Colorado is unofficially the most amazing state there is – one that is generally known for its epic winters. With 26 ski and snowboard areas in the state it’s no wonder people flock here to vacation during the winter months. The mountains are huge, temperatures are mild and not to mention, Colorado people are downright awesome. But, winter is not all that Colorado has to offer.
Ask a Colorado local about what it’s like here in the summer and you’ll likely get an earful. This state comes alive! From the natural beauty to the adventures to the landscape, you just can’t help but dedicate yourself to new hobbies and challenges; they just come with the terrain. Up in the higher elevations, the hills become crowded with mountain bikers, backpackers, fishers, rafters, hikers, campers, concerts and everything else that comes to mind when you think of the great outdoors.
In recent years, resort markets like Vail and Aspen have invested heavily in marketing their resort as a summer destination. With that has spurred a lot of development in special events and infrastructure to support these destination drivers. From participatory sporting events to those focused on culture and the arts, there is something here for everyone. Check out some the signature events happening throughout Colorado ski towns in the summer of 2012!
Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival – June 25 – August 4th 2012
Food and Wine Classic in Aspen – June 15-17, 2012
Telluride Bluegrass Festival – June 21-24, 2012
Teva Mountain Games Vail – May 31 – June 3, 2012
Breckenridge Kingdom Days – June 18-19, 2012
Warrior Dash at Copper Mountain – August 18 – 19, 2012
Check out this short teaser of Colorado in the summer, presented by Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals.
Really, I could go on for days about the amazing things possible during a Colorado summer. However, I think it best that you come experience what it’s like for yourself. Give one of our Friendly. Knowledgeable. Locals. at Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals a call today to plan your summer vacation to Colorado!
This year is the 37th Anniversary of the Annual Telluride Film Festival, which is held every year during Labor Day weekend. As if the town of Telluride didn’t already have enough attraction due to its beautiful surrounding peaks, outdoor activities, and rich history, the annual film festival draws a crowd every year filled with avid film lovers from around the world. However, like every other year, the itinerary of the films and guests themselves is not revealed until the festival actually begins, leaving an air of suspense for guests.
Each year’s festival consists of a variety of films, ranging from old classics to brand new premieres in the film industry. Each festival also features a wide variety of seminars and discussions with guest speakers from around the world and some of the industry’s most respected actors and film makers. But, these features are not the only things that make the festival such a unique experience. The location of each film and activities during the festival also draw people to the festival.
Going back into the early history of Telluride, one of the places this festival is held is the old Nugget Theatre. This theater is located inside the Old First National Bank Building, built in 1892 by James Murdoch. The theater is located right on Main Street of Telluride, and has all of the look and feel necessary to make you feel like you’re right back in old time Telluride.
Films will also be shown in the historic Sheridan Opera House, which has a bit of history all to itself. Given the rich mining history of the town of Telluride, this theater was built in 1913 by none other than the miners themselves. The opera house is small, housing just 240 people, adding to the quaint and intimate feel of the theater during showings and events. The theater was designed by the miners to host orchestras and touring theater companies as a form of entertainment in the town. Being able to witness modern films in such a historic place and venue is truly a unique experience not to be missed.
For those looking for something a bit more modern, some of the events for this year’s festival will also be held in the Michael D. Palm Theatre. This is, to put it simply, a state of the art theater. The 30,000 square foot theater features dual film projectors, a digital projector, surround sound, nearly 300 lighting options, and much more. The theater opened in 2004, and also features a full stage with a Steinway Grand piano, and occasionally hosts Broadway style performances. These are just a few of the many venues being featured during this year’s Telluride Film Festival, occurring September 2nd through September 5th.
This year’s festival is filling up fast, so buy your tickets and reserve lodging today! Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals offers many different Telluride lodging options designed to suit any and all needs during your stay. We can help you find nanny services for the kids, offer grocery delivery services, private shuttle services to and from the airport, and so much more! Contact one of our Friendly. Knowledgeable. Locals. ® today to find out how we can help you build a customized vacation in Telluride for your stay during this year’s Film Festival!
Breckenridge has got the Spring Fever and it’s starting this Friday! The 2011 Spring Fever festival, presented by Cadillac, will take place April 1-24, 2011. Spring Fever will take place at Breckenridge Ski Resort as the town and mountain welcome visitors to one of the best times of the year for skiing, riding, and exciting events. Spring in Breck is widely known for having the best snow in Colorado, along with sunny bluebird days, special events, and great deals for guests. What better way to send off this year’s incredible ski season than with Breck Spring Fever?
