Aspen Events Calendar 2026–2027
What's on in Aspen and Snowmass while you're here — opening days, X Games, Gay Ski Week, the holidays and their fireworks, concerts, food & wine and festivals. Pick your dates and plan around them.
When are you in Aspen?
Pick your dates and see everything happening while you're here.
Happening next · Ski season
Aspen Mountain opening day
Aspen Mountain starts its 2026-27 season on Thanksgiving Day.
Nov 26, 2026 · Aspen Mountain
Nov2624days to go
1 / 2
42 events coming up.
November 2026 4 events
Nov20In 3 weeksMusic · AspenBonobo at Belly Up AspenDates & tips 
Nov26In 3 weeksHoliday · Roaring Fork ValleyThanksgivingThanksgiving falls on opening day for Aspen Mountain and Snowmass, making it the first busy arrival weekend of the winter.Dates & tips - Nov26In 3 weeksSki season · AspenAspen Mountain opening dayAspen Mountain starts its 2026-27 season on Thanksgiving Day.Dates & tips
Nov26In 3 weeksSki season · SnowmassSnowmass opening daySnowmass opens for the 2026-27 season on Thanksgiving Day alongside Aspen Mountain.Dates & tips
December 2026 12 events
- Dec10–13In 5 weeksFestival · AspenWinterskölAspen's long-running toast to winter, now held in December, brings four days of bonfires, a beer festival, holiday markets and a torchlight parade with fireworks on Aspen Mountain.Dates & tips
Dec12In 6 weeksFireworks · AspenWintersköl torchlight parade & fireworksYoung ski-club racers carry lights down Aspen Mountain at 7 pm on the Saturday of Wintersköl, followed by fireworks over the slope.Dates & tips 
Dec12In 6 weeksSki season · Aspen HighlandsAspen Highlands opening dayAspen Highlands begins its season on the Saturday of Wintersköl weekend; Highland Bowl access depends on snow and patrol work.Dates & tips 
Dec12In 6 weeksSki season · ButtermilkButtermilk opening dayButtermilk, the beginner-friendly mountain and X Games venue, opens for the season on Dec 12.Dates & tips - Dec12–14In 6 weeksSki season · Roaring Fork ValleyAspen Snowmass 80th anniversary weekendDates & tips
Dec18In 7 weeksMusic · AspenDiplo at Belly Up AspenDates & tips 
Dec24In 7 weeksHoliday · Roaring Fork ValleyChristmas EveChristmas Eve opens the busiest stretch of the ski year, with holiday dinners and church services across the valley.Dates & tips - Dec25In 8 weeksHoliday · Roaring Fork ValleyChristmas DayChristmas Day falls in the peak holiday week when Aspen and Snowmass are at their fullest.Dates & tips
Dec – Jan27–2In 8 weeksMusic · AspenJAS Café holiday showsDates & tips - Dec31In 8 weeksHoliday · Roaring Fork ValleyNew Year's EveThe last night of the year brings fireworks in both Aspen and Snowmass and the heaviest evening of the season for dinners and parties.Dates & tips
- Dec31In 8 weeksFireworks · AspenAspen New Year's Eve fireworks over Aspen MountainAspen launches fireworks above the slopes at 8 pm after an afternoon of bonfire, cocoa and s'mores on the downtown pedestrian malls.Dates & tips
- Dec31In 8 weeksFireworks · SnowmassSnowmass New Year's Eve torchlight parade & fireworksUp to 250 registered skiers and riders glide down Fanny Hill with torches at 6 pm, followed by fireworks over Base Village, weather and snow permitting.Dates & tips
January 2027 6 events
Jan1In 2 monthsHoliday · Roaring Fork ValleyNew Year's DayNew Year's Day closes out the holiday peak, with heavy departures over the following weekend.Dates & tips 
Jan7–9In 2 monthsSports · ButtermilkThe Snow League (season two) at ButtermilkDates & tips 
