Year-round Activities in Aspen and Snowmass
Year round, Aspen has shopping, art, culture, dining, hiking, special events, music and theater. Aspen offers many shops, boutiques, and galleries, many above and below street level. Aspen hosts many cultural events including the Aspen Film Festival, Jazz Aspen Snowmass, The Aspen Music Festival, and the Aspen Ideas Fest.Aspen is a great place for dining, and we have many fine dining and family dining suggestions.
The granddaddy of food festivals is the FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen each June. Top cyclists ride through Aspen and Snowmass each year during the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. Trails for hikers and bikers show off the beauty of the Rocky Mountains varied terrain, summits, rivers and lakes.
Aspen sits at the upper end of the Roaring Fork Valley, with the Roaring Fork River, a superb trout stream, running through town. It offers an interesting history, challenging outdoor recreation opportunities, abundant cultural activities, pleasant climate and beautiful natural scenery.
There are four world-class mountains in the Aspen-Snowmass area and one ski pass gets you on any mountain. Snowmass, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk mountains all lie within 12 miles of town and offer some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world. There’s always a lot going on in Aspen and Snowmass!
Here’s a sampling of what’s goes on each year in Aspen:
- Jazz and classical music at the Benedict Music Tent and Harris Concert Hall
- Aspen Ideas Festival at the Aspen Institute
- Plays at The Hurst Theatre
- Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
- Aspen District Theatre
- JAS Aspen Snowmass Labor Day Experience at the Snowmass Town Park
- Mac and Cheese Fest on Hopkins Avenue
- Aspen Filmfest at the Wheeler Opera house
- Saturday Market Downtown in Aspen at Hunter, Hopkins & Hyman streets
- Maroon Bells
Much of the area around Aspen is public land within the White River National Forest. The spectacular Elk Mountains rise to the south and west of Aspen, with the Williams Mountains and the Sawatch Range to the east. The Maroon Creek, Castle Creek and Hunter Creek Valleys are all easily accessible from town and play host to plentiful hikes. Much of the high mountain area surrounding Aspen lies within designated wilderness areas in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass, Hunter-Frying pan, and Collegiate Peaks wildernesses.
Some of the most popular activities are:
- 4th of July Parade
- Balloon Festival
- Family Activities
- Fly-fishing
- Food and Wine Festivals
- Golfing
- Hiking
- Horseback Riding
- Jazz Concerts
- Jeep Tours
- Mountain Biking
- Music Festivals
- Paragliding
- RELAXING
- Skiing/Snowboarding
- Trail Running
- Whitewater Rafting
Also check out our information on the Aspen Skiing Company, dining, shopping, art museums and galleries, performing arts, historic sites and museums, and cultural attractions.