Special events include free concerts, poker tournaments, EpixMixers, restaurant specials, ski tours, BBQs, ski and snowboard camps, races, extended park hours, sidewalk sales, Breck Spring Beer Festival, Imperial Challenge, Après Ski Bar Crawl, Mascot Olympics, World’s Highest Torchlight Parade, Weekend-Long Easter Egg Hunt and MUCH more!
Bud Light Concert Series: 3 – 5pm
Saturday, April 2- The Flobots
Sunday, April 3- Cornmeal
Saturday, April 9- The Wailers
Sunday, April 10- Ozomatli
Saturday, April 16- Moe.
Sunday, April 17- DeVotchKa
“After Fever” Riverwalk Concert: 5:30 – 7pm
Saturday, April 2- Platinum Rockstars
Friday, April 15- Moses Jones
The snow is plentiful and the deals are great! Call one of our Friendly. Knowledgeable. Locals. ® in Breckenridge at 1-855-277-7794 to learn about how you can save up to 40% on lodging while enjoying Breck’s Spring Fever Festival!
Savoy rocking out in the Groove Tent with an awesome laser show
Last weekend thousands of excited ragers flooded to Avon, Colorado for the first (and hopefully annual) Snowball Music Festival. Although the ice, mud, and puddles made it somewhat hard to move from stage to stage, I don’t think that stopped anyone from having a great time! The festival certainly held true to its tagline- Music. Adventure. Party. The masses came out decked in onesies, glitter, animal suits, glowsticks, Charlie Sheen masks, hoolahoops and basically anything else you can imagine. Pretty Lights threw down an amazing set to headline the first night and got everyone pumped up for an amazing weekend!
Saturday was filled with high energy performances that made everyone forget it was less than 20 degrees outside, starting off with Colorado’s own, Big Gigantic. Paper Diamond played in the groove tent which was overflowing with people trying get down with Alex B. In my opinion, he probably should have been given the main stage where Local Natives were playing a very mellow, but enjoyable show. From there Classix, Lotus, and Savoy (with the coolest laser show I have ever seen) all rocked it out and Bassnectar closed down the show with an epic performance, as usual! The only bad part about Snowball was that it had to end at 10 pm, but that did not mean the party was over! Practically every bar in town had after parties with different musical guests. It was hard to choose which ones to go to, but I definitely had an amazing time seeing Big G late night at Agave!
Our ad in the Snowball Music Festival Schedule
Sunday was another great day of music. I had to get to the festival pretty early to represent MPLS when Brother Ali took the main stage at 2pm. It was nice to hear some hip hop after a really electric Saturday night and Brother Ali put on a great show complete with a long freestyle rap after forgetting some of his lyrics. Afro Man took the groove tent stage with a forty in hand and also forgot a few of his lyrics… (I wonder why…) but still busted out a great show with some of the classics we haven’t heard in years! After that I saw a little bit of Miami Horror then headed back to the groove tent to warm-up my toes and secure a spot for my favorite band to dance to, EOTO. Flaming Lips closed the night with a somewhat lackluster performance. I think the lasers shining off the disco ball and the giant balloons were better received than the music. It could have been due to everyone being danced out for the weekend or the fact that front man Wayne Coyne was clearly not on his ‘A’ game. Regardless, it was nice to hear Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots while snow was dumping over the mud and ice fields which is now Nottingham Park. Lucky for me, the night wasn’t over until Alex B. (Paper Diamond) and Dominic Lalli (Saxaphonist of Big Gigantic) were done throwing down an amazing collaboration at Agave!
All in all, The Snowball Music Festival was a great success! They should probably use some bigger tents next year but aside from that, everything seemed to have worked out really well. It was exciting to be a part of the first year and I hope it continues on for many more to come! If you were there this year, I’m sure you’ll be back and if not, it’s definitely worth checking out! Visit RockyMountainVacationRentals.com to have a Friendly.Knowledgeable.Local (who was most likely at Snowball) find the perfect lodging for you!
I love living in the mountains for several reasons – the open space, the pretty landscape, the way people are easy-going, and how there is always so much to do! When the winter winds down and the snow starts to disappear up here in the Rockies, many summer events are already lined up for us all to engage in and enjoy. Among these, one of the top independent Film Festivals will be taking place in June, just down the road from Vail in Breckenridge.
