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The 2018  Summer and Fall Seasons in Aspen, CO Brings a Full Calendar of Events, New Adventure Offerings, Lodging and

 Restaurant News and More

Combining culture, adventure, mountain beauty, and the charming historical town of Aspen, a summer or fall vacation in Aspen is incomparable. With a wealth of activities including cycling and mountain biking, hiking and climbing, fly fishing, white water rafting and more, Aspen is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream. Aspen also boasts a plethora of cultural events including classical and jazz music, visual and performing arts, intellectual gatherings and writing festivals, and culinary festivals. For more information and a complete calendar of events, visit www.aspenchamber.org or call 800.670.0788 or 970.925.1940

AIRLINE NEWS

The Aspen/Pitkin County Airport recently announced additional new and expanded flights beginning spring 2018 by all three airlines that service Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE).

• NEW Delta Air Lines will continue the nonstop flights from Salt Lake City (SLC) year-round into Aspen Snowmass (ASE). Salt Lake City offers convenient connections from multiple points of North America including Boston, Calgary, Florida, Hawaii, New York/JFK, Seattle, San Diego and Toronto, as well as international connections including London, Paris and Amsterdam.
• NEW United Airlines will expand their spring service from Denver (DIA) to five flights daily. United recently announced new daily nonstop service between Denver and London/Heathrow (LHR) beginning March 24.
• American Airlines will continue daily nonstop service from Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) on a year-round basis (previously service was seasonal). Not only is DFW a global hub, the airport also serves as America’s largest offering one-stop connections from Asia, Australia, South America, Europe and the Middle East.

LODGING NEWS

• MAY/JUNE 2018 Hotel Jerome, part of the Auberge Resorts Collection, is set to unveil their newest property expansions and renovations this May 2018. Hotel Jerome will be debuting a number of enhancements including the renovation of the historic Aspen Times building, new aquatic offerings, a 55-person speakeasy called, “Bad Harriet,” and the addition of two new three-bedroom residences (six new keys). The elaborate project includes a new pool, multiple hot tubs, first-floor Junior Suites overlooking the Courtyard, and new event spaces – Aspen Times Building, Bad Harriet, and more. At the helm of the renovations are award-winning Aspen architects, Rowland and Broughton and interior designs from TAL Studio. (330 E. Main St.)
• COMING SOON Aspen Meadows Resort will open the new Pavilion and renovated Reception Center in June 2018. With stunning views of the surrounding mountains from Aspen Mountain to Aspen Highlands to Buttermilk, the Pavilion will incorporate a modern design aesthetic from Jeffrey Berkus Architects, while preserving key elements of the present architectural work. The addition of the Pavilion will provide an all-weather venue and outdoor deck space for events, weddings, and meetings accommodating up to 100 more guests. A new outdoor deck will be added to the existing Meadows Restaurant.
• COMING SOON W Aspen and The Sky Residences at W Aspen is slated to open by spring 2019. The new hotel and residences are being designed by Nemaworkshop in partnership with local firm Rowland + Broughton Architecture and W’s in-house design team, offering 88 guestrooms and 11 W-branded fractional residences. Conveniently located at the base of Aspen Mountain, the development will also feature a 12,000 sq. ft. rooftop bar and pool, which will be open to the public with expansive views of Aspen Mountain. 

OUTDOOR RECREATION

• NEW We-Cycle, Aspen’s local bike sharing program, will now offer the first 30 minutes of every We-Cycle ride fare free to all riders. We-Cycle launched in 2013, making Aspen the first resort town with an official bike-sharing program.
• NEW Breathtaker Alpine Coaster and Lost Forest with Zipline, Ropes Course, and Climbing Wall: Aspen Snowmass unveiled the new Breathtaker alpine coaster over the winter 2018-19 season. The alpine coaster, located adjacent to Elk Camp Restaurant on Snowmass Mountain, takes riders through over a mile of forest on an elevated track. The Canopy Run Zipline Tours, Treeline Trial Challenge Course, and Rugged Ascent Climbing Wall will open in June 2018.

