ASPEN SUMMER EVENTS

In its 27th year, the Food & Wine Classic brings the industries’ finest chefs, sommeliers, TV personalities, and wineries to downtown Aspen for three days of tastings, seminars, and cooking demos. While tickets for this year’s decadent festival have long sold out, we recommend that foodies check out our favorite footage from last year’s Food & Wine to get excited for this year's event.

The summer in Aspen is alive with the sound of music as the Aspen Music Festival and School boasts more than 350 concerts performed by the School’s talented students and teachers. Classical music-lovers can watch these virtuosos play outside Paradise Bakery at night, on top of Aspen Mountain, the Benedict Music Tent (we just love the Sunday afternoon concerts at the Tent’s lawn), and all around town June through August.

The melody doesn’t stop there as Bluegrass Sundays take place at the Sundeck on top of Ajax Mountain from noon to 3 p.m. June through August. Jazz Aspen Snowmass (JAS) also keeps the beat going when they present their June Festival, which brings such acts such as Bebel Bilberto, Anita Baker, and Los Lonely Boys to downtown Aspen. If you miss JAS’ June Festival, then head to Snowmass for their Labor Day Festival which boasts four days of music from Xavier Rudd, John Fogerty, Yonder Mountain String Band, back to back nights of Widespread Panic, and more.

The Aspen Ideas Festival brings some of the world’s most powerful and forward-thinking writers, decision makers, business people, educators, and more to Aspen for a week full of thought-provoking conversations. Plum will be live on site to report all the action.

One of Aspen’s favorite summer traditions is the Saturday Market, where you can not only find local and organic fruits and vegetables, but organic meat, handmade pasta, handmade jewelry, extravagant flowers, delectable sauces, and more. From June through October, you can stroll down Hunter and Hopkins every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and find delicious treats, listen to live music, and run in to familiar faces.

HIKING

With more trails than you can count, the Roaring Fork Valley boasts amazing hiking for all levels and abilities. While locals and visitors looking for a casual workout flock to Smuggler Trail, hikers looking to break a serious sweat can make tracks on Hunter Creek Trail and the Ute Trail to name a few. But be sure to bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and the appropriate footwear as nothing ruins a good hike more than blisters.

BIKING