This year will be the 31st annual Breckenridge Film Festival, featuring around 51 independent drama, comedy, spiritual, and documentary films. Additionally, the festival highlights a GLBT Film Series, showcasing diverse subject matter representative of the films’ creators, as well as presenting the audience with meaningful artistic perspective.
Breckenridge is a unique mountain town that offers quirkiness, character, natural beauty, and a youthful vibe. It is rather appropriate that the town of Breck has been a proud host of the indie film fest for so many years. In an article published last year in the Denver publication Westword, writer Amber Taufen stated “the Breckenridge Film Festival is an anomaly. The fest has managed to retain a truly indie vibe throughout its thirty years of existence.”
Now being the 31st celebration of innovation, art, culture, and perspective, the festival should continue to impress this upcoming June. Taking place on the 9th through the 12th, early summer weather in Colorado will permit a truly enjoyable environment for the series. The event is hosted by renowned Film Critic Jeffrey Lyons, and his son Ben Lyons, E!’s own entertainment journalist.
You’ve heard it by many – people come to Colorado for the winter, and stick around Colorado for the summer. Come see what summer in the Rockies is all about, while indulging in the culture of independent film here in Breckenridge. Ticket info. for the event can be found here, and be sure to check out our lodging options for a comfortable stay.
March 1st is quickly approaching and my mind is slowly filling with thoughts of spring. Melting snow, blooming flowers, less clothing, and warmer weather. Overall, I’m going to have to start thinking about how I’m going to loose this holiday weight. What better way than to start training for the Aspen Cycling Festival? Taking place this year on May 20-22, the festival is a combination of two popular events, Ride for the Pass and the Aspen Cycling Criterium. With exciting new additions this year such as special lodging rates, Sundog Athletics Criterium skills clinic, kids races/activities and over $7000.00 in cash prizes, the weekend is perfect for any cycling enthusiasts and their family.
If you’re looking for an endurance challenge, Ride for the Pass will definitely be that. The course spans over 10 miles and gains approximately 2,500 feet of elevation from 8,500 feet to 11,100 feet. Not only will this event help me shed those unwanted pounds, but it also allows me to fulfill my new years resolution to be more charitable. Ride for the Pass is a charity bike race to benefit the Independence Pass Foundation. Day two of the festival is the Aspen Cycling Criterium. Sure to get your heart pumping, athletes race around the heart of downtown Aspen at average speeds of 28mph and higher. The track spans .9 miles and is full of sharp curves to keep you on your toes.
So, if you’re new years goals are anything like mine, or if you’re just looking for a challenge this spring, head to Aspen for the Aspen Cycling Festival. Registration for the event doesn’t begin for another couple weeks, but it’s never too early to start training. Be sure to contact Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals for your lodging needs.
Come to Telluride this summer to experience all the festivals, mountains and beautiful scenery. If pairing the beauty of mountains with the indulgence of fine wines interest you then you will be sure to enjoy the 2011 Telluride Wine Festival. This is just one of the unique festivals Telluride has to offer this summer. The wine festival takes place on June 23rd-26th.
Telluride Wine Festival
This year there will be more chefs, more experts, more wine, and more cocktails than ever! This is an event you cannot miss! New to the festival this year will be Chef and Food Network Star Aaron Sanchez, Chef and Author John Sedlar and Chef Sue Torres, as well as Wine/Spirits experts F. Paul Pacult and Andrea Robinson, MS. Returning favorites Doug Frost MS, MW; Steve Olson, Greg Harrington, MS; and Andy Seymour will also be part of the all star lineup, as well as many others!
The Wine Festival has amazing food, great music, and fabulous wines from across the country. You will not be bored with all the nonstop entertainment! Make sure you don’t miss out on this weekend! Contact your Friendly, Knowledgeable, Locals at Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals for your lodging information.
The Snow Ball Music Festival has the powers of impressing me every day. It must be some magic wizard. Announcing artists daily keeps me intrigued, as if Bassnectar and Pretty Lights weren’t enough. The way the acts are being announced I think its genius and accidental, but all good things happen for a reason. I keep going to the website and social networks everyday to check on updates waiting for my mind to be blown, and they are doing a great job. As acts are still being signed, it is exciting to watch this wonderful idea grow daily.
