Aspen Weekend Agenda: January 11–13, 2019
Friday, January 11
Wintersköl festivities include Anderson Ranch Art Center's Wintersculpt competition, with snow sculptures along the pedestrian mall.
Image: Courtesy: Aspen Chamber
Wintersköl
Thursday–Sunday, Aspen
First held in 1951, events for this four-day celebration of winter include Anderson Ranch Art Center’s Wintersculpt and Kidsculpt, a canine fashion show, a torchlight descent down Aspen Mountain, and, of course, fireworks all around the theme of "Aspen, Original by Design," to honor the Bauhaus centennial. Check the schedule for events throughout the weekend. Free, aspenchamber.org
Friday Morning Uphill Breakfast Club
8:45–10 a.m., Cliffhouse, Buttermilk Mountain
The Uphill this Friday is sponsored by ACES in celebration of their 50th anniversary. Geared for the uphill crowd, breakfast tastes just as good whether you hike, skin or take a lift. $8–$12, aspensnowmass.com
Rock Bottom Ranch Winter Farmyard Tour
11 a.m., Rock Bottom Ranch, Basalt
Staff and educators lead explorations of the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies' working ranch, including the animal paddocks, hoop houses, and gardens. They will also share the science behind vegetable production and livestock rotational grazing. Tours are appropriate for all ages. $5 per person/$10 per family/free for members, aspennature.org
History Ski Tour: Aspen Mountain
11 a.m. & 1 p.m., Guest Service Cabin below the Sundeck
Learn about the amazing mining and ski history lying literally beneath your feet as you tour Aspen Mountain with a long-time local historian. Free (lift ticket required), aspenhistory.org
Native Storytelling
3:30–4:30 p.m., The Collective, Snowmass Base Village
Join Spellbinders storyteller and AHS Education Director Nina Gabianelli for an hour of native storytelling. Stories are best suited for kids age 4-12. Free, aspenhistory.org
Escape Room
4 p.m., Pitkin County Library
Complete challenges to win prizes and escape to the next room. Recommended for ages 10 and above. Free, pitcolib.org
Mix up your Friday après ski scene with JAS Café–Downstairs @the Nell at 5 p.m.
Image: Courtesy: JAS
Sammy Miller and the Congregation
5 & 8 p.m., JAS Café–Downstairs @the Nell
Get ready for an evening of "joyful jazz" with Grammy-nominated and Julliard-trained Sammy Miller and his multi-talented ensemble. $40/$105 for dinner and late show, jazzaspensnowmass.org
Opening Reception: Say It
5–7 p.m., The Art Base, Basalt
Meet artist Trace Nichols and dive into her interactive exhibition of photographs. Free, theartbase.org
Escape Sherlock's Library
5–7 p.m., Basalt Regional Library
Designed for those 18 years old and above, this Game Time is a prime opportunity to test your clue deducing skills. Free, basaltlibrary.org
Sundown at the Sundeck
5–8:30 p.m., Sundeck, Aspen Mountain
Simply stay at the Sundeck after your ski day comes to an end or buy a foot pass to ride Silver Queen Gondola back to the top for an evening of s'mores, live music, food for purchase, and drink specials. $10 foot pass, aspensnowmass.com
Ullr Night
5–9 p.m., Elk Camp Restaurant and Meadows, Snowmass
Honor Ullr, the Norse god of snow, at this weekly winter wonderland party, complete with an à la carte dinner at Elk Camp, free ice skating, free snowshoe tours with an ACES naturalist, free mini bikes for younger kids, snowbike tours, a bonfire, live music, lift-served tubing, and rides on the Breathtaker Alpine Coaster. Reservations suggested. $10 gondola pass/$54 activity pass/$75 snowbike tour, aspensnowmass.com
Margaret Kilgallen, Untitled, ca. 2000 Acrylic on paper. Courtesy the Estate of Margaret Kilgallen and Ratio 3, San Francisco
Image: Courtesy: Aspen Art Museum
Opening Reception
5:30 p.m., Aspen Art Museum
Enjoy the opening of two exhibits, Margaret Kilgallen’s that’s where the beauty is and Nina Katchadourian’s Twitchers and Cheaters, complete with a walk through with Senior Curator Courtenay Finn, free wine and beer, snacks, music, and an art-making activity. Free, aspenartmuseum.org
Retro Film Series: Decades of Skiing Aspen/Snowmass
5:30 – 6:45 p.m., Limelight Hotel Aspen
This community series features four decades of vintage films from the Aspen Historical Society collection. The showings for Friday include two films from the 1940's: Aspen Before Lifts and Until We Meet in Aspen. $10 suggested donation, aspenhistory.org
Reception Party: In The Year 2525
6–8 p.m., Carbondale Clay Center
This collaborative exhibit of works by Valley residents Annette and Andrew Roberts-Gray will run through January 25. Free, carbondaleclay.org
Popovich Comedy Pet Theatre
6:30 p.m., Wheeler Opera House
Popovich is a fifth generation circus performer who has rescued many of his four-legged performers from shelters all over the country. The show is a European-style circus extravaganza including juggling, acrobats from the Moscow Circus, dogs, cats, and physical comedy. $25 adults GA/$17 children GA, wheeleroperahouse.com
Local thespians and musicians take to the stage this weekend for the production of Newsies.
