Events in Aspen today

At Aspen Saturday Market, the season starts with a first show featuring plenty of new items. The exhibitor plans to appear every other Saturday this year and will be set up on Hyman.

At Carbondale Branch Library, this bilingual storytime features storytelling, music, and simple activities for young children and their caregivers. Offered in both Spanish and English, it creates a friendly setting to learn and play alongside peers. There is no charge to attend and everyone is welcome. For more information, call 970-963-2889.

Family Fair Saturdays turns the top of the Elk Camp Gondola into a family friendly carnival. Kids can get their faces painted, play with balloons, and try lawn games across the meadow while DJs and live bands keep the music going. Classic snacks like kettle corn, cotton candy, and ice cream add to the festivities, and adults can enjoy food and drink specials.

Grill master Jack Arnold teams up with the Aspen Meadows culinary team for an afternoon barbecue on the West End Social patio. Look forward to ribeye and tri-tip cooked over the grill with seasonal sides, enjoyed in a relaxed mountain setting made for summer in Aspen. The experience is 135.00 per guest, with reservations available through OpenTable. Partners for the event include Capital Call Vintners, Colorado Craft Beef, Grilla Grills, Manukora Honey, Aspen Vodka, Stranahan's Whiskey, and Jalisco Orange Liquor.

The Town of Mt. Crested Butte presents the 4th Annual Pickin’ a Food Truck Competition, featuring food truck tastings, live music, family-friendly activities, and community spirit. Attendees can sample bites from competing trucks, cast a vote, and help select this year’s champion. Judging punch cards and complimentary competition bites are limited and available on a first come, first served basis. The music lineup includes Floodgate Operators, Shelby Means, and Fireside Collective. Free parking is available on-site, and riders are encouraged to use Mountain Express or the RTA. Competing trucks will be announced, and tasting and voting take place during the event, with winners announced after voting concludes.

A special appearance brings Aspen Conducting Academy students to the podium to lead the Conducting Orchestra in The Rite of Spring. The performance is part of Belly Up Aspen’s Up in the Sky Festival.

Board the Elk Camp Gondola for a Champagne-accented brunch high above Snowmass. No reservations are required. Purchase a sightseeing ticket and ride up for classic brunch favorites paired with Champagne specials. Take in sweeping mountain views, explore a generous selection, and enjoy a relaxed pace.

Unwind on the rooftop at MOLLIE for a relaxed open-air movie experience as the mountains glow at sunset and the night sky comes alive. This series offers a rotating mix of uplifting summer picks and nostalgic crowd favorites, featuring films such as Moonstruck, Yesterday, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Summer of Soul, and The Way Way Back. Order a drink and light bites from the bar, claim a cozy spot, and enjoy an easygoing evening of film in the fresh mountain air.

Part of the Murdock Mind, Body, Spirit Series, this keynote features linguist and bestselling author Deborah Tannen in conversation with the Aspen Institute about how language shapes relationships, the workplace, and public life. A distinguished professor of linguistics at Georgetown University and author of You Just Don’t Understand, Tannen explores how small differences in conversational style can lead to confusion or conflict. She also highlights how recognizing these patterns can strengthen connections and support clearer communication across divides.

Grease revs up the world of Rydell High with chrome-bright nostalgia, cool leather, swishing skirts, and the pulse of early rock and roll. The story tracks the rush of first love, the bonds of friendship, and the challenge of fitting in, all propelled by well known songs and high energy dance numbers. With a legacy that includes an eight year Broadway run, subsequent revivals, and countless school and community stagings, it remains one of the most widely loved musicals. The production features Chris Hanford as Danny Zuko and Nevada Riley as Sandy Dumbrowski, with Drew Redington as Kenickie, Charlie Reyes as Sonny LaTierri, Semaj’ Byrd as Roger, Alejandro Medina as Doody, Kiki Lemieux as Betty Rizzo, Emilee Hassanzadeh as Marty, Evelyn Duggan as Jan, DeShawn Travis Bowens as Johnny Casino, Mia Nelson as Frenchy, Olivia Zenetzis as Patty Simcox, Aviv Haroz as Eugene Florczyk, Nick Bernardi as Vince Fontaine, Myranda Sanchez as Cha Cha DiGregorio, and Nina Gabianelli as Teen Angel and Miss Lynch. Directed and choreographed by Patrick O’Neill with associate choreography by Bryan Hunt, the creative team includes music direction by Adam Beskind, lighting by Wheeler Moon, sound design by Jeff Sherwood, scenic design by Riw Rakkulchon, costumes by Dustin Cross, and wig design by Jeff Knaggs. The performance runs approximately two hours and fifteen minutes with a fifteen minute intermission. Grease is by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey and is presented by arrangement with Samuel French, Inc., a Concord Theatricals company.

The annual Garden Party returns to the Aspen Chapel Gardens with a blend of classic English garden charm and lively western hoedown flair. Musicians from the Aspen Music Festival share the stage with a western dance band, setting the tone for square dancing, entertaining performances, and time spent among the gardens and chapel. Guests can expect English teas and cakes alongside western favorites, plus wine tasting and a wine auction. A silent auction features distinctive local gifts, services, and a special art piece. Festivities also include a hat contest celebrating both garden and western styles, as well as a play area, face painting, and games for kids and adults. The event is organized by a dedicated committee that includes Bruce Merrifield, Tracy Merrifield, Kathryn Henderson, Louisa Goldsmith, Linda Sandell, Bobbi Teliska, Nicole Tarumianz, Linda Aibel, and Maureen Callahan.