On January 13, I was impressed again with the announcement of Brother Ali to the concert poster along with a few other announcements and the growth of free spaces on the poster! I saw Brother Ali opening for Bassnectar earlier this year, so it’s great to see them together again at the same festival. Brother Ali must enjoy the dance music. More spaces mean more acts and I thought 29 was a large amount, but now there are 44 spots on the line-up. With the addition of Brother Ali to the Snow Ball, I expect to see another act added to the line-up – Mimosa. He opened for Pretty Lights at Red Rocks this summer, and I recently saw him play a great show at Agave in Avon. I would love to see him again especially in a festival atmosphere.
I only have one problem with this: the third headliner. Who will it be? I have been waiting eagerly and I don’t want to wait anymore. I have heard rumors that DeadMau5 might be playing at the Snow Ball, but would he be the third headliner? I for one wouldn’t want that, but seems to be a good fit. I think the third headliner shouldn’t be electronic – a lot of genres are coming to the Snow Ball, and it would be healthy to have some diversity. I’d like to see a hip-hop act, like Atmosphere or maybe something old school. Whoever it may be, I’m sure everyone will be stoked regardless of who it is. I can’t wait to see.
If you are planning on attending the Snow Ball Music Festival contact Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals for your lodging needs.
My other Snow Ball Blogs:
The Snow Ball Music Festival Continues to Excite!
The first annual SnowBall Music Festival has been filling their line-up quickly throughout the holiday season and continues to do so. As of now there has been 14 spots filled with great talent, and there are a total of 29 spots according to the festival’s poster that seems to be updated daily. The poster started with only two acts, Bassnectar and Pretty Lights, which created so much excitement throughout the music community they started to nickname this festival Snowchella comparing it to the number one ranked festival in the world, Coachella. Being associated with Coachella is a huge praise especially when only two acts have been revealed at the time.
Today the poster lists 16 acts which are; Bassnectar, Pretty Lights, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zero’s, Local Natives, Diplo, Big Gigantic, Portugal The Man, Classixx, 12th Planet, Miami Horror, Mansions on the Moon, Baths, Superhumanoids, Bonfire Dub, Twin Shadow, and Portor Robinson. I am sure there will be an addition tomorrow. I enjoy how this is being done; it is a lot of fun to follow and exciting when you see a personal favorite band on the poster. I have experienced this multiple times already and again this week when I saw Portugal the Man.
Portugal The Man was rumored to play at The SnowBall in the beginning but was not official until January 4th when they were added to the SnowBall poster. This band consists of four members; John Gourley, Jason Sechrist, Ryan Neighbors, and Zachary Carothers. Portugal the Man started as a side project for lead vocalist John Gourley with Carothers playing bass using drum machines for their supporting beat. The band has grown in many directions, one move was signing with Atlantic Records in 2010 after being with multiple labels previous to Atlantic. I missed Portugal The Man last time they came to Colorado in November, but I sure won’t miss them at the SnowBall Music Festival that can’t come soon enough.
For those planning on coming to The SnowBall in March make sure to purchase your tickets and lodging before it is too late. Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals have many great lodging options for this epic music festival. Give your Friendly Knowledgeable Locals a call at 1-877-422-0449. Hint: Ask to be near Nottingham Lake.
The SnowBall Music Festival debuting in Avon, Colorado March 4-6, 2010 is going to be EPIC. Event producers are really building up the anticipation by releasing a new artist set to preform every day. I catch myself checking the SnowBall facebook fan page way too often for updates. I have my fingers crossed that soon we’ll see some of the bands added that are being requested over and over again by fans such as Boombox, Ghostland, Emancipator, Disco Biscuits, the New Deal and the list goes on. So far the SnowBall Music Festival has announced the following artists set to rock the stage at Nottingham Park in Avon this March.
Pretty Lights
Bassnectar
Classixx
Big Gigantic
Local Natives
Baths
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Miami Horror
Mansions on the Moon
DIPLO
Superhumanoids
Bonfire Dub
12th Planet
Portugal. The Man
If you plan on attending this sick festival, you best pick up your tickets now before the price jumps up. Early Bird Passes are on sale now, so get them while they’re hot! See you at the show. For your festival lodging needs contact Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals today!
The last week there has been a lot going on in this amazing state of Colorado and much planned for the winter. In Denver this weekend, there were several great concerts and the Annual Zombie Crawl. In the High Rockies, two ski resorts opened and snow has finally greeted us!
I attended two concerts this weekend, each of which were incredible; the BassNectar show at First Bank Center and the first Gorillaz World Tour at the Wells Fargo Theatre. The Gorillaz have only performed in the U.S. a very few times before their world tour, and as a huge fan, I could not miss Damon Albarn (mastermind of the Gorillaz) in Colorado. My year was made when I was able to tell Damon of my appreciation of his music and my favorite album Mali Music. BassNectar was incredible, playing a two and a half hour set, blowing the walls of the First Bank Center.