FOOD & WINE NEWS

• COMING JUNE 2018 The Hotel Jerome will convert the historic Victorian-era Aspen Times building into a speakeasy style bar called Bad Harriet, named after Jerome B. Wheeler’s wife, opening in June 2018. (330 E. Main St.)
• OPENING JUNE 2018 Austin-based eatery Clark’s Oyster Bar will expand with a new location in Aspen in June 2018.  The unnamed Clark’s expansion will serve up seafood dishes, burgers, and more. (517 E. Hyman Ave.)
• OPENING JULY 2018 A new supper-club called 7908 will open in downtown Aspen this July. Guests can enjoy fine dining along with live music and entertainment nightly. (415 E. Hyman Ave.)
• OPENING JUNE 2018 The Cottage is the newest addition to Rustique Bistro and The Cooking School of Aspen. The new 700-square-foot event space will be available to rent for private parties, dinners, cooking or product demos, pop-up stores, art shows, and more. (305 E. Hopkins Ave.)
• COMING SOON Aspen Public House plans to open this summer in the corner of the historic Wheeler Opera House serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu includes Colorado-inspired comfort food. (328 E. Hyman Ave.)
• NEW Marble Bar Aspen, a Marble Distilling Co. concept and tasting room, opened over the winter season inside the Hyatt Residence Club Grand Aspen. The new bar serves up Colorado craft cocktails made with local Mable Distilling spirits, and farm-to-table small bites. (415 E. Dean St.)
• NEW Aspen Brewing Company has moved into a new space with a spacious patio on Galena Street with views towards Aspen Mountain. The new taproom called Aspen Tap serves small bites for lunch and dinner, features select liquor and wines, and of course serves Aspen Brewing Company beer. (121 S. Galena St.)
• NEW Maker + Place recently opened Local Coffee House, a new coffee shop inside the part retail, part design creative space. Local Coffee House offers coffee as well as small bites for breakfast and lunch, all affordably priced under $10. Local Coffee Shop customers can order coffee or food in advance through their app for a swift and easy experience. (315 E. Hyman Ave.)
• NEW Gorsuch Ski & Cafe opened during the winter 2018 season on gondola plaza. With a charming patio with a warm fire, cozy shearling-covered chairs, and a large joiner’s table, Gorsuch Café has become a new favorite hangout spot. The café offers coffee drinks and breakfast, lunch and après-ski snacks, including select wines and beers. (555 E. Durant Ave.)

ART AND CULTURE NEWS

• COMING SOON bauhaus 100: Aspen (January - August 2019)  2019 is the 100^thanniversary of the Bauhaus, and to celebrate the history of the Bauhaus in Aspen, there will be a nine-month schedule of activities orchestrated by many organizations from the Aspen Institute to Anderson Ranch Arts Center to the Aspen Historical Society. While plans are being finalized, they will kick off in January 2019 and continue through August 2019 and will include activities during the 2019 Aspen Ideas Festival, an Aspen Institute symposium Aug. 6 – 9, an exhibit at Aspen Historical Society of Herbert Bayer’s works, regular tours of the Aspen Institute Herbert Bayer collection, Bauhaus-themed Wintersculpt during Winterskol, art exhibitions and more. Bauhaus artist Herbert Bayer designed the Aspen Institute’s campus which includes Bayer sculpture’s, landworks, tapestries, paintings, photography and more and other Bauhaus designers impacted modern Aspen.
• NEW EXHIBIT From June 12- Sept. 29 Aspen Historical Society’s Wheeler/Stallard Museum will host “Freak Power: Hunter Thompson’s Campaign for Sheriff” on the second floor of the museum. The exhibition will include 125 pieces from Freak Power curator Daniel Watkins as well as select artifacts from the Aspen Historical Society collection.
• NEW EXHIBITS “The Art of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection will run in the Paepcke Gallery located on the Aspen Institute campus from June 21- Sept. 15. The posters are part of a significant group donated to the Whitney Museum of American of Art by The American Art Foundation, Inc. “Herbert Bayer: Mountains and Convolutions, 1944 – 1953” will also open on the Aspen Institute Campus in the Resnick Gallery in the Doerr-Hosier Building from June 14- June 10, 2019. This exhibit will feature 28 of the artist’s most dynamic compositions.