This three day photography workshop centers on capturing sunrise, sunset, and the night sky amid the dramatic scenery of Black Canyon of the Gunnison. It begins with an online preparatory lecture to help participants get ready for the field sessions. Once on location, attendees spend full days shooting and receiving hands on guidance, with daytime time set aside for image editing and review. After working through sunrise and sunset techniques, the focus shifts to astrophotography, including methods for photographing the Milky Way and creating star trails. Participants are encouraged to bring both a camera and a laptop. The workshop welcomes beginners, advanced beginners, and experienced photographers. The endurance level is easy, suitable for all age levels. Travel between spots is by carpool, followed by short walks to reach the best vantage points. The home base for lodging is the Holiday Inn in Montrose, where a block of rooms has been reserved, though attendees may choose other accommodations. The fee includes a welcome reception dinner on the first day, complimentary breakfast at the hotel, and instruction from Joe Klocek. It does not include lodging, transportation such as flights, rental cars or trip insurance, or meals beyond the first night’s dinner and the hotel breakfast.

Base Village lights up on Tuesday evenings with Summer Country Nights, featuring live country music, line dancing, and a relaxed mountain vibe throughout the season. The night begins with a live set, moves into line dance lessons led by Brian and Claudia Pawl of Mezcla Socials Dance, then shifts back to more music, open dancing, and on-the-floor coaching. Music comes from Richard Ganson and Randy Utterback. Ganson has shared bills with Vince Gill, Travis Tritt, Asleep at the Wheel, and John Conlee, and has performed on the main stage at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Utterback is a seasoned multi-instrumentalist on acoustic and electric guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and dobro, with decades of experience in Nashville, Colorado, and beyond, and collaborations that include members of The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Poco, and Buffalo Springfield. Expect an upbeat mix of classic favorites and modern country hits, plus tributes to Colorado legends and local songwriters. Songs may range from Hank Williams and Merle Haggard to Brooks & Dunn and Garth Brooks, along with artists like Chris Stapleton and Thomas Rhett. Surprise guest appearances may pop up during the season. The instruction focuses on fun, inclusivity, and connection so newcomers and experienced dancers alike feel welcome on the floor, with the spirit centered on music, movement, and community.

Part of the Murdock Mind, Body, Spirit Series, this conversation brings behavioral scientist and UCLA Anderson School of Management professor Cassie Holmes together with Carolyne Heldman, host of the Behind the Lens podcast. The discussion asks how to spend time in ways that build happiness and meaning, and how to look back with fewer regrets. Holmes draws on her academic research and lessons from her bestselling book, Happier Hour, to examine the interplay of time, attention, and well-being, and to share actionable ideas for reshaping daily life so it feels less hurried and more in tune with personal priorities.

Hosted at the Center for the Arts Crested Butte, this annual gathering comes back in an updated format to celebrate the nonprofits and community partners who strengthen the Gunnison Valley. The setup will differ from previous years, but the purpose remains to offer a time to pause and reflect, and to honor the shared impact made possible through generosity, teamwork, and care for the valley and its people. It is a no-cost community celebration, and organizers are requesting RSVPs to help plan food and table arrangements.

Outdoor journalist Heather Hansman highlights the overlooked legacies of three women who transformed how people connect with America’s wild places. The narrative follows Georgie White, who in 1945 leapt into the Grand Canyon with only a lifejacket, then went on to guide trips through its rapids and help spark modern river running. It looks to Anne LaBastille, a trailblazing wilderness guide who protected endangered species from her remote Adirondack cabin and anticipated the effects of climate change. It also explores the life of Dolores LaChapelle, a pioneering powder skier whose environmental philosophy influenced the radical environmental movement of the 1970s and shaped contemporary conservation ethics. United by deep devotion to the outdoors and a refusal to compromise, these women were often recognized only within small circles. Hansman brings their stories forward by immersing in three rugged landscapes and situating their achievements within the broader, evolving story of the American wild. Fans of writers like Pam Houston and David Grann will find a blend of adventure, history, and keen reporting.

The Live from Mt. Crested Butte concert series, presented by the Mt. Crested Butte Town Center Community Association, welcomes Mountain Jam to the Red Lady Stage in the Crested Butte Mountain Resort Base Area for a free performance. A local opener kicks things off. Food and beverages will be available, and lawn seating is encouraged, so bring camp chairs and blankets to settle in for music on the mountain. Formed in summer 2025 to pay tribute to the enduring music of The Allman Brothers Band, Mountain Jam emphasizes improvisation and an energetic stage presence. The band blends driving jams and soulful grooves with interpretations that stay true to the originals while adding its own style. The performance balances classic spirit with in-the-moment excitement for an authentic live experience.

La Luz performs with support from Spacemoth. This event is all ages. The California rock group led by guitarist and songwriter Shana Cleveland is known for a blend of dark psychedelia, swaggering riffs, and angelic harmonies. Their latest full-length, News of the Universe, channels change and resilience, shaped by personal upheaval and a lineup transition that brings in drummer Audrey Johnson while featuring final contributions from bassist Lena Simon and keyboardist Alice Sandahl. Produced by Maryam Qudos of Spacemoth, the album pairs urgent rhythms and kaleidoscopic textures with unguarded emotion, created entirely by women from performance and writing to recording and mastering.

In its 33rd year, the Snowmass Free Concert Series carries on a favorite summer tradition. Some of the nation’s standout live bands perform in a relaxed setting framed by sweeping mountain views. Bring a blanket, settle in on Fanny Hill, and enjoy the music.

A free, family-friendly skate night at Big Mine Ice Arena features rollerblading, skating, and scootering. Organized by GCSAPP, this recurring series takes place monthly in Crested Butte at Big Mine Ice Arena and in Gunnison at Jorgensen Ice Arena, and includes a Crested Butte session with disco lights.