Jan16–18In 2 monthsHoliday · Roaring Fork ValleyMartin Luther King Jr. weekendThe three-day MLK weekend overlaps the opening of Gay Ski Week and is one of January's busiest travel periods.Dates & tips - Jan17–24In 3 monthsFestival · AspenAspen Gay Ski Week — 50th 'Golden Jubilee'AspenOUT's week of skiing, parties and fundraising celebrates its 50th edition across Aspen and Snowmass.Dates & tips
Jan18In 3 monthsMusic · AspenPortugal. The Man at Belly Up AspenDates & tips 
Jan29–31In 3 monthsSports · ButtermilkX Games Aspen 2027The winter X Games stay at Buttermilk for a 26th straight year under a hosting deal that runs through the 2028-29 season.Dates & tips
February 2027 4 events
- Feb13–15In 3 monthsHoliday · Roaring Fork ValleyPresidents' Day weekendPresidents' Day weekend is a peak February arrival window that often runs into school mid-winter breaks.Dates & tips
Feb19–20In 4 monthsMusic · AspenPalm Tree Music Festival AspenKygo's two-day snow-side electronic festival returns with The Chainsmokers and FISHER + Chris Lake at the top of the bill.Dates & tips - Feb20In 4 monthsSports · SnowmassAudi Power of Four ski mountaineering raceDates & tips
Feb22–28In 4 monthsSports · ButtermilkToyota U.S. Grand Prix (FIS freeski & snowboard World Cup)Dates & tips
March 2027 2 events
April 2027 5 events
- Apr4In 5 monthsSki season · ButtermilkButtermilk closing dayButtermilk is the first of the four mountains to close, conditions permitting.Dates & tips
Apr6–10In 5 monthsCulture · AspenAspen ShortsfestDates & tips - Apr11In 5 monthsSki season · Aspen HighlandsAspen Highlands closing dayHighlands' last day is traditionally the valley's rowdiest closing party at the base; the 2027 party program is not yet published.Dates & tips
- Apr11In 5 monthsSki season · SnowmassSnowmass closing daySnowmass wraps up its season the same day as Highlands, conditions permitting.Dates & tips
- Apr18In 5 monthsSki season · AspenAspen Mountain closing dayAspen Mountain is scheduled to be the last of the four to close, a week after Highlands and Snowmass.Dates & tips
May 2027 1 event
June 2027 3 events
Jun18–20In 8 monthsFood & wine · AspenFood & Wine Classic in AspenThe country's best-known culinary weekend brings star chefs, winemakers and tasting tents to downtown Aspen (organisers note dates can still change).Dates & tips 
Jun22–25In 8 monthsCulture · AspenAspen Ideas: HealthDates & tips - Jun24–27In 8 monthsMusic · AspenJAS June ExperienceDates & tips
July 2027 3 events
Jul4In 8 monthsHoliday · Roaring Fork ValleyIndependence DayJuly 4 falls on a Sunday in 2027, with the federal holiday observed Monday, July 5, making a long summer weekend.Dates & tips 
Jul4In 8 monthsHoliday · Aspen · expectedAspen's Old Fashioned Fourth of July (parade + drone show)Aspen celebrates with a small-town parade of floats and fire trucks and an evening drone show; the town has replaced fireworks with drones because of wildfire risk.Dates & tips - Jul4In 8 monthsHoliday · Snowmass · expectedSnowmass Fourth of July CelebrationDates & tips
September 2027 2 events
- Sep3–5In 10 monthsMusic · SnowmassJAS Labor Day ExperienceJazz Aspen Snowmass's big outdoor concert weekend draws headline acts to Snowmass Town Park over Labor Day.Dates & tips
Sep4–6In 10 monthsHoliday · Roaring Fork ValleyLabor Day weekendThe last big summer weekend, busy with the JAS festival in Snowmass and the Motherlode volleyball tournament in Aspen.Dates & tips
Dates to be announced
On the calendar every year — we add the dates as soon as the organisers do.
