VAIL, Colorado — Now in its fourth year, Dummy Demolition Derby returns to Vail Snow Daze Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at Vail Mountain's Golden Peak base area. New for 2009, the competition will be held under the lights and will offer a full sensory experience for spectators including fireworks, a massive flamethrower, a JumboTron broadcasting instant replays of Dummy crashes, live DJs and thousands of giveaway opportunities. All guests and spectators are invited to enjoy a bowl of chili at the Chili Chowdown from 5 to 6 p.m. compliments of Vail Resorts while supplies last. Following the on-mountain event, rock band Eve 6 will perform a free in-town concert at 7 p.m.

Dummy Demolition Derby is a sport of sorts, where teams of one to three people construct snow-riding dummies attached to a pair of skis or a snowboard and launch the handmade contraptions over a giant on-snow jump. Dummies are judged on distance, air, creativity, takeoff, landing and crowd response. With this year's event being held under the lights, participants are encouraged to illuminate their dummies for better viewing. The first place team will take home a purse of $5,000, with $1,500 and $750 going to the second and third place teams, respectively.

“The Dummy Demolition Derby is hands-down the wackiest, most outrageous event in the Vail Snow Daze schedule,” said James Deighan of Highline Sports & Entertainment, the producers of the event. “I've seen everything from a dummy toilet to a flying stove to an Army tank compete in this event.”

Immediately following the on-mountain competition, rock band Eve 6 will take center stage for a free concert in Vail Village at Checkpoint Charlie. Widely known for their hit singles “Inside Out,” “Leech” and “Here's to the Night,” the Eve 6 concert will be held from 7 to 9 p.m.

It's all part of Vail Snow Daze, a super-charged week of non-stop music, on-mountain and in-town fun. All week long the Camera Phone Contest is being held on Flickr.com. Participants upload their photos to the group “Vail Snow Daze” or e-mail them to vailinfo@vailresorts.com for the chance to win a trip to Spring Back to Vail.

The free concert series continues Friday with Yukon Kornelius performing at 7 p.m. at Vail's Dobson Ice Arena with opening act Pete Kilpatrick Band. Barenaked Ladies will headline the weekend's concert line-up on Saturday at Ford Park from 5 to 9 p.m. with gates opening at 4 p.m. and opening act Pete Kilpatrick Band. And, Robert Randolph & the Family Band will close out the week's events with an après concert held on Sunday from 3 to 6 p.m. at Checkpoint Charlie in Vail Village with opening act Bonfire Dub.

A detailed schedule of events can be found on the Vail Snow Daze Web site at www.vailsnowdaze.com.