Aspen Snowmass
Aspen Snowmass announces the 2020 spring events line-up that includes a variety of free events across all four mountains throughout the months of March and April.
Headlining the calendar, the 20th annual Bud Light Spring Jam Festival returns with a packed schedule including free Bud Light Hi-Fi concerts, Banked Slalom, KickAspen Big Air, and more.
Aspen Snowmass also sees the return of ski racing in March with both the NASTAR National Championships and U.S. Alpine Tech Championships.
The calendar also stars the Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series presents The Après, which will take place downtown Aspen Apr. 11 featuring Wolfmother.
2020 Spring Events Calendar
20th Annual Bud Light Spring Jam Festival
Mar. 17-22
Aspen Snowmass
The 20th annual Bud Light Spring Jam, the premier spring festival in the Rocky Mountains, will bring a schedule filled with competitions, concerts and parties to Aspen Snowmass. The festival features everything from free Bud Light Hi-Fi Concerts featuring Big Boi, to competitions such as the Banked Slalom, Ullrhof Games, KickAspen Big Air, Terrain Park Boot Camp and the Helly Hansen 4 MTN Mission.
Ullrhof Games
Mar. 17
Ullrhof, Snowmass
Ullrhof restaurant, located mid-mountain on Snowmass, will see the return of the Ullrhof Games for the fourth year in a row. Slated for St. Patrick’s day, the event will include a deck party, beer and food specials, a DJ, prize giveaways and, of course, teams competing in traditional games such as beer pong, speed quarters, corn hole and stump. Festivities will kick-off at Noon. Register teams of two by emailing Freddy Van Doorn at fvandoorn@aspensnowmass.com.
Helly Hansen 4 MTN Mission
Mar. 17-21
Aspen Snowmass
The Helly Hansen 4 MTN Mission is switching this year to be a five-day long competition that will take participants on an adventure across the four mountains of Aspen Snowmass and highlight some of the best terrain as well as landmarks and historical locations along the way. Teams can choose to tackle all four mountains in one day or spread it out over multiple days. Each team will receive a 4 MTN Mission passport book that includes a page for each location and hints on where to find them. There will be unique embossing stamps at each location that participants will use to mark a specific page in the book. Completed books must be turned into the Aspen Mountain ticket office by 4:45 p.m. on Mar. 21. All completed books will be entered into a raffle and the winners will be announced at 7 p.m. right before the start of the free Bud Light Hi-Fi concert featuring Big Boi at the Aspen Mountain Gondola plaza.
KickAspen Big Air
Mar. 20
Aspen Mountain
KickAspen Big Air is a one-night ski and snowboard Big Air competition in which 20 invited skiers and 20 invited snowboarders battle it out under the lights at the base of Aspen Mountain. Top regional athletes will compete to take home a portion of the $5,000 prize purse. The competition will begin at 8 p.m. and include music, prize giveaways and a Bud Light beer garden.
Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series Presents Big Boi
Mar. 21
Aspen Mountain Gondola Plaza
Big Boi, a world famous hip-hop artist, will headline the 20th annual Bud Light Spring Jam Festival with a performance at the base of Aspen Mountain as part of the free Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series. The rapper, songwriter, record producer, actor and philanthropist has been shaping modern hip-hop from his hometown of Atlanta for over two decades. Born Antwan André Patton, and formerly one-half of OutKast, the renowned duo sold 25 million albums and collected seven GRAMMY Awards. Since then, Big Boi has made large headway as a solo artist, particularly with his single “All Night,” which clocked 40 million streams within a year. The Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert will take place Mar. 21 in gondola plaza at the base of Aspen Mountain and will include a Bud Light beer garden with proceeds going to Aspen Skiing Company’s Environment Foundation and Caring for Community Fund. Electro pop band, Arizona will perform on the deck of the Snow Lodge at 4 p.m. followed by DJ Naka G on the main stage at 6 p.m. Big Boi will hit the stage at 7 p.m.
Terrain Park Boot Camp
Mar. 21-22
Snowmass
As part of the Bud Light Spring Jam Festival, Aspen Snowmass will host a weekend of Terrain Park Boot Camp. This event gives amateurs and kids the opportunity to learn skills on terrain park features such as rails, boxes and jumps under the supervision of Aspen Snowmass based professional ski and snowboard athletes. Terrain Park Boot Camp will be held on Fanny Hill in Snowmass Mar. 21-22. This event is free and open to the public, helmets are required and minors must have a waiver signed by a guardian.