The Denver Annual Zombie Crawl Broke The Record For Most Zombies This Year!
If you found yourself on the 16th Street Mall on Saturday October 23rd you might have been petrified by the walking dead. The Annual Zombie Crawl happens in the Streets of Denver every year before Halloween to celebrate this great time. This year, the Denver Zombie Crawl broke a World Record of most registered zombies in the streets at 7,300, shattering the previous record held by Seattle. Now that’s a lot of Zombies!
Leaving Vail early Saturday morning, I was greeted with dead stopped traffic. Usually, I would be stressed, but this time, there was a wonderful reason: tons of snowfall. Thankfully, I have a Jeep and made it safely to Denver. It continued to snow all weekend to help allow Loveland and Arapahoe Basin ski resorts open. Opening weekends for other resorts are coming soon; Copper: November 5th, Keystone: November 5th, Breckenridge: November 12th, Vail: November 19th, Beaver Creek: November 24th, Ajax: November 25th, and Telluride: November 25th.
If you are planning to visit Denver or the High Rockies, plan your trip through Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals, your Friendly Knowledgeable Locals.
This weekend, the highly anticipated Fourmile Canyon Benefit Concert was enjoyed by 6,500 people. Not only did this concert have an insanely epic line-up, but it also benefited a great cause. The show was put on to raise money for those affected by the Fourmile Canyon Fire which destroyed acres of nearby Colorado land and hundreds of homes just a couple of months ago. The benefit was able to raise over $300,000 in relief funds, with more looking to come in after the weekend.
We were lucky enough to snag a picture with Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon between sets!
The weekend started with two of my friends and I heading from Vail to Ft. Collins. There, I reunited with some great friends who made the trip out to Colorado from Minnesota for the concert. We warmed up our bluegrass dancing with a night of Cornmeal at the Aggie Theater. The next day we headed to Broomfield and rested up for the big night at the 1st bank center. The parking lot was raging outside the concert and we joined in the fun for a bit before excitedly entering the venue.
With no idea what the set list order would be, we anxiously entered the venue to be greeted by Leftover Salmon. During the set, Keith Mosely from String Cheese stepped in on the bass to soon be joined by his bandmate Bill Nershi and Phish’s Keyboardist, Page McConnel. This was just the beginning of all the epic guest appearances and it was only 7pm! Shortly after Leftover Salmon, Yonder Mountain String Band took the stage for a raging set of Bluegrass. Phish’s Jon Fishman took a seat at the drums halfway through the set and Mandolin player, Jeff Austin thanked the crowd for their support to help the fire victims.
Next up was Big Head Todd & The Monsters. I’d never seen this band before but I’ll make sure to see them again. During their set, Vince Herman from Leftover Salmon passed us by and I snapped a quick pic. Unfortunately my camera was a wee bit zoomed in but Vince had no time for another photo, as we were soon to find out him and the rest of Leftover Salmon were heading up to the stage to join Big Head Todd & The Monsters to cover the Grateful Dead’s, ‘Friend of the Devil’.
Up next was an acoustic set by Trey Anastasio and Mike Gordon from Phish who played some Phish favorites including ‘Back On the Train,’ ‘Water in the Sky,’ ‘Train Song’, ‘Sample in a Jar’, ‘Waste’, and ‘Possum’. Before leaving the stage, the duo turned the attention to all the firefighters in the audience and the entire crowd turned to applaud their heroic efforts with deafening roars of cheering, more than any band was to receive throughout the night.
As if their hadn’t been enough amazing music already, the String Cheese Incident took the stage to close out the show. Trey Anastasio joined the set early on, taking lead vocals as the band covered Joe Walsh’s ‘Rocky Mountain Way’. From there on out, all sorts of the evenings musicians were brought onto the stage, their set list also including ‘Round the Wheel,’ ‘Sitting on Top of the World’ and a cover of the Grateful Dead’s ‘I Know You Rider.’ By the time of the group encore, Bob Marley’s ‘One Love’ was performed by no less than 15 people, forming an epic jam-band I like to call the Big Leftover Cheese Mountain Band.
Overall, the show was a great success. The music was unbelievable and tons of money was raised for the Relief Fund. The devastating fire cost $4 million to fight and is estimated to have caused over $160 million in property damage. To donate to the relief fund head to CommFound.org or KBCO.com. You can also text a pledge to 303-720-7292.