Image: Courtesy: Theatre Aspen
Newsies
7 p.m., Aspen District Theater
Based on the Disney Film written by Bob Tzudiker and Noni White, this broadway musical, presented by Theatre Aspen's Winter Conservatory, features popular songs through telling the story of a band of newsboys. $12 students/$25 adults, theatreaspen.org
Sammy Miller and the Congregation
7 & 9:15 p.m., JAS Café–Downstairs @the Nell
Get ready for an evening of "joyful jazz" with Grammy-nominated and Julliard-trained Sammy Miller and his multi-talented ensemble. $105 for dinner and early show/$40 for late show, jazzaspensnowmass.org
Los Mocochetes
8 p.m., The Temporary, Basalt
Come party with this seven-piece Chicano Funk band and their, socio/politically charged song lyrics, catchy melodies, and energetic stage presence. $13 for members/$15 in advance/$19 day of the show, tacaw.org
An Evening with The Motet
9:30 p.m., Belly Up Aspen
This popular Denver-based seven-member band, fuses fiery funk, simmering soul, and improvisational inventiveness. $35 advance GA/$40 day of GA/$55 reserved, bellyupaspen.com
Saturday, January 12
Aspen Parkrun
8 a.m., Aspen Golf Course (southwest corner near the tennis courts)
Every Saturday, the Aspen Recreation department hosts weekly 5K timed runs. Now at a new location, the Parkrun is on a more user-friendly (read: flatter) course consisting entirely of concrete paths that are cleared of ice and snow throughout the winter. Parkrun is an international movement that encourages communities to sponsor free runs open to all. Free, parkrun.us/aspen
North Star Nature Preserve with Ski Ranger
9–11 a.m., South Gate
Pitkin County Open Space Ranger Rick Norman will offer info on North Star's history, geology, and ecology. Free, email [email protected] to register
Make: Family Workshop
10 a.m., Aspen Art Museum
Come with your family to explore the galleries and create works of art of your own. This week's workshop theme is Art Beats. Free, aspenartmuseum.org
CrafterDay
10 a.m.–2 p.m., Basalt Regional Library
Drop in for a fun craft project. Free, basaltlibrary.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.org
Newsies
2 & 7 p.m., Aspen District Theater
Based on the Disney Film written by Bob Tzudiker and Noni White, this broadway musical, presented by Theatre Aspen's Winter Conservatory, features popular songs through telling the story of a band of newsboys. $12 students/$25 adults, theatreaspen.org
New Year Salon Curated by Alya Howe
7 p.m., The Launchpad, Carbondale
The first Salon of 2019 features music, spoken word, dance, and multimedia works, including recent USA tango champions Cindy Giannini and Sean Ericson and award winning author and journalist Jon Waterman. $23.14, eventbrite.com
Library Cinema: Burning
7:30 p.m., Pitkin County Library
This mystery/drama was South Korea's submission for the Academy Awards Foreign Film category. $10 (includes free popcorn while supplies last), pitcolib.org
Liz Vice is bringing her soulful sound to the Wheeler Opera House on Saturday night.
Liz Vice
7:30 p.m., Wheeler Opera House
This gospel, soul, and R&B artist has performed with artists such as Joss Stone, Blind Boys of Alabama, Boz Scaggs, The Temptations, and Lake Street Dive, among others. $15/Free for Wheeler Wins members, wheeleroperahouse.com
Comedian Shane Torres
8 p.m., The Temporary, Basalt
While you may have caught him on Conan, Comedy Central, IFC's Comedy Bang Bang, or NBC's Last Comic Standing, this is your chance to see this rising star of a stand-up comedian in an intimate venue. $19 members/$25 in advance/$29 day of show/$125 VIP table for four with a bottle of wine, tacaw.org
Black Pistol Fire
9;30 p.m., Belly Up Aspen
This high-energy rock duo, who takes inspiration from acts like Led Zepplin, Nirvana, Chucky Berry, and Muddy Waters, is based out of Austin, Texas. $25 GA/$45 reserved, bellyupaspen.com
Sunday, January 13
Aspen Gay Ski Week
January 13–20, Aspen
For more than 40 years, one of skiing’s premier LGBT events has infused the town and slopes with infectious energy. Today marks the beginning of a packed schedule of friendship dinners, ski days, après-ski gatherings, late-night dance parties, benefits, and, of course, the infamous Downhill Drag Costume Competition and Party on Aspen Mountain’s Little Nell run (Jan 18) makes the week one heck of a celebration. But it’s not just fun and games: a beneficiary is the grant-making Roaring Fork Gay and Lesbian Community Fund. Passes from $375, gayskiweek.com
Cross Country Ski Extravaganza
10 a.m.–2 p.m., Aspen Cross Country Center
Learn all about Nordic Skiing with free instruction, equipment demo's, and a celebration of Nordic Skiing in the Roaring Fork Valley. Free, aspenrecreation.com
Newsies
2 p.m., Aspen District Theater
Based on the Disney Film written by Bob Tzudiker and Noni White, this broadway musical, presented by Theatre Aspen's Winter Conservatory, features popular songs through telling the story of a band of newsboys. $12 students/$25 adults, theatreaspen.org
Library Cinema: Burning
4 & 7:30 p.m., Pitkin County Library
This mystery/drama was South Korea's submission for the Academy Awards Foreign Film category. $10 (includes free popcorn while supplies last), pitcolib.org
The Earls of Leicester are stopping in Aspen as part of the tour for their new live album.
The Earls of Leicester
7:30 p.m., Wheeler Opera House
Formed five years ago in Nashville to spread the music of bluegrass legends Earl Scruggs and Lester Flatt, this six-piece ensemble has already won a Grammy for best bluegrass album and drawn in a new generation of pickin’-and-strummin’ fans. $45, wheeleroperahouse.com
Desert Dwellers
9 p.m., Belly Up Aspen
This EDM duo began their music careers in the deserts of California and New Mexico before connecting through the Moontribe scene. $10 GA, bellyupaspen.com
