Aspen Weekend Agenda: December 1-3, 2017
The annual Cup Auction is one of Carbondale Clay Center's biggest fundraisers and features hundreds of original, handmade ceramic cups for bid via silent auction.
Friday, December 1
First Friday: Light Up Carbondale
3–7p.m. at The Launchpad & Carbondale Clay Center, Carbondale
A long holiday tradition in the community, Santa will be coming to town for a special visit. Sol Theatre will stop by to share some acts from their upcoming Holiday Show A Christmas Story. Santa will also light the trees on Main Street, beginning at Main and Weant at 5:15p.m. followed by a fire and hot chocolate on the Fourth Street Plaza. Carbondale Arts Deck The Walls Holiday Market and the 19th Annual Cup Auction will be open for holiday shopping. Free, carbondalearts.com & carbondaleclay.org
Light Up Willits
4–6 p.m., Willits Town Center Triangle Park, Basalt
Celebrate the kick off to the season with Santa and Mrs. Claus. The Lion's Club will have their food truck serving up homemade chili, hot chocolate, hot spiced cider, and coffee for a donation. Coldwell Banker Mason Morse is also sponsoring a Toy Drive with a drop off point at their area office across the park. Free, discoverwillits.com
Maker + Place Grand Opening
7–9 p.m., Maker + Place New Location (614 E. Cooper Ave.)
Aspen's cutting edge incubator for artisans and the creative process marks the reopening its doors with a First Friday soiree. Get a jump on your holiday shopping and peruse artwork from the Birds Nest Gallery with libations and light bites. Free, makerandplace.com
Library Cinema: The Square
7:30 p.m., Pitkin County Library
Catch this Cannes Film Festival prize winning comedy about a modern art museum. $10, pitcolib.org
Writ Large: An Evening of Storytelling
7:30 p.m., Wheeler Opera House
Curated by Alya Howe, Writ Large is Aspen’s only storyslam and involves true spoken-word stories told to a live audience with no scripts and no notes. Featured speakers include Aspen Sojourner editor-in-chief Cindy Hirschfeld, writer Nicole B. Hagg, KDNK host Bill Kight, and anthropologist Kate Howe. Free, wheeleroperahouse.com
ATOMGA
8 p.m., The Temporary, Basalt
Prepare yourself for an all out dance party from this 10-piece afrofunk collective. Since their inception in 2011, they have meticulously studied the hypnotic grooves and lyrical prowess of afrobeat’s forefathers in order to maintain musical integrity and positively contribute to afrobeat in a modern setting. $8 (advance), $12 (door), tacaw.org
Black Pistol Fire
9;30 p.m., Belly Up Aspen
Dubbed the “next big thing” by Huffington Post after SXSW 2013, this Austin-based duo has developed a reputation for their untamed live performances with a high-octane rock sound. $22, bellyupaspen.com
An HBO Documentary film, Arthur Miller: Writer had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival in September.
Image: Courtesy: Aspen Film
Saturday, December 2
Tejay van Gardener Gear Auction
4:30 p.m., Limelight Hotel
Professional cyclist and Aspen resident Tejay van Garderen is holding a moving sale (he's heading to Spain) in the form of a silent auction of cycling gear to benefit three local cycling organizations: Roaring Fork Cycling, Aspen Cycling Club, and Crown Mountain BMX. At least $20,000 in gear, including van Gardener’s mountain bike, will be auctioned with happy hour drinks and van Garderen in attendance. Free, limelighthotels.com
A Benefit for Aspen Film: Arthur Miller: Writer
5:30 p.m., Wheeler Opera House & 7:30 p.m., Explore Booksellers
Join the Wheeler Opera House and Aspen Film for this intimate portrait of one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century told from the unique perspective of his daughter, Rebecca Miller, who filmed interviews with her father over decades. Coupled with a wealth of personal archival material, the film provides new insights into Miller’s life as an artist and explores his character in all its complexity. Post-film discussion with producer Cindy Tolan followed by a reception at Explore Booksellers. $75, aspenfilm.org & aspenshowtix.com
Light Up the Night
5:30 p.m., Snowmass Chapel
Snowmass Village lights up for the holiday season. with the annual opening ceremonies the Snowmass Chapel. Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be on hand to celebrate the kick off to the holiday season with cookies, hot chocolate, and carols. Free, gosnowmass.com
Library Cinema: The Square
7:30 p.m., Pitkin County Library
Catch this Cannes Film Festival prize winning comedy about a modern art museum. $10, pitcolib.org
The Revivalists
9 p.m., Belly Up Aspen
This septet has been playing nonstop since 2007, crafting a genre-hopping sound that rounds out traditional rock instrumentation with horns and pedal steel guitar and mixes the divergent backgrounds of its individual members with the humid, funky undercurrents of the band’s New Orleans home. $48 (SOLD OUT), bellyupaspen.com
The Wheeler Opera House and Aspen Film present: The Muppet Christmas Carol on Sunday.
Image: Courtesy: Aspen Film
Sunday, December 3
A Holiday Film Event: The Muppet Christmas Carol
5:30 p.m., Wheeler Opera House
The Wheeler Opera House and Aspen Film present this family-favorite, festive film to celebrate the season and get into the holiday spirit. Free, wheeleroperahouse.com
The Revivalists
9 p.m., Belly Up Aspen
This septet has been playing nonstop since 2007, crafting a genre-hopping sound that rounds out traditional rock instrumentation with horns and pedal steel guitar and mixes the divergent backgrounds of its individual members with the humid, funky undercurrents of the band’s New Orleans home. $48 (SOLD OUT), bellyupaspen.com