Slash the Mass Banked Slalom
Mar. 22
Snowmass
The seventh annual Slash the Mass Banked Slalom snowboard race will take place on Garrett’s Gulch trail at Snowmass Mar. 22 with proceeds benefiting the Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club’s snowboard program. Join or watch as the local snowboarding community gathers for a day of fast-turning and friendly competition. All participants are invited to join in community course build days Mar. 14 and 21. Course build workers will receive preferred course access, design input opportunities, and complimentary lunch. Entry fee is $35 and advance online registration is required. Visiting registered racers may purchase a discounted racer lift ticket for $55. Bib pickup will take place in the Snowmass Village Mall Ticket Pavilion Sunday, Mar. 22 from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. To register visit, www.aspensnowmass.com/while-you-are-here/events/banked-slalom. For more information, email race director Tyler Lindsay at tlindsay@aspensnowmass.com. Helmets are mandatory.
NASTAR National Championships
Mar. 24-28
Snowmass
Aspen Snowmass will host the 2020 NASTAR National Championships at Snowmass Mar. 24-28. NASTAR is a youth feeder program for the U.S. Ski Team, and U.S. Ski Team athletes set the pace for NASTAR. More than 50,000 racers will compete at 100 resorts across the country to qualify for a spot at the National Championships. Recreational racers compete within their age and ability group to earn a National Championship title and place in the final, Race of Champions. Each National Champion carries their handicap into the race to compete for the overall win. For more information about the NASTAR National Championships, visit www.nastar.com/national-championships.
Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series Presents Houndmouth
Mar. 28
Snowmass Base Village
Continuing the free Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series this spring, indie folk band, Houndmouth, will hit the stage in Snowmass Base Village Saturday, Mar. 28 on the final day of the NASTAR National Championships and the kick-off day for the U.S. Alpine Tech Championships. Formed in 2011, the band from New Albany, Ind. consists of Matt Myers on guitar/vocals, Zak Appleby on bass/vocals and Shane Cody on drums/vocals. DJ Naka G will open the concert at 3 p.m. with Houndmouth on at 4:30 p.m.
U.S. Alpine Tech Championships
Mar. 28-31
Snowmass and Aspen Highlands
Aspen Snowmass, in collaboration with the U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club (AVSC), will host the 2020 U.S. Alpine Tech Championships Mar. 28-31 at Snowmass and Aspen Highlands. Tech Championships include the disciplines of men’s and women’s slalom, giant slalom and parallel slalom. The last time Aspen Snowmass hosted a U.S. Alpine Tech Championships was 60 years ago, but ski racing runs deep in the Roaring Fork Valley, as the resort not only hosted the first World Championships outside of Europe in 1950, but has been a continuous stop on the World Cup circuit for both the men and women. Aspen also hosted the 2017 Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals. For more information, visit www.aspensnowmass.com/while-you-are-here/events/us-alpine-tech-championships.
Bacon Appreciation Day
Apr. 5
Buttermilk
In celebration of Buttermilk’s closing day, the mountain hosts an annual Bacon Appreciation Day featuring a schedule of all things bacon including bacon waffles at the Cliffhouse starting at 9 a.m., bacon doughnuts at 10:30 a.m., bacon samplers around the mountain from 11 a.m. until it runs out. There will be a bacon and beer happy hour at Bumps restaurant from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. A cost is associated with the lunches and happy hour but all other bacon items are free while supplies last.
In conjunction with Bacon Appreciation Day, Buttermilk will also host an uphilling event called ‘Fueled by Bacon Sizzle Up’ that will begin at 8 a.m. at the base (registration day-of starting at 7:30 a.m. at the base of Buttermilk) and end at the Cliffhouse. Prizes will be awarded for the Best Costume, the Center Cut (person who is in the middle of the pack) and for the fastest, with additional prizes raffled off as well. Bacon will be available at the base and finish line and bacon waffles will be served at the Cliffhouse. Cost is $15 for individuals and $40 for a family of four.