In celebration of 151 years since Breckenridge was founded, the town will be featuring distilleries from across Colorado, artisan spirit seminars, and fine local cuisine in Breck’s annual “Craft Distiller’s Still on the Hill Festival.” The festival looks back to the early years of Breckenridge, highlighting some history of the Prohibition, a poker run, and restaurant specials for $18.59, homage to the founding year of Breckenridge.
The dining for $18.59 special lasts from October 8th to the 16th at select local restaurants, and the weekend of the 15th and 16th will be when the additional festivities take place. On Friday, the 15th at 4:00, you can get your free passbook at the Gold Pan Saloon and hop around town for the Pub Crawl and Poker Run. Put on your best poker face, and you can score a chance to win some of Colorado’s local crafted artisan spirits. The best five-card poker hands will be in the running for some authentic booze.
Saturday, hit up the Poker Showdown at Breckenridge Distillery from 1-3 p.m. It’s free to attend, but make sure you bring your poker hand from the night before. The top three poker hands will be awarded prizes, and cocktails will be awarded to all participating, as well as tours of the distillery. Any ties will be settled with a high card showdown on the barrel head.
The tasting of spirits, of course, will continue on later Saturday. From 4-6 p.m., The Beaver Run Resort will host Still on the Hill Tasting, where Colorado’s distilleries will present sprits as an informal, walk-around event. It is $10 at the door to get a taste of all the delightful spirits.
So, with 151 years of celebrating Breckenridge, remembering the early years of Prohibition, and indulging in local spirits while saving on lodging for the Fall season, make a weekend of getting up to Breck. Check out lodging deals with Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals, and talk to one of our local sales agents at 1-888-364-7596. Bottoms up!
If you are looking for a relaxing autumn getaway with classic, artful music, you might want to consider Park City, Utah, and their Autumn Classics Music Festival that is going on this weekend through October 11th. The autumn series is a project of the Park City Chamber Music Society and an added component of the Park City Music Festival, which was founded in 1984.
The festival will feature various classical pieces by composers such as Robert Shulman, Alexander Glazunov, Antonin Dvorak, Maurice Ravel, Joaquin Turine, and Bela Bartok. These pieces will highlight the classic sounds of autumn with instruments like clarinet, piano, and string quartets. Taking place in the intimate settings of Park City Community Church and the Temple Har Shalom, professional soloists will have the opportunity to perform for casual spectators. The concerts should provide classic sound that compliments the serene and peaceful setting of Utah in the fall. For advice on scenic drives while you’re in the area, check out this site.
This Saturday, the concert begins at 8 p.m. at the Park City Community Church near the Canyons Resort, and a Sunday concert will follow at 3 p.m. at the Temple Har Shalom. The following weekend will continue with the concert series, taking place at the same locations at the same time. Tickets for regular admission are $20, $15 for students and seniors (62+). Tickets are for general seating, fully exchangeable, and unused tickets can be carried over to the next festival. Get some local food while you’re out there, and check out some of our dining suggestions.
In addition to these weekend concerts, a “Musical Evening by the River” will take place at the home of locals Joan and Duane Townsend in Midway, where there will be plenty of refreshments. Donations starting at $50 are suggested. The House Concert will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, October 11th. More information can be found in this article.
If you are in need of a relaxing getaway while the fall colors are vibrant and the air is crisp, take a trip out to Park City and allow classical music to soothe your mind. The next concert series, The Winter Classics Music Festival, will be at the start of January, and will take place in private homes within the area. Call Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals at 1-888-866-2305, and relax for a weekend away from home.
One of the great things about Vail is a consistent presence of music. Last night, a handful of my co-workers and I got down on the dance floor, jamming out to the local Colorado band, Frogs Gone Fishin. Due to losing about $3,000 worth of equipment after their van was broken into in Denver, the band put on a show at Samana Lounge, costing no more than a suggested $5 to help them get back on their feet.
I haven’t danced like that in a while. Frogs Gone Fishin plays music that I personally would call “jammy-funky.” The guys – Trevor, Andrew, Mark, and Steve – originally started to play music in middle school and high school together outside of Denver, and since graduating from different colleges in 2008, they have continued to kill it in venues around Colorado and beyond. Vail is one place that they continue to come back to.
