Aspen Kicks Off the Summer Season with Cultural and Dining News + a Special Offer 

ASPEN, Colo. (June 23, 2023) – The 40th Annual Food & Wine Classic just finished, Aspen Ideas Festival is underway, Theatre Aspen’s 40th Anniversary Season kicks off tonight, Jazz Aspen’s Junefest takes place this weekend, and Aspen Music Festival’s 300+ events start next week. Summer in Aspen is officially underway after a snowy winter and wet spring are turning the mountains a verdant green. For information, visit aspenchamber.org or call 970.925.1940.

SPECIAL OFFER  

To make an Aspen visit even more enticing, many Aspen lodges are offering a Buy 2/Get 3 Lodging offer for mid-week travel. Buy two nights of lodging and receive a third night’s stay for free at participating local properties for reservations arriving on Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday.

ARTS & CULTURE NEWS

Aspen Ideas Festival (June 21 – 30) The 19th annual Aspen Ideas Festival returns to the Aspen Meadows campus for stimulating and invigorating conversations with some of the brightest, most interesting thinkers and doers. This year’s tracks include: “We the People”, “The Edge of Intelligence”, “Age of Uncertainty: Imagining a New World Order”, “Life Well Lived”, “Driving the Economy Forward”, “Powering the Future”, “The Mind”, and more. Passes are now on sale, for more information visit: https://www.aspenideas.org/

The Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies (“The Bayer Center”) has debuted a new exhibition Concept of a Visualist: Herbert Bayer’s World Geo-Graphic Atlas which will continue through May 2024, as well as a companion exhibit in the Resnick Gallery of the Doerr-Hosier Center at the Aspen Institute. 

The exhibit examines Bayer’s 1953 World Geo-Graphic Atlas, a landmark work of visual education and modernist design. Marking the seventieth anniversary of the Atlas’s publication, Concept of a Visualist is the first exhibition devoted to this groundbreaking and influential work. The Atlas has come to occupy a key place within graphic design history and transformed the look and character of subsequent geographic atlases and popular scientific illustrations. 

New -  The Bayer Center Store opened in June with a curated selection of gifts, homewares, and original Herbert Bayer prints; Tuesday – Saturday from 10 a.m. –  5 p.m.

Anderson Ranch Arts Center is a nonprofit, year-round organization serving the personal and professional development of amateur and professional artists through workshops, artist residencies, exhibitions, tours, lectures, and community outreach programs for artists of all skill levels. This summer’s workshops and lectures are now live at: https://www.andersonranch.org/

Theater Aspen will celebrate its 40th anniversary with three mainstage productions as well as the third annual Solo Flights

• Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (June 22 – July 8), tells the story of Carole King’s remarkable rise to stardom.                                                                                                                                                                     Doubt: A Parable (July 14 – 29) Set against the backdrop of a 1960s America during political and social change, a progressive young priest’s conduct comes under question by Sister Aloysius Beauvier, the school principal whose beliefs are deeply rooted in tradition. As the actions and motivations of each are scrutinized and suspicion mounts, the two are drawn into a battle of wills that threatens irrevocable consequences for all involved.
• Rent (Aug. 4 – 26) Based loosely on Puccini's La Boheme, Jonathan Larson's Rent follows a year in the life of a group of impoverished young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York's Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS.
• Solo Flights (Sept. 7 – 14) which launched in 2019, is a weeklong developmental festival of one-person shows presented in the beginning stages of their making. 

The Aspen Art Museum will have the following summer exhibitions:

• Florian Krewer: everybody rise (May 24 – Sept. 24) -  The German painter’s first-ever solo museum exhibition and critical survey in the United States comprises more than 20 paintings displayed throughout two of the museum’s galleries in chronological order from 2017 to the present.
• Nairy Baghramian: Jupon de Corps (Jun 22 – Oct 22), a major solo exhibition brings together significant constellations of artworks made over the past decade.
• A Lover’s Discourse (Jun 22 - Jan 14, 2024) is a new series of artist-led presentations at the Aspen Art Museum introducing unexpected dialogues between artworks from different generations.