Smith Optics Grudge Match
Apr. 5
Buttermilk
The Smith Optics Grudge Match, a snowboard only event, returns to Buttermilk for closing day, on a specially constructed plaza-style terrain park. Competitors will spin the “trick wheel” to determine the maneuvers performed by all competitors, and a panel of shred celebrity judges will pick their favorites to determine a top eight for the final jam. Registration is free for the first 30 competitors, and will take place at Radio Boardshop in downtown Aspen. The winner will take home $1,000 in cash and a pair of Smith 4D goggles. The rail jam will take place just off the deck at Bumps providing the perfect venue to grab a Bud Light and watch all the action. For more information, visit www.aspensnowmass.com/while-you-are-here/events/smith-optics-grudge-match.
Red Bull Homerun
Apr. 11
Aspen Mountain
Red Bull Homerun is a downhill sprint skiing/snowboarding competition from top-to-bottom on Aspen Mountain. Skiers and Snowboarders will start together in a Le Mans-style mass sprint to strap into their gear. Then, racers will go as fast as possible down a marked course and finish at the base. The fastest man and woman, in both skiing and snowboarding, will take home a trophy, an Ikon Pass, a Red Bull prize pack and of course, bragging rights. There will also be a separate prize category created for “Dressed for Success.” Each competitor will be assigned a commemorative race bib, which will provide access to the après-ski party at the base of Aspen Mountain where a DJ will be performing. Registration opens at 9 a.m. day-of-event and the shotgun start will begin at 4:30 p.m. For more information, including the detailed schedule, visit, www.aspensnowmass.com/while-you-are-here/events/red-bull-home-run
Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series Presents The Après featuring Wolfmother
Apr. 11
Downtown Aspen
In celebration of Aspen Highlands Closing Weekend, The Après is moving to downtown Aspen and featuring rock band Wolfmother as part of the free Bud Light Hi-Fi Concert Series. Wolfmother is a rock band that formed in Sydney, Australia in 2004 and consists of members Andrew Stockdale on vocals/guitar, Chris Ross on bass/keyboard and Myles Heskett on drums. The band won a GRAMMY in 2007 for “Best Hard Rock Performance” for the song “Woman.” The downtown Aspen music festival will take place Apr. 11 on the corner of Cooper Ave. and Galena St. and will include a Bud Light beer garden with proceeds going to Aspen Skiing Company’s Environment Foundation and Caring for Community Fund. Wolfmother will hit the stage at 8:30 p.m. with various live music acts beginning at 4 p.m.
Schneetag Pond Skim Presented by ESPN 8: The Ocho
Apr. 12
Aspen Highlands
Taking place on Aspen Highlands Closing Day, Sunday, Apr. 12, the Schneetag Pond Skim returns this year to the Merry-Go-Round restaurant located mid-mountain on Highlands. The event invites teams of four to perform a choreographed skit before piloting their custom creative snowcraft down a ramp and across an icy pond. In addition to appearing on TV for ESPN 8: The Ocho, participants will perform in front of a panel of judges who will decide which team wins awesome prize packages. Skiers and snowboarders are also invited to pond skim.
Surf & Snow Beach Party Presented by Goslings
Apr. 18
Elk Camp Restaurant, Snowmass
For the fourth year in a row, Elk Camp restaurant at Snowmass will host an end-of-season party featuring free leis, a dance party, and margarita blender bikes. As the party comes to an end, party-goers ski down to the base in just their swimsuits. The Surf & Snow Beach Party will also play host to a pond skim. Both skiers and snowboarders are invited to participate in the pond skim.
Aspen Mountain Retro Closing Day Party Presented by Goslings
Apr. 19
Aspen Mountain
Aspen Mountain will round-out the ski season with a Retro Closing Day Party presented by Goslings, Sunday, Apr. 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sundeck. The party will include drink specials with Gosling Rum and live music.
For more information about spring events, visit www.aspensnowmass.com/while-you-are-here/events.
For lodging deals and packages at Aspen Snowmass, visit www.aspensnowmass.com/plan-your-stay/packages-and-deals.
Spring event sponsors include Bud Light, Helly Hansen, Audi, Coca Cola, Lavazza, Stance, Supergoop, Smith, Hublot, Goslings, RXBAR, Head, Alchemy, Snowmass Tourism and Belly Up Aspen.
For more information about Aspen Snowmass, visit www.aspensnowmass.com or call (800) 525-6200. Follow Aspen Snowmass @aspensnowmass on Twitter and Instagram, or at www.facebook.com/aspensnowmass.