Memorial Day weekend events in the Vail Valley include barbecue competitions, live music, comedy and more
From Blues, Brews & BBQ, to the Vail Comedy Festival and learning about the veterans of the 10th Mountain Division there are plenty of activities and events going on
Tricia Swenson/Vail Daily
Memorial Day events
Memorial Day ceremony at Freedom Park
On Memorial Day, the Freedom Park Memorial Committee and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10721 will conduct the annual public ceremony in memory of all veterans of the armed forces and emergency response agencies from Eagle County who have died in the line of duty. The ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. at the Freedom Park Memorial in Edwards on the west side of the pond.
Highlights of the ceremony include a color guard composed of local veterans, keynote address by Marine Corps veteran Bill Welch, Michelle Cohn Levy will sing the National Anthem and other patriotic songs and Rabbi Joel Newman of B’nai Vail will lead the prayer. Local Boy Scouts and Civil Air Patrol cadets will also participate.
Tales of the 10th at the Colorado Snowsports Museum
On Saturday, come to the Colorado Snowsports Museum for Tales of the 10th with author and historian Flint Whitlock. Whitlock will share his knowledge of Camp Hale, the military training facility where the 10th Mountain Division trained during World War II. His book, “10th Mountain Division at Camp Hale” details the difficult training in the mountain environment, the camaraderie of the soldiers and the camp’s lasting impact on military and ski history. The presentation is at 4 p.m. with a book signing at 5 p.m. and is free to the public.
Blues, Brews and BBQ at Beaver Creek
Beaver Creek Village comes alive this weekend with Blues, Brews & BBQ and it brings all the sauce, suds and sounds you can handle Friday through Sunday.
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The caliber of musicians is off the charts this year with award-winning and Grammy-nominated blues artists. On Friday, travel back in time with headliner The British Blues Invasion, led by ASIA frontman John Payne, playing music from Cream, Free, John Marshall’s Blues Band and more. On Saturday, Ana Popovic is the marquee act, and this guitarist has received praise from Bruce Springsteen and was the only female guitar player from 2014-2018 for Experience Hendrix, playing with all-stars like Buddy Guy, Jonny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. On Sunday, Bettye LaVette, who has won countless awards and has been Grammy-nominated several times, will take the stage with the soulful sound she’s had for decades.
The brews will be flowing from Vail Brewing Company as well as Summit County’s Outer Range Brewing Company, Telluride Brewing Company, Wibby Brewing of Longmont, Colorado and Tivoli Brewing Company of Denver. Beaver Creek restaurants will be serving up barbecue alongside “Best of the Vail Valley” winner Charlie’s Texas BBQ. Gypsum’s Full Belly Food Truck and Bigs Meat Wagon of Fort Collins will also be there.
Barbecue demonstrations, competitions and an expo area will be hosted on the Fountain Plaza just steps away from the music with the latest in grilling and smoking technology. To learn more about the schedule, kid’s activities, drink punch cards and VIP passes, go to BCBluesBrewsBBQ.com.
SpringFree Bluegrass Festival in Vail
The second annual SpringFree Bluegrass Festival brings live music, amazing vendors, a kid’s zone, food trucks and three stages to Vail Village. On Friday, the music at this free event kicks off at 4 p.m. on the main stage on One Willow Bridge Road near Solaris. On Saturday, things start at noon and on Sunday come early for Bluegrass and Bloodies from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. before a full day of music. Each night there will be after-parties at Cucina at the Lodge at Vail.
Some of the big names in bluegrass playing throughout the weekend include Paul Hoffman of Greensky Bluegrass, Nicki Bluhm Band, Allison Brown Band and the Terrapin Family Band featuring Grahame Lesh, Ross James, Jason Crosby and Alex Koford with Eric Krasno and Nicki Bluhm. Local bands include Skin the Rabbit, Jake Wolf’s Always Dead Bluegrass Band, Hardscrabble and more.
In addition to the main stage, the side stage will be located facing El Segundo and Up the Creek restaurants. A third stage has been added this year to feature DJ Logic, who will spin tunes in between acts and will be joined by other collaborators throughout the weekend.
Food trucks and drinks will be available for purchase and will be near the Kid’s Zone. For more information, go to SpringFreeBluegrassFest.com.
Vail Comedy Festival
The Vail Comedy Festival is bringing the laughs over Memorial Day Weekend and welcomes 30 comedians who are coming in from all over the country. The event spans across several venues in Vail Village and Lionshead and its schedule ranges from podcast recordings, a film screening and magic performances in the morning to late night shows.
The lineup includes comedians who have appeared on the late-night talk shows, Comedy Central, HBO, MTV, “America’s Got Talent” and countless comedy festivals. Headliners include Mike E. Winfield, Sarah Tollemache, Andy Haynes and Katie Hannigan.
In addition to the stand-up routines, come and check out the “Lady Journey” podcast with Katie Hannigan and Sarah Tollemache or watch the film screening of “Anxiety Club” with director Wendy Lobel, which explores a heartfelt and humorous look at anxiety. For a full schedule and to get tickets, go to VailComedyFestival.com.
Leon Bridges at The Amp
The summer concert season kicks off at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater in Vail on Sunday with headliner Leon Bridges and opening act Kashus Culpepper. Bridges is a Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter and producer currently out on tour supporting his latest album, “Leon.” Bridges calls this his most personal record to date, chronicling the nostalgia and the ups and downs of his life.
Culpepper is a fast-rising newcomer on the scene. He’s been busy this spring touring with not only Leon Bridges but also Ian Munsick and playing festivals like Stagecoach in California and Tortuga in Florida.
Reserved seating is available under the pavilion and at press time lawn seats were sold out. For tickets and a look at the calendar, go to GRFAVail.com.
SunsetLIVE! concert in Avon
SunsetLIVE! returns to Avon’s Harry A. Nottingham Park this summer and it’s the perfect way to wind down the holiday weekend. This series, which is held on Sundays runs Memorial Day through Labor Day holidays. SunsetLIVE! features bands from Eagle and Summit Counties and this week’s musical act is The Sunsetters, which consists of crowd favorites Kathy Morrow, Brent Gordon and Larry Dutmer.
These casual shows are at The Terrace, which is on the back side of the performance pavilion, allowing great views of the sunset. Enjoy a seat on the back deck, the lawn or even from your paddle board or kayak. There is no charge for this and feel free to bring your own beverages of choice. For more information, go to Avon.org.
Bindu Beats and Brews on Monday
Enjoy a 5K, yoga, live music and more as part of the newly expanded Bindu Beats and Brews on Monday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Bindu Sky Pomeroy was a beloved teacher at the Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy in Minturn. Bindu died in a snowboarding accident, but his memory lives on in what started out as a 5k, but has now grown into a full day that adds yoga after the run, DJ, tunes, a sauna and cold plunge therapy, food from Ekahi Grill, wine and beer and a concert by the Runaway Grooms. The proceeds from the event held in Minturn at Maloit Park go to the Bindu Sky Memorial Fund and help the student athletes at Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy. For more information, go to BSPMemorial.com.
