The week after New Year’s Day is a relatively mellow one for arts and culture in Aspen — but only because there aren’t any multiday festivals, international sporting events or major conventions on the calendar. (A robust roster of concerts, comedy shows, and other performing arts events still fills most nights on the calendar.)
That all changes next week, when the town begins a string of festive celebrations that run almost continuously through the end of the month.
Wintersköl: Jan. 10-14
Aspen’s annual “Wintersköl” festival officially kicks off Jan. 11 with an awards luncheon. But the programming starts a day earlier on Jan. 10 with the “Apple Strudel Downhill” at Aspen Highlands, where skiers will race down the “Apple Strudel” run and receive a pastry at the finish line.
The lineup of events also includes beloved traditions like a torchlight parade and a soup contest — as well as a snow-sculpting contest and the annual screening of “Aspen Extreme” at the Wheeler Opera House. This year, there are some new additions as well: The “Soupsköl” event will be paired with a beer festival, and a couple of other film screenings will take place at the Isis Theatre, including one for the new ski comedy “Weak Layers.”
Wintersköl will wrap up on Jan. 14, overlapping with the kickoff weekend for Aspen Gay Ski Week.
Aspen Gay Ski Week: Jan. 13-21
It’s the longest-running gay ski week event in the country, drawing skiers and snowboarders to Aspen for a week of lively parties, performances and other festivities.
Ticketed events, like a drag queen performance at the Wheeler and a pool party at the Aspen Recreation Center help raise money for AspenOUT, a local LGBTQ+ advocacy organization. Other programs, like the downhill costume contest on Aspen Mountain and daily après ski parties, are free to watch and participate in.
Some programs also include a focus on community bonding and discussion about LGBTQ+ issues. Organizers are partnering with Aspen Film and the Isis Theatre for a Jan. 13 screening of “Tom of Finland,” about the artist who influenced 20th-century gay culture. And on Jan. 18, a panel will speak about LGBTQ+ history, intersectionality and mental health at the Belly Up.
Aspen Gay Ski Week ends Jan. 21, giving Aspenites just a few days to catch their breath before the final round of January hoopla: The Winter X Games.
Winter X Games: Jan. 26-28
The extreme sports competition at Buttermilk Mountain will feature 16 events this year, distributed evenly between male and female skiers and snowboarders. The competition kicks off Friday evening and continues with afternoon and nighttime events on Saturday and Sunday.
This is the first time in the history of the Winter X Games that there has been an equal number of events for men and women. It’s also the first time that spectators will have to pay for access to the corrals at the base of the courses, where they can watch those events up close. (A free area will be set farther back.)
There are also other changes to the schedule this year. Athletes will compete in slopestyle, big air, SuperPipe and “knuckle huck” competitions, as usual, but there will be no Special Olympics Unified races, and no on-mountain concerts.
Those who wish to watch the games from home can stream them for free through the X Games website.