Aspen Film is a nonprofit, year-round organization, presenting festivals, film series, and youth programs. Aspen Filmfest (Sept. 19 – 24), one of Colorado’s longest-running film festivals, attracts a national audience with a feast of full-length features and documentaries from around the world. 

The Aspen Music Festival and School (June 29 – Aug. 20) is one of the top classical music festivals in the United States, as well as a school with more than 600 classical music students from around the country and the world. The eight-week summer season includes more than 300 classical music events spanning eight weeks from late June to mid-August - including concerts by orchestras, solo and chamber music performances, master classes, lectures, and children’s programming. Aspen Music Festival and School’s 2023 season will explore the theme “Adoration of the Earth,” featuring compositions like Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring,” Britten’s “Four Sea Interludes” and Beethoven’s “Pastoral Symphony.”

Jazz Aspen Snowmass 

• June Experience (June 22 – 25) kicks off a summer of music with one pass that allows access to more than 40 performances at twelve different venues including Belly Up, Wheeler Opera House & Lobby, 39 Degrees at W Hotel, Limelight Hotel, Bon Bon, Sterling Lounge, Here House, Felix Roasting Co. Bad Harriet, Hotel Jerome, and Aspen Art Museum. VIP Passes also include dinner & shows at the Durant St. VIP Tent.
• JAS Labor Day Experience (Sept. 1 – 3) - The JAS Labor Day Experience will celebrate the end of Summer with an outdoor festival at Snowmass showcasing performances from The Lumineers, The Foo Fighters, Old Dominion, Billy Idol, and Brothers Osborne.

Anderson Ranch Arts Center is a nonprofit, year-round organization serving the personal and professional development of amateur and professional artists through workshops, artist residencies, exhibitions, tours, lectures, and community outreach programs for artists of all skill levels. Summer workshops are now open for registration here.

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet Presents will host three dance companies: Ballet West (Aug 25 – 26); Compagnie Marie Chouinard (Sept. 5), and Complexions Contemporary Ballet (Sept. 23). 

Dance Aspen will present Solstice the weekend of Aug. 25 – 26 at the Wheeler Opera House with a brand new work from award-winning choreographer Matthew Neenan and two works by creator Cayetano Soto. 

DINING NEWS

New - The Roaring Fork + Farm Map, which launched in June 2023, brings to life a new food and farm trail from Aspen and Snowmass to Glenwood Springs. The guide spotlights local farms, ranches, unique lodging, distilleries, and breweries, local food champions, and producers, as well as seasonal foodie events such as Farm Fest and farmer’s markets while guiding visitors to eat local and seek out the best dishes, and produce in the Roaring Fork Valley. 

New -  Michelin Guide - Colorado will be the next destination highlighted by the Michelin Guide, Michelin Guide Colorado will feature standout culinary offerings in the state. The first selection of restaurants will be revealed later in 2023, and it will cover Denver, Boulder, Aspen and Snowmass Village, the Town of Vail, and Beaver Creek Resort. 

New -  Le Bateau, a restaurant by Gravity Haus, opened June 21 and is serving French-inspired cuisine with a focus on coastal ingredients while incorporating modern influences. (315 E Hyman Ave.)

New - Sant Ambreous, an Italian coffee shop, gelateria and restaurant with New York roots will be serving breakfast and lunch in a downtown location. (520 E Hyman Ave.)

New - The Crepe Shack, a breakfast and lunch café by Mawa McQueen, recently opened a new Aspen location on the walking mall. (401 E. Cooper Ave.)

New Popup -  Oro Sushi at The Snow Lodge, a 16-course omakase experience by New York City Chef Kei Yoshino, is offering an intimate and immersive dining experience with a menu crafted to highlight seasonal diversity. 

Coming Soon -  Sway Thai, a modern Thai restaurant will open in October on Aspen’s Restaurant Row. (308 E. Hopkins Ave.)