RETAIL NEWS

• COMING SOON Goop is opening a pop-up store for the summer in Aspen. The store will embody the brand’s health and wellness lifestyle and sell everything from fashion to cooking tools. (422 E. Cooper Ave.)
• COMING SOON London and LA-based brand Frame will open a new store in downtown Aspen by summer 2018. The shop will carry Frame’s premium denim collection for men and women, as well as their new Italian leather tote bag line. (535 E. Hyman Ave.)
• COMING SOON Forty Five Ten is expanding its footprint with a new space in downtown Aspen opening in fall 2018. This will mark Forty Five Ten’s’ sixth location. The Dallas-born boutique brand sells a luxury collection of men and women’s fashion including clothing and accessories. (530 E. Hyman Ave.)
• NEW O2 Aspen relocated to a new space in downtown Aspen in Feb. 2018. The new yoga and Pilates studio includes a street level retail space, three basement-floor spa treatment rooms yoga and Pilates space located upstairs with ample nature light and beautiful mountain views, and O2-to-go healthy cuisine. (408 S. Mill St.)
• NEW Mr and Mrs Italy opened a new space, and their only other location in the country besides a stand-alone boutique in New York, in Aspen over the winter season. Customers can enjoy a selection of their fur-line army-inspired parkas for men and women. (535 E. Hyman Ave.)
• NEW Beach resort wear boutique CJ Laing opened in Aspen over the winter season with an expanded stock of women’s apparel and accessories with cold-weather essentials in its only mountain store. The shop also sells cashmere hats, French-made wool caps, cashmere sweaters and more. (555 E. Durant Ave.)
• NEW Well-known designer Cynthia Rowley opened a new space in Aspen over the winter 2018 season. The new pop up sells women's fitness wear, swimsuits, shoes and accessories. (601 E. Hyman Ave.)
• NEW Sweaty Betty opened in downtown Aspen over the winter season. The British retailer specializes in women’s activewear and has over 50 shops worldwide. (529 E. Cooper Ave.)
• NEW Marcus Lemonis opened a mixed brand luxury store named “Marcus” in downtown Aspen. The store offers a variety of contemporary womenswear lifestyle selections. (501 E. Hyman Ave.)
• NEW Kemo Sabe moved into a new multi-level store location in downtown Aspen. The new space offers a full bar upstairs for private events, as well as a two-bedroom residence (known as “The Penthouse”) housed above the store with its own personal concierge. (217 S. Galena St.)
• NEW Maker + Place offers one-of-a-kind handcrafted home and lifestyle wares from all over the world. They bring production into the retail environment by offering open-air studios to local craftspeople and by inviting the customer to take part in the creation process. One of their craftspeople is weaver Clarity Elise Fornell, who has the goal of creating pieces with less waste and more intention. Clarity focuses on the change of thought processes in appreciating and honoring the tradition and beauty in utilitarian goods and home wares. (315 E. Hyman Ave.)
• NEW D’Angelico Guitars launched a retail storefront in Aspen in November. The shop, located across from the Wheeler Opera house, will sell D’Angelico electric, acoustic and bass guitar, as well as amplifiers, headphones, apparel and more.  (240 S. Mill St.)

