Cultural Events Calendar

This program is for art and design enthusiasts who want to better understand the influence of culture and identity on the continually refreshed design legacy that fills our world today. Join us for a lively conversation about contemporary design with Nifemi Marcos-Bello, acclaimed Nigerian artist and designer, Alexandra Cunningham Cameron, Curator of Contemporary Design at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, and Kelsey Keith, Creative Director at MillerKnoll.

They will discuss Marcus-Bello’s Nigerien roots and cultural impact on his designs. Cameron will provide historical context for the intersecting fields of art and design, while Keith illuminates the commercial discipline of design and enterprise-level branding.

Celebrating Dr Albert Schweitzer and the sounds of Bach

In this thought-provoking talk, physician-scientist Dr. Mark Gladwin, Dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, explores the rapidly emerging field of climate medicine and how a warming planet is already reshaping human health.

A Changemaker Speaker Series event, A250: Portrait of a Nation welcomes Pulitzer Prize–winning photographer Deanne Fitzmaurice for a powerful illustrated talk marking America’s 250th anniversary and Colorado’s 150th. Drawing from nearly four decades as a photojournalist, Fitzmaurice reflects on defining moments of recent American history and the human stories behind them, exploring resilience, empathy, and the role of visual journalism in shaping national memory.

Join us at Hallam Lake for an afternoon of discovery, connection, and awe as we celebrate the incredible world of birds of prey.

ACES’ Annual Raptor Fair invites families and community members of all ages to experience these majestic creatures up close. Meet ACES’ resident raptors—including our Red-tailed Hawk, Golden Eagle, and Great Horned Owl—and welcome a special lineup of visiting birds for the day, including an Eastern Screech Owl, Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Peregrine, Swainson’s Hawk.

A team of expert educators from Nature’s Educators will be on hand to share their knowledge, offering engaging insights into raptor behavior, adaptations, and the important role these birds play in our ecosystems.

Come celebrate the 4th of July with us at the 40th Annual Boogie’s Buddy Race, presented by Aspen Valley Health! This beloved community tradition is family- and pet-friendly, packed with energy, high-fives, and lots of heart. You can race to beat your best time or simply soak in the festive spirit—either way, it’s an event you won’t want to miss.

For more than 137 years, the Wheeler Opera House has brought Aspen together through live performance. This Independence Day, join us in celebrating that legacy, and America’s 250th anniversary, with free, outdoor performances that animate the Wheeler itself.

Internationally renowned vertical dance innovators BANDALOOP bring immersive, perspective‑changing choreography to the Wheeler’s façade, transforming the historic building into a shared civic stage.

Free performances following the July 4 parade at 1pm, 3pm, and 5pm. No reservations required. All ages welcome.

Tig Notaro is an Emmy and Grammy-nominated stand-up comedian, actor, writer, podcaster, and radio contributor, as well as a favorite on numerous talk shows. Rolling Stone named her one of the "50 best stand-up comics of all time." Her special, TIG NOTARO: HELLO AGAIN, premiered in March of 2024 on Amazon, garnering multiple Emmy nominations.

Two shows: 6 pm and 9 pm

Transform your life from the inside out with From Attitude to Gratitude—a powerful roadmap to healing, purpose, and unshakable joy through the practice of gratitude and conscious choice.

Heal the past, embrace the present, and awaken to a life of joy!

Summer Series lectures are free, open to the public, and available in person or via livestream. Registration will open to the public on May 6. 

Roberto Lugo creates defiant genre-mixing works that confront the function and subject matter of high art objects from Classical Antiquity, East Asia, the Italian Renaissance, seventeenth-century Europe, and beyond. Using the ancient medium of clay as his canvas, Lugo both calls attention to intergenerational experiences of racial injustice while celebrating African American and Latino culture.

Carmen Hermo is the Lorraine and Alan Bressler Curator of Contemporary Art at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. She co-curated the exhibitions Subvert, Repair, Reclaim: Contemporary Artists Take Back the Nude (April 3 – August 2 2026), Counter History: Contemporary Art from the Collection and other collection presentations, as well as The Banner Project: Mark Thomas Gibson.