One of the Vail free concert series that Frogs Gone Fishin performed at was Hot Summer Nights in 2009. That same summer, the band organized an event “Mardi Gras on the Rocks,” which was a day festival at Red Rocks, featuring jazz and brass musicians like Dr. John, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, and Dirty Dozen Brass Band to name a few. I went to Tulane like Trevor (hence the New Orleans inspiration), and I was at Mardi Gras on the Rocks. It was a pretty impressive event. I didn’t make it to their Hot Summer Nights show in Vail last year, but according to this article posted in the Vail Daily last October, the band’s free show in Vail was a close rival to the fully-lined up New Orleans music festival that they hosted.
In addition to the Underground Sound Concert Series going on now at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek, more concert series are to come in Vail – and more of them will be free. With Street Beat Concert Series, Snowdaze, and CarniVail coming up this winter, there will be plenty of awesome live music to go around.
Start making your ski vacation plans, and take part in the free shows that are always going on in Vail. Book your lodging with Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals, and get all the scoop you need from our live agents that know this scene from the inside out! Call 1-888-866-2305.
As this Monday approaches, Vail Restaurant Month begins with “Market to Table” week. Adding to the info posted a week ago, here is more on Vail Restaurant Month: The week of September 27th to October 3rd is themed “Health, Wellness, & Outdoors Week.” Being a strong supporter of delicious, healthy, AND sustainable dining, I can appreciate the all of the events that will be taking place.
In addition to the daily special at Sapphire Restaurant with a new Grand Marnier cocktail each night, Health, Wellness & Outdoors Week kicks off with Sweet Basil’s hosting of “Make the Sustainable Menu Choice.” Executive Chef Paul Anders will feature healthy fish options farm raised locally in a clean, efficient manner. Though farm raised fish has been given a bad stigma, the featured menu will demonstrate how, when produced the right way, local and farm raised fish are healthy and environmentally safe. There will be a $39 prix fixe menu available.
If you’re interested in being further educated on eating seafood sustainably, Chef Paul Anders will be doing a walk-through on the basics of butchering and preparing fish at home. Dedicated to green initiatives, Anders will share information on sustainable and environmental responsibility – while instructing how to filet a fish with your own hands. This will take place before the fixed menu at Sweet Basil, from 5:30-7 pm on September 27th, and on October 1st as well.
At Terra Bistro, Executive Chef Kevin Nelson will present a Gourmet Nutrition Class at the Vail Mountain Lodge. With a combination of the chef’s knowledge on nutrition and experienced taste with flavor, the class will be an informative presentation on creating delicious food that does the body good. There is a class size limit of 25, so make sure to sign up soon if interested! It will be from 12:00 to 2 p.m. “Colorado Wild Mushroom Dinner” will also take place Monday at La Tour, featuring a three course meal with the hearty ingredients of local and wild mushrooms. Rich in polyphenols, antioxidants, and Vitamins D, B, and C, the dinner will be a pleasant exposure to more local healthy resources. Chef Paul Ferzacca will be preparing the menu, fixed at $39.
Kids will also get to participate in the week’s celebration of food and health, while getting their hands a little dirty. On Wednesday, September 29th, Vail Restaurant Month and Vail Resorts will collaborate with Eagle County School District and host “Little Foodies in the Kitchen: ‘Winners and Dinners.’” Fifth grade winners from a cooking competition will assist a different chef each week to prepare a healthy meal. The participating restaurants include the Mariott, Cucina, and Tavern on the Square, and following cooking session, the movies Ratatouille and No Reservations will be shown in hotel ballrooms from 6-9 pm.
Back on the topic of fish, Gore Creek Flyfisherman is hosting a seminar on Thursday, September 30th to October 3rd from 10:30am to 1pm daily. A special menu will follow, and the extra special promo of $50 off any half day wade or float trip, or $75 off any full day will be offered. Friday, the seminar “Essentials for Happy Hiking” will take place at Patagonia, where Vail Mountain Rescue will present for about 30 minutes, followed by Q&A. Following the presentations and seminar, all will be welcomed to Blue Moose Pizza, sweet deals of $4 /slice + soda, or $5/ slice + beer!
Weekend specials include “Dine and Unwind” at Wildflower, “Extreme Dining” at Restaurant Kelly Liken, a host dinner with NY Times writer and author of “Recipes for Health,” Martha Rose Shulman, and a bicycling and running event featuring Michelob Ultra to wrap up events on Sunday. You can get more information on restaurant month from their website.
