing ($34 per hour; reserve in advance), free ice skating, free snowshoe tours, snowbiking ($69 guided rides for ages 12 and up, free minibikes for younger kids), and climbing on a massive snow sculpture. Elk Camp restaurant serves dinner with live music, followed by s’mores and hot cocoa by the bonfire. $10 (gondola ride), gosnowmass.com

Action in Africa Winter Fundraiser
5 p.m., Aspen Kitchen 

Support the Aspen High School-founded non-profit at its third annual soirée hosted by Dakota Johnson and sponsored by Gucci, Tesla, EKS Events, and Aspen Sojourner magazine. $50, actioninafrica.com

Maker + Place Holiday Opening
6 p.m., Maker + Place

Celebrate Aspen’s cutting edge incubator for artisans and the creative process and the reopening its doors. Get your last minute shopping done, make your own wrapping paper, and create custom screen printed gifts with libations and light bites. Free, makerandplace.com

JAS Café
9:15 p.m., Cooking School of Aspen

Opening night of this winter-long series features vocalist Niki Haris, daughter of legendary jazz pianist Gene Haris, who shares the same ebullient, swinging style, drenched in the sound of the blues. JAS President James Horowitz & His Trio accompany Niki in a tour of diverse standards old and new, blues and soul. $40, $105 (with dinner), jazzaspensnowmass.org

Library Cinema: Elf
7:30 p.m., Pitkin County Library

A movie full of Yuletide cheer, Elf is a spirited, good-natured family classic, and it benefits greatly from Will Ferrell's funny and charming performance as one of Santa's biggest helpers. Free, pitcolib.org 

Jes Grew Encore Performance
8:30 p.m., The Temporary, Basalt

The Aspen-based eclectic rock band, which derives it’s name from the 1972 novel, Mumbo Jumbo by Ishmael Reed, heads down valley for a one-night show. Symptoms of Jes’ Grew include: “mediocrity intolerance, chronic questioning of authority, and uncontrollable shaking of the hips and ass.” $8 (advance), $10 (day of), tacaw.org

Ugly Sweater Party with Dada Life
10 p.m., Belly Up Aspen

This is Dada Land. Get ready to arrive beautiful and leave ugly. There are no rules but the rules of this EDM DJ. Pull out the ugly Christmas sweaters for a chance to win prizes from the beat master himself. $45, bellyupaspen.com

Saturday, December 23

Aspen Film Academy Screenings
Times vary, Wheeler Opera House & Paepcke Auditorium

Catch up before awards season at this film series, which highlights 29 acclaimed films actively campaigning for Academy Award consideration. Free to voting members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences, British Film and Television Arts, and associated guilds, this annual tradition is also open to the general public. $20 (general admission), $15 (members), aspenfilm.org

Family Workshop
10 a.m., Aspen Art Museum

This month’s is a special holiday workshop where participants will draw inspiration from Zoe Crosher’s installation in the Roof Deck Sculpture Garden to create a “Palm Tree Holiday.” The session begins in the Education Workshop, giving families choices for self-guided or educator-led activities and art-making stations. Free, aspenartumuseum.org 

Guided Tour
1 p.m., Aspen Art Museum

Drop-in for a spotlight tour of the latest exhibitions led by museum staff. Free, aspenartmuseum 

A Charlie Brown Christmas Live On Stage
3:30 & 6:30 p.m., Wheeler Opera House

Your favorite Peanuts characters come to life in this all-new touring stage adaptation of Charles M. Schulz’s classic Emmy and Peabody Award-winning animated television special–all set to Vince Guaraldi’s unforgettable music. Join the gang as they put on their own Christmas play and discover the true meaning of the season. $35 (kids), $55 (adults), wheeleroperahouse.com 

Library Cinema: Elf
7:30 p.m., Pitkin County Library

A movie full of Yuletide cheer, Elf is a spirited, good-natured family classic, and it benefits greatly from Will Ferrell's funny and charming performance as one of Santa's biggest helpers. Free, pitcolib.org

A Jazzy Christmas With Jeannie Walla and Friends
8 p.m., The Temporary, Basalt

Longtime local Jeannie Walla has been singing with big bands for years years and makes an annual appearance with Symphony in the Valley. Prior to the show, enjoy a 'Jazz Dinner' special at Market Street Kitchen. The $25 dinner includes wine, an appetizer, and an entree. $13 (advance), $18 (door), tacaw.org

T.I. with Berkel Beats
10 p.m., Belly Up Aspen

Among the biggest Southern rap stars of the new millennium, with a list of achievements that includes acting, producing, and songwriting. $95, bellyupaspen.com

Sunday, December 24

Christmas Eve Services:

Aspen Chapel
4:30 p.m. (children's service), 6:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m., aspenchapel.org

Aspen Community Church
6 p.m., aspencommunitychurch.org

Basalt Community United Methodist Church
7 p.m., umc.org

Grace Church
5 p.m.,  gracechurchemma.com

Christ Episcopal Church of Aspen
4 p.m. (children's service), 5:30 p.m., 8 p.m., 11 p.m., christchurchaspen.org

Carbondale Community United Methodist Church
9 p.m., carbondalecommunityumchurch.com

Harris Concert Hall at Aspen Music Festival & School
4 p.m. (children's service), 7 p.m.

Snowmass Chapel
5 p.m., 7 p.m., 9 p.m., snowmasschapel.org

Monday, December 25

History Ski Tour
11 a.m. & 1 p.m., Aspen Highlands

Learn about the amazing mining and ski history lying literally beneath your feet as you tour Aspen Highlands with a long time local historian. Meets at Guest Services cabin outside the Merry Go Round at mid-mountain. Free with lift ticket ($94), aspenhistory.org 

Neil Berg’s Broadway Holiday
6:30 p.m., Wheeler Opera House

Direct from New York, five of Broadway’s brightest stars will take audiences on a journey through Broadway history with classic shows such as “My Fair Lady” and “South Pacific,” through ground breakers like “West Side Story” and “Chicago,” to current blockbusters like “Jersey Boys,” and “Wicked.” The show will also feature much-loved holiday tunes. $60, wheeleroperahouse.com