Summer Guide: Arts & Culture Events To Attend This Summer in Aspen

Aspen Historical Society

Today Aspen is a world-renowned ski resort, yet it was originally inhabited by the Ute people, before becoming a silver mining town in the late 1800s. AHS offers historical tours, museum exhibitions, and community events that share the intriguing stories of Aspen's past. In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the U.S.A. and 150th anniversary of Colorado, AHS is partnering with History of Colorado to present a pop-up with curated selections of the Moments That Made Us exhibition alongside moments that made the Roaring Fork Valley. The exhibition will be on display at AHS events, the Wheeler/Stallard Museum (select dates), and community events throughout the year.

JAS June Experience

JAS June Experience returns from June 25 - 28, 2026, featuring four days of intimate jazz, soul, blues, and world music performed by renowned musicians. The performances are hosted at different venues around downtown Aspen, giving concert goers the chance to enjoy live music while exploring our mountain town.

Aspen Music Festival and School

Founded in 1949, the Aspen Music Festival and School is regarded as one of the top classical music festivals in the United States, noted both for its concert programming and its musical training of mostly young-adult music students. The eight-week summer season, running from July 1 - August 23, 2026, includes hundreds of classical music events: recitals, chamber music, operas, classes, lectures, family programs, and more. Catch a concert in the open-air Michael Klein Music Tent, on the top of Aspen Mountain (Saturdays), or at one of the many other venues in the Aspen area.

Up in the Sky

Get ready for an unforgettable summer music festival, featuring two days of performances from today’s hottest artists. Hosted at the base of Buttermilk Mountain, this outdoor music festival doubles as a breathtaking getaway, with panoramic mountain views. Headliners include John Summit following Empire of the Sun (Friday) and Dom Dolla after Parcels and Polo & Pan (Saturday), among other big names.

JAS Labor Day Experience

From September 4 - 6, 2026, the JAS Labor Day Experience returns with an exciting lineup of world-renowned artists, including headliners, Benson Boone, Tim McGraw, Red Clay Strays along with Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Shaboozey, and Bonnie Raitt. Held in Snowmass Town Park, the festival offers outdoor live music with the stunning backdrop of the Elk Mountain Range.

Belly Up Aspen

An intimate 450-person music club, Belly Up Aspen is a staple for live music, offering a diverse range of genres and concerts throughout the year. Their summer calendar includes performances from Thievery Corporation, Lettuce, Dilpo, Lyle Lovett, and many more.

Paul JAS Center

Aspen's newest live music venue, the Paul JAS Center serves as a permanent home for Jazz Aspen Snowmass and a community hub for concerts, education, and special events. Located in the heart of downtown Aspen (above the historic Red Onion), the Paul JAS Center hosts premier live performances year-round.

Wheeler Opera House

Opening in 1889, the Wheeler Opera House is a historic entertainment venue in the heart of downtown Aspen. Hosting year-round live music, comedy shows, film screenings, theatre performances, and more, the Wheeler Opera House brings the community together through arts and culture. A full lineup of music, conversation, and performances, including DanceAspen: CRESCENDO (August 27 & 28, 2026), are set for the season.

Theatre Aspen

Theatre Aspen presents award winning shows, featuring both the best of Broadway and local talent. The Hurst Theatre, located adjacent to the serene John Denver Sanctuary, is a short stroll from downtown Aspen, offering views of Aspen Mountain by day and shows under the stars at night. This summer, Theatre Aspen will perform Sylvia (June 15 - 27), A Chorus Line (July 3 - 25), and Grease (July 31 - August 29).

Mall Fest 50

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Aspen Pedestrian Mall, Aspen Public Art presents the Mall Fest 50 Art Parade on June 27. The parade is an artist-led, people-powered community event filled with costumes, performances, and no shortage of spirit, while the theme, "What do you LOVE about this place?", highlights what makes Aspen special. The parade will traverse the Mall and Aspen Saturday Market, ending in a block party at Sister Cities Plaza. In addition to the parade, programming runs from May - October as part of the Colorado 150 celebration and features public art installations including Shifting Light by textile artist Rachel B. Hayes and a bold asphalt mural by a local artist.

The Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies

The Bayer Center is operated by the Aspen Institute and preserves the art and legacy of Herbert Bayer (1900–1985), an influential modern artist and designer who studied and taught at the Bauhaus. The Bayer Center is introducing a new exhibition on June 9, titled Double Take: Recurrent Dialogues in the Art of Herbert Bayer, showcasing more than 70 works spanning 7 decades and tracing key motifs across paintings, drawings, collages, and photographs.

Aspen Art Museum

Located in the heart of downtown Aspen, the Aspen Art Museum displays contemporary art and drives cultural change through exhibitions, critical dialogues, and community engagement. From July 27 - 31, AIR 2026: Figures in a Landscape will bring artists across disciplines together for commissions, performances, talks, and readings. Additionally, three new exhibitions will be displayed this summer: Kerstin Brätsch: Fossil Psychic Stone Mimicry (Aspen), Arch Connelly: Straighten Your Wig and Pray, and Adrián Villar Rojas: First Gods, Lost Animals.

The Red Brick Center for the Arts

An art gallery and center, the Red Brick Center for the Arts is a community hub for creativity and collaboration. It showcases works by local artists, offers art classes for all ages, hosts community events, and provides space for creators. This summer, the center will present two new exhibitions: All That is Close (June 18, 2026 - August 1, 2026) and Nearness (August 13, 2026 - October 16, 2026. Additionally, the Aspen City Hall Exhibition, featuring the works of talented local and regional artists, will continue to be displayed. Aspen Public Art will host the Mall Fest 50 Art Parade & Block Party on June 27, 2026 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Aspen Pedestrian Mall. The event will feature local artists and the use of up-cycled materials.

Aspen Art Week

Art Week returns to Aspen on July 27th, bringing arts and culture from around the globe to the Rocky Mountains. Experience days filled with creativity and inspiration by exploring the fairs, festivals, and events happening around town.

- AIR 2026: Figures in a Landscape (July 27 - 31, 2026)
- Aspen Art Walk (July 28) - explores the local art scene through curated gallery tours, celebrating the creativity and artistic diversity displayed around town.
Intersect Aspen (July 28 - August 1, 2026) - brings a range of galleries together for a multi-day exploration of modern and contemporary art and design
- Aspen Art Fair (July 29 - August 1, 2026) - artists, curators, gallerists, and collectors from around the globe gather in our mountain town.

Aspen Fashion Week

From August 8 - 10, 2026, Aspen Fashion Week rolls out the runway in the heart of Rocky Mountains, blending contemporary trends with Aspen's unique style. Attend a runway show, peruse an exclusive pop-up, or join a curated workshop.

Aspen Ideas: Health

Aspen Ideas: Health is an annual festival that hosts conversations with over 150 innovators and leaders, exploring the future of health, medicine, and science. Attendees can choose from over 60 sessions with timely themes guiding this year's programming. The four day, from June 22 - 25, 2026, event considers medical advances, politics, and natural and manmade disasters, gathering some of the sharpest thinkers to spark ideas.

Aspen Ideas Festival

The annual festival returns to the Aspen Institute campus from June 25 – July 1, 2026. Attendees will unite for stimulating and thought-provoking conversations with some of the brightest, most interesting thinkers and doers. Leaders from around the globe and across a variety of disciplines will engage in deep and inquisitive discussions about the ideas and issues that shape our lives and challenge our times.

Bonus: The above is just a snapshot of summer events; check out a full list of happenings!

Explore the Events Calendar