Opening Aug. 1 - Alpina, an Alpine-inspired restaurant led by Colton Black, formerly of The Little Nell, will serve lunch through happy hour. (614 E. Cooper Ave.)

Coming Soon - Yogi’s, a local’s lunch restaurant offering limited indoor dining and a bar along with some outdoor dining options with a focus on healthy takeaway options. (455 Rio Grande Pl.)

Coming Soon - Stranahan’s will open a tasting room fronting Wagner Park on the Mill Street Walking Mall. (307 S. Mill St)

HOTEL NEWS

Aspen Meadows, a Salamander Resort in Aspen’s West End, has unveiled a guest suite renovation that pays homage to the resort's Bauhaus design roots.  Michael Suomi of Suomi Design has carefully respected the work of original designer Herbert Bayer with a design that features reds, blues, and yellows, Bauhaus’ original primary color theory, and adheres to the movement’s geometric principles. Some specialty legacy furniture like the Saarinen Tulip Tables and Bertoia Bird Chairs were carefully restored.
 

RETAIL NEWS 

• Open June 2023  Hermès opened in the historic Benton building. (​​521 E. Hyman Ave.)
• Open June 2023 New West KnifeWorks sells premium, American-made custom-made knives designed for foodies and outdoor lovers passionate about handcrafted kitchen tools. The store also offers private experiences like tomahawk throwing, laser engraving, and knife sharpening. (413 E. Hyman Ave.)
• Coming Soon  Banana Republic will open on Hyman Mall next to the Red Onion building. 

TRANSPORTATION NEWS

• Austin nonstop: American Airlines will expand non-stop flights from Austin, Texas to daily service from June 1 – Aug. 14 and back to Saturday-only service from Aug. 19 – Sept. 2.  
• We-Cycle, a free bike share program started in 2013 that offers free 30-minute rides has introduced five new stations: Cemetery Lane, East Aspen, Ute Avenue, Burlingame, and Buttermilk, bringing the total to 31 stations in Aspen. The number of e-bikes in the We-Cycle fleet has doubled from the 2022 season to 113 e-bikes, reflecting demand from riders.

ASPEN PLEDGE + DONATION

By taking the Aspen Pledge, Aspen locals and visitors are committing themselves to be responsible citizens and ensuring that Aspen remains protected for generations to come. For every pledge signed, ACRA will make a donation of $18.80 (the year Aspen was founded, 1880) up to $50,000 to either the Independence Pass Foundation or Roaring Fork Valley Outdoor Volunteers, two organizations dedicated to preserving Aspen’s vast outdoors.

MAROON BELLS

The Maroon Bells are the most photographed peaks in Colorado and a must-visit during the summer for visitors and locals alike. Reservations are required for parking and for shuttle buses, which run daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bikes and e-bikes are allowed without reservations, but all cyclists are encouraged to wear helmets and to respect rules-of-the-road when cycling. Visit ACRA’s How to Ebike for more information and here for Reservations.

About Aspen, Colorado – Aspen, Colorado is an authentic, historic mountain town that is renowned for its year-round outdoor lifestyle, robust cultural calendar, and bustling downtown ambiance. With an endless array of arts, culture, dining, and nightlife, Aspen is defined by an urbane feel that belies its small-town charm. An Aspen vacation is an experience that energizes the mind, body, and spirit, whether soaking in mountain beauty and over 200 days of annual sunshine, learning a new skill, feeding a fascination, or simply absorbing the mountain spirit. Located 18 miles west of Independence Pass, Aspen is nestled in the heart of the White River National Forest at the confluence of the Roaring Fork River, Hunter Creek, Maroon Creek, and Castle Creek, and encircled by the peaks of the Elk Mountain Range in the central Rocky Mountains. Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) is conveniently located only three miles from downtown Aspen. For visitor information, a complete calendar of events, or to book an Aspen vacation, visit www.aspenchamber.org, or call 1.888.290.1324 or 970.925.1940.

 

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