June 19-21, 2009, Aspen Food & Wine Classie: www.foodandwine.com/ext/classic/

In its 28th 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 past Food & Wine events to get excited for this year!

WATCH our video coverage: www.plumtv.com/topics/2008_food_wine_classic_in_aspen

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June 24 - August 2009, Aspen Music Festival & School: http://www.aspenmusicfestival.com

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.

WATCH our Music Festival & School video coverage: www.plumtv.com/videos/aspen-aspen-music-festival-school-closing-party/index.html


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June 15 - August 21, 2009, Bluegrass Sundays: www.aspensnowmass.com/summer_rec/music

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. Free with gondola ticket.

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.


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July 2 - August 6, 2009, Snowmass Free Thursday Night Concert Series: http://www.snowmassvillage.com/snowmass-summer-of-free-music-series

Snowmass' Thursday Night Concerts draw crowds by the thousands to Fanny Hill to hear some of the best rock, R&B, soul and Latin music in the mountains--for free! Bring along a blanket or low lawn chair and a picnic dinner for the ultimate al fresco experience (byo alcohol is prohibited, beer and wine are for sale on site.). Dogs are welcome in a designated area.

This year's line-up features: Karl Denson with Tiny Universe, Cyril Neville – The youngest of the four Neville Brothers, Iguanas, Band of Heathens, Ryan Shaw, and Trombone Shorty.

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June 29 - July 5, 2009, The Aspen Ideas Festival: www.aifestival.org/

This marquee event 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.

2009 Aspen Idea Festival speakers include:

* Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
* U.S. Army Chief of Staff General George Casey
* Former Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff
* Former Secretary of State Candoleezza Rice
* Aspen Strategy Group Director Kurt Campbell
 

WATCH our Aspen Ideas Festival coverage: www.plumtv.com/topics/aspen_ideas_festival/

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Mid-June - Late October 2009, The Aspen Saturday Market

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.