2018 SUMMER CALENDAR HIGHLIGHTS

Aspen boosts an array of events and festivals all summer long with musical performances around town, culinary and art festivals, sporting events and more. Following are some highlights of Aspen’s summer 2018:

Food and Wine Classic in Aspen, June 15-17

• The nation’s premier culinary event returns to Aspen with world-renowned celebrity chefs and wine experts. The three-day weekend includes tasting events, cooking classes, cooking demos, wine and interactive seminars, and the daily grand tastings.

Aspen Summer Words, June 17-22

• Aspen Summer Words welcomes visitors and locals alike to celebrate writing and writers in Aspen for a week in June. Various workshops will be held with renowned authors and teachers including Peter Ho Davies, Tom Perrotta, J. Courtney Sullivan, Heather Harpham, Margot Lee Shetterly, Tina Change, and more. New this year, Aspen Words will offer a juried narrative nonfiction workshop as well as a beginning writing workshop.

Aspen Institute Aspen Ideas Festival June 21-30

• The 14^th annual Aspen Ideas Festival is divided into three sessions over ten days. Spotlight Health returns to the festival as the opening segment June 21-24, followed by festival 1 June 24-June 27 and festival 2 June 27-June 30. A variety of additional programs, tutorials, seminars and discussions confront guests with stimulating issues throughout the festival.

Jazz Aspen Snowmass June Festival June 22- 30

• The Jazz Aspen Snowmass June Festival includes four nights of headline concerts from world-class musicians, including Lyle Lovett & the Large, Band, Lizz Wright, Leslie Odom, and a tribute to Ray Charles  at the Benedict Music Tent, an expanded JAS Café Downstairs Series, and a free nightly lawn party on the music festival grounds.

Aspen Music Festival & School, June 28-Aug. 19

• Aspen Music Festival and School, regarded as one of the top classical music festivals in the United States, will celebrate its 70^th anniversary this summer, as well as a school with more than 600 classical music students from around the country and the world. The eight-week summer season includes more than 400 classical music events—including concerts by orchestras, solo and chamber music performances, master classes, lectures, and children’s programming. Aspen Music Festival and School’s 2018 season will be a summer of celebration focused around Paris, City of Light. Concerts throughout the season will allow patrons to delve into works by Parisian composers and inspired by the French capital. This season also marks the 25^th anniversary of Harris Concert Hall.

Power of Four Mountain Bike Race and  Power of Four Trail 50K, 22K & Vertical K Race, July 28 - 20

• This unique mountain bike race combines single and double track trails across the four ski areas of Aspen Snowmass into one challenging course.
• The Power of Four Trail Race Series offers three different races in Aspen Snowmass including the 50K race, 22K race and the event’s signature race, the challenging 50K Ultra that covers the four Aspen Snowmass mountains.

Motherlode Volleyball Classic Aug. 29- Sept. 3

• Nearly 700 teams from all over the country come to Aspen to compete in the annual Motherlode Volleyball Classic, one of North America’s largest and most popular beach volleyball events.

Jazz Aspen Snowmass Labor Day Festival Aug. 31- Sept. 2

• The Jazz Aspen Snowmass Labor Day Festival will take place in the Snowmass Town Park. Acts for this year’s festival include Zac Brown Band, Jack Johnson, Lionel Richie, and Michael Franti.

Grand Traverse Mountain Run & Bike, Sept. 2-3

• The fifth annual Grand Traverse Mountain Run & Bike will take place on a fully supported trail from Crested Butte to Aspen, a 40-mile course. Participants may choose to do the race solo or as a team of two. The races will start in downtown Crested Butte on Elk Avenue and finish at the base of Aspen Mountain.

Aspen Filmfest Sept. 25-30

• Aspen Film’s 40^th annual FilmFest is a six-day-long festival with a focus on documentaries. Filmfest audiences are among the first in the country to see award-worthy and acclaimed independent films.

ABOUT ASPEN

For media information and images, contact Promo Communications:

Maureen Poschman [email protected]

Melissa Wisenbaker [email protected]