Cultural Events Calendar

Join ACES naturalist, Penelope Thornton, for an immersive four-part series in ethnobotany, exploring the edible and medicinal plants of the Aspen area. From June to September, we will follow the phenology of our local flora through monthly guided walks. Each session is timed to follow the plant’s life cycle, moving from the emergence of buds and shoots in the spring to the vibrant flowering plants of mid-summer, concluding with the harvest of seed and roots in the autumn. Participants will learn to read landscapes to engage with our local wild food plants and medicines throughout the flowering season. Whether you are a lover of the Roaring Fork Valley, a budding herbalist, or a culinary explorer, this series offers a new way to feel at home in the wild.

The Summer Series program features some of the most influential artists of our time, exploring the work of world-renowned creators in conversation with today’s leading critics, curators, and collectors. Join us for a conversation in Schermer Meeting Hall at Anderson Ranch Arts Center with Aliza Nisenbaum and Jane Panetta.

Summer Series lectures are free, open to the public, and available in person or via livestream.

Traffic Jams in The Vault at the Wheeler is a free August concert series presented in partnership with the City of Aspen Transportation Department, intended to help shift your trip and reimagine the late‑afternoon commute. Rather than sitting in traffic on Main St, audiences are invited to step out of their ride – car, bus or bike – and into The Vault for live music, and refreshments.

Bandits on the Run is a Brooklyn-based indie-folk-pop trio formed by busking in NYC subways, featuring Adrian Blake Enscoe, Sydney Shepherd, and Regina Strayhorn. Known for three-part harmonies and instruments like cello, accordion, and suitcase drum, they produce theatrical, collaborative music. They have worked on projects with Netflix and are developing musicals.

Presented as part of the McCloskey Speaker Series.

Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., professor and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, joins the Aspen Institute for a keynote lecture on the intersection of science, medicine, and public trust. A leading authority on vaccines and neglected tropical diseases, Hotez reflects on the challenges facing public health today, the growing politicization of science, and what it will take to rebuild trust in scientific institutions in the years ahead.Paepcke Auditorium, doors at 5:00 pm

RegistrationThis event is free and open to the public, but registration is required, and capacity is established on a first-come, first-served basis. Once an event is at capacity, we will have an in-person waitlist at the door.

Public registration is now open for summer 2026. Please click here to register.

ParkingParking is very limited. Please carpool, walk, bike, or ride RFTA.

Book signing will immediately follow the event. To learn more about his book or to order a copy, please click here.

Peter Hotez, M.D., Ph.D., professor and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, joins the Aspen Institute for a keynote lecture on the intersection of science, medicine, and public trust. A leading authority on vaccines and neglected tropical diseases, Hotez reflects on the challenges facing public health today, the growing politicization of science, and what it will take to rebuild trust in scientific institutions in the years ahead.

Join us for a little summertime recess on First Friday on August 7 from 5 to 8pm in the heart of the Carbondale Creative District. Main Street will become a pedestrian corridor, and local shops, galleries, and restaurants will have extended hours and special events. VOICES will host performances on their ARTery stage, KDNK DJs will spin live in the streets, and live music at Chacos Park.

Plein Air: the art of painting outdoors, enabling the artist to better capture changing details of weather and light. What better place than Snowmass to host 20 distinguished Colorado artists capturing the splendor of our incredible surrounding landscapes? Starting Monday, August 3, be on the lookout for the artists (including locally-based Amy Biederman, Doug Graybeal, Nika Meyers and Jamie Wall) as they spend their week in the ‘plein air’ of our spectacularly beautiful valley, interpreting the splendor through their award-winning talents.

On Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9 from 10 am to 4 pm, guests and locals are invited to the Events Lawn in Snowmass Base Village to view the artwork and purchase their favorite pieces to take home! Meet the artists and hear the stories behind the varied and distinctive paintings from their days in the field. With all plein air paintings available for purchase, find a unique way to take a piece of Snowmass home to enjoy year-round, and support Colorado art and artists.

Plein Air: the art of painting outdoors, enabling the artist to better capture changing details of weather and light. What better place than Snowmass to host 20 distinguished Colorado artists capturing the splendor of our incredible surrounding landscapes? Starting Monday, August 3, be on the lookout for the artists (including locally-based Amy Biederman, Doug Graybeal, Nika Meyers and Jamie Wall) as they spend their week in the ‘plein air’ of our spectacularly beautiful valley, interpreting the splendor through their award-winning talents.

On Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9 from 10 am to 4 pm, guests and locals are invited to the Events Lawn in Snowmass Base Village to view the artwork and purchase their favorite pieces to take home! Meet the artists and hear the stories behind the varied and distinctive paintings from their days in the field. With all plein air paintings available for purchase, find a unique way to take a piece of Snowmass home to enjoy year-round, and support Colorado art and artists.

CARLOS SIMON: Fate Now Conquers
JESSIE MONTGOMERY: These Righteous Paths (AMFS co-commission)
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G. MAHLER: Symphony No. 1 in D major

This concert will be carried live on Aspen Public Radio! Tune in 91.5FM and 88.9FM or at aspenpublicradio.org.

Traffic Jams in The Vault at the Wheeler is a free August concert series presented in partnership with the City of Aspen Transportation Department, intended to help shift your trip and reimagine the late‑afternoon commute. Rather than sitting in traffic on Main St, audiences are invited to step out of their ride – car, bus or bike – and into The Vault for live music, and refreshments.

Larry & Joe is a Venezuelan-Appalachian musical duo featuring Larry Bellorín and Joe Troop, formed in 2023 in North Carolina. They blend their respective folk traditions—Venezuelan música llanera and Appalachian bluegrass—to create "latingrass". The duo, featuring banjo, harp, cuatro, fiddle, and vocals, highlights their diverse backgrounds as a source of cross-cultural unity.