- The Little Nell Christmas tree lightingusually early-to-mid December; the official holiday guide lists Dec 7 (5-7 pm) in its text but its event link points to Dec 13, so the date is unresolved
- Spring break seasonusually early March through early April, peaking mid-to-late March; varies by school district
- Maroon Bells summer reservation season opensroad usually reopens to vehicles about May 15; reservations required from mid-May through October; shuttle from late May to mid-October
- Independence Pass (CO 82) reopens for summerusually the week before Memorial Day weekend, weather permitting
- Aspen Saturday Marketevery Saturday from June through October
- Mountainside Music Festivalusually mid-June (first held 2026)
- Snowmass Free Concert Series & Snowmass Rodeofree concerts on Thursdays and the rodeo on Wednesdays, mid-June to late August
- Aspen Ideas Festivalusually the last week of June into July 1, starting as Aspen Ideas: Health ends
- Aspen Music Festival and School summer seasonusually an eight-week season from late June/early July to late August
- Anderson Ranch Picnic & Auction / Recognition Weekusually mid-July
- Audi Power of Four Trail Runusually mid-July
- Aspen Art Week & ArtCrush galaAspen Art Week usually the last week of July into early August, ending with the ArtCrush gala on a Friday
- Up in the Sky Music Festivalusually an early-August weekend
- Motherlode Volleyball Classicheld every Labor Day weekend (Labor Day 2027 is Sept 6)
- Aspen Ruggerfestusually Thursday-Sunday of the third weekend of September
- Snowmass Wine Festivalusually a mid-September Friday-Saturday
- Fall colours peakapproximately mid-September to early October, earlier at higher elevations such as the Maroon Bells; varies year to year
- Snowmass Balloon Festivalusually a mid-to-late September weekend, early-morning launches
- Golden Leaf Half Marathonusually a late-September Saturday
- Snowmass Oktoberfestusually the last weekend of September
- Aspen Filmfestusually six days at the end of September into early October
- Independence Pass (CO 82) winter closureusually closes for winter between late October and mid-November
Every date, month by month
October 2026
- Independence Pass (CO 82) closed east of Aspen · Roaring Fork Valley
November 2026
- Maroon Creek Road closes to vehicles for winter · Aspen
- Bonobo at Belly Up Aspen · Aspen
- Thanksgiving · Roaring Fork Valley
- Aspen Mountain opening day · Aspen
- Snowmass opening day · Snowmass
December 2026
- Wintersköl · Aspen
- Wintersköl torchlight parade & fireworks · Aspen
- Aspen Highlands opening day · Aspen Highlands
- Buttermilk opening day · Buttermilk
- Aspen Snowmass 80th anniversary weekend · Roaring Fork Valley
- Diplo at Belly Up Aspen · Aspen
- Christmas Eve · Roaring Fork Valley
- Christmas Day · Roaring Fork Valley
- JAS Café holiday shows · Aspen
- New Year's Eve · Roaring Fork Valley
- Aspen New Year's Eve fireworks over Aspen Mountain · Aspen
- Snowmass New Year's Eve torchlight parade & fireworks · Snowmass
January 2027
- New Year's Day · Roaring Fork Valley
- The Snow League (season two) at Buttermilk · Buttermilk
- Martin Luther King Jr. weekend · Roaring Fork Valley
- Aspen Gay Ski Week — 50th 'Golden Jubilee' · Aspen
- Portugal. The Man at Belly Up Aspen · Aspen
- X Games Aspen 2027 · Buttermilk
February 2027
- Presidents' Day weekend · Roaring Fork Valley
- Palm Tree Music Festival Aspen · Aspen
- Audi Power of Four ski mountaineering race · Snowmass
- Toyota U.S. Grand Prix (FIS freeski & snowboard World Cup) · Buttermilk
March 2027
April 2027
- Buttermilk closing day · Buttermilk
- Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) closed for runway rebuild · Aspen
- Aspen Shortsfest · Aspen
- Aspen Highlands closing day · Aspen Highlands
- Snowmass closing day · Snowmass
- Aspen Mountain closing day · Aspen
May 2027
- Memorial Day weekend · Roaring Fork Valley
June 2027
- Food & Wine Classic in Aspen · Aspen
- Aspen Ideas: Health · Aspen
- JAS June Experience · Aspen
July 2027
- Independence Day · Roaring Fork Valley
- Aspen's Old Fashioned Fourth of July (parade + drone show) · Aspen
- Snowmass Fourth of July Celebration · Snowmass
September 2027
- JAS Labor Day Experience · Snowmass
- Labor Day weekend · Roaring Fork Valley
Dates come from each organiser's own announcements; plans change, so check the official site before you travel.