If you plan to pass through the Vail Valley for Health, Wellness, & Outdoors week, book your lodging with Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals, and allow us complete your vacation plans with a comfortable home to return to. Stay posted on more details regarding Vail Restaurant Month during the colorful fall season, and call us at 1-888-866-2305!
This post was brought to you by Nika, a part of the Business Development Team, focusing on Public Relations. Her work mainly entails writing the press releases, establishing media contacts, reaching out to the community, and devising a PR plan for the upcoming year. Nika enjoys traveling anywhere, but can’t get enough of the open space that Colorado has to offer. A New England native and Tulane grad, Nika ended up in Boulder, CO for a change of pace and has since fallen for the free spirit, natural beauty, and clean air. In her free time, she enjoys getting lost outdoors, making quirky earrings out of broken jewelry, cooking vegetarian meals, and looks forward to another ski season. Nika is passionate about discovering new places and culture, and would use the word “mischevious” to describe herself, because she is curious, eager, and sometimes sneaky. Nika graduated from Tulane University, with a degree in French and Communication.
If you missed out on Oktoberfest at Beaver Creek last week, fear not: there are still TWO MORE opportunities to get your oom-pah-pah on in the Vail Valley area. This weekend, festivities are scheduled to take place in Lionshead Village, and the 17th-19th the party moves over to Vail Village.
I personally attended Beaver Creek’s Oktoberfest, and it will be a perfect September if I can make all three in a row. You can expect to find food stands galore, with all types of Bavarian entrees from leg of lamb sandwiches, to bratwurst, to German potato salad, and more. The lines at the beverage stand move quickly, and there’s no better way to celebrate Oktoberfest than by drinking a Beck’s Oktoberfest brew.
The Beer Garden at the center of Beaver Creek's Oktoberfest pulsated with activity.
The party kicks off tomorrow at 5 pm and lasts through Sunday at 6 pm. Start practicing your yodeling now, and bring your old alpine horn out of hiding, because both are sure to be prevalent throughout the fest. Possibly the most exciting event of all is sure to be the Beck’s Keg Bowling Contest. Contestants can sign up Saturday and Sunday of each weekend. What does the contest entail, you ask? Two chances to push an empty keg strapped to a dolly into a pyramid of six empty kegs. Participants with the highest total of fallen kegs will advance to the finals! Entry is free, and there’s a reward for the winner of the finals, so there’s no excuse not to give it a whirl!
If you’re not up for Keg Bowling, try a lighter fare, the Brat-Eating Contest. This event is also free, so join eight-ten participants and eat as many brats as you can in three minutes to achieve a full belly and a prize for the winner! Sign-ups are available on site Saturday and Sunday.
The Oktoberfest Fun Run is the perfect opportunity to stave away your guilt from eating all those brats! The race will take place on Sunday, the 19th, and includes a free commemorative t-shirt for the first 150 registered runners, a 10k, 5k run/walk/blade and kids race, an after party, and awards for the top three overall male and female finishers. Registration is $20 online and $25 on site. Participants under 18 are $10 both online and on race day!
To schedule lodging for either weekend, contact Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals at 1-888-866-2305. If your phone doesn’t work, just yodel as loud as you can!
Telluride already has the mountains, the scenery, and the warm and inviting atmosphere, so just add some blues music and 50 or so incredible microbreweries from September 17th – 19th and you have yourself an incredible weekend not to be missed. I don’t need an excuse to head to Telluride, but if I did, B.B. King and incredible beer would definitely make me head down to the San Juan Mountains for a unique weekend mountain-town experience. The history of Telluride, the old mining town feeling, and now the blues music coming into town is an equation you won’t easily find anywhere else in the world.
The Streets Of Telluride Will Soon Be Abuzz When The Telluride Blues & Brews Festival Comes To Town
The lineup on stage this year includes B.B King, The Mick Fleetwood Blues Bank, Allen Toussaint, JJGrey and Mofro, and Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears. If you’re not into the main stage and the crowds of people, don’t worry: Telluride has late-night jams scheduled at restaurants and bars around town for your enjoyment.
There is sure to be something for everyone this weekend, with all kinds of opportunities including the kids play area, the artist series, and the acoustic blues camp. There is no better way to enjoy this festival than in a vacation rental provided by Rocky Mountain Vacation Rentals. Of the many summer festivals in the Rockies throughout the summer, Telluride’s Blues and Brews Festival is top on the list of must-sees. Call us today at 1-888-866-2305 to book your stay before they are all gone and you’re singing the blues yourself—and not in a good way.
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