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Vail’s Closing Day, ‘Big Fish,’ sake and clay, Earth Day and more: Tricia’s Weekend Picks 4/21/23

The ski season is winding down, but there are still events happening around the county

Closing Day at Vail

Last Sunday was Beaver Creek’s Closing Day and this Sunday it’s Vail’s turn. Vail will close down for its 60th year after a season full of powder days and a few sunny deck days later in the season.

Currently, top-to-bottom skiing and snowboarding can be found on the front side of Vail Mountain as well as in the Sun Up and Sun Down Bowls, serviced by High Noon Express (No. 5). At press time, the forecast calls for warmer temperatures by Sunday after some new snow. Expect to see a variety of costumes and maybe some shorts and bikini tops. It’s a festive atmosphere that sometimes has more to do with socializing than it does with racking up vertical feet.

Do keep in mind that spring conditions exist, which could mean that the snow is a bit hard-packed when the lifts open at 8:30 a.m. and tends to soften up later. There’s also a point where the slopes may get a bit slushy and you’ve got to push the snow around a bit more. The higher you go in elevation, typically you’ll have less slush, so choose your terrain wisely. Downloading the gondolas in Vail Village and Lionshead may be a good idea if the snow gets heavy. Keep yourself safe – summer is just around the corner and so are all the fun activities like hiking and biking that go with the season.



After the last chairlift spins on Sunday, you won’t be able to ride up until June. Vail Resorts announced opening dates for summer as follows:

 Vail Mountain: 

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  • Gondola One (No. 1) and Eagle Bahn Gondola (No. 19)
  • Friday, June 16 through Sunday, Oct. 1 
  • Gondola One (No. 1) will run duriung the GoPro Mountain Games June 10 – 11
  • After Labor Day, Sept. 4, operations will be Friday through Sunday 

Beaver Creek:

  • Centennial Express (No. 6)
  • Saturday, June 17 through Sunday, Sept. 24
  • After Labor Day, Sept. 4, operations will be on weekends only 

Musical offerings

10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirits Co. is offering live music during Sippin’ Saturdays at its distillery location in Gypsum.
10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirits Co./Courtesy photo

The Altitones at Agave

The Altitones will play at Agave on Friday night to celebrate the band’s 10th anniversary and also honor a friend of the band and celebrate the life of Jude Wargo. The Altitones formed 10 years ago after a couple of open mic nights at Montañas in Avon and the band hasn’t looked back. The core of the band consists of Tommy Anderson on lead vocals and guitar,  Sam Bee on bass and vocals, Mauricio Cadavid on lead guitar and vocals, Jake Lidard on keyboard and Ben Swonke on drums.

The band will keep things lively by playing a mix of Memphis blues, country shuffles and all-around good time music. The show starts at 10 p.m. Come early and get some tacos and tequila. For more information, go to AgaveAvon.com.

Daytime music at Shakedown Bar Vail

If you are coming off the hill a little early on Saturday afternoon, stop by and hear some live music at Shakedown Bar. Trees Don’t Move, a band out of Eagle comprised of high school students has been taking the valley by storm with their music and have played the Eagle Block Party (they are scheduled to play again at the Block Party this summer) will be joined by Fort Collins-based Scuffed and Vail’s Your Robot Overlords. Local punk outfit Your Robot Overlords was voted one of the top bands in this season’s Vail Daily Readers Poll.  

Music starts at 2 p.m. and goes until 5 p.m. For more information, go to ShakedownBarVail.com.

Sippin’ Saturdays

Saturdays are for sipping, at least that is what 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirits Company thinks. The local vodka and whiskey distiller is bringing back live music, lawn games, a food truck, tastings and craft cocktails this Saturday.  

The craft cocktail menu was designed by Connor Zink, the tasting room manager, who makes all the infusions, fresh syrups, juices and bitters. A big crowd favorite right now is the Magic Carpet, made with butterfly pea-infused 10th vodka. Troy Harris, who grew up in the valley, will take the stage and play some tunes between 7 and 10 p.m. Learn more at 10thWhiskey.com.

‘Big Fish’ at Vail Christian High School

Vail Christian High School presents “Big Fish” this weekend.
Vail Christian High School

Since January, the students who are in the Vail Christian High School performing arts program have been working hard on this spring’s production, “Big Fish.” Come see all this work come to fruition on stage at the Grace Auditorium at Vail Christian High School this weekend.

Melinda Carlson, theater director of Vail Christian High School for the past decade, said that she and the students chose “Big Fish” because it is a story we all need.

“It is a refreshing story of the power we have to choose how we live our stories and the ways we change each other’s stories. In a day of divisiveness and hopelessness, we talk about really seeing and listening and giving to others. “Big Fish” is about a man who made a difference and saw the world in a bigger-than-life sort of way.”

“Big Fish” was a novel that was made into a movie and is now a Broadway musical. The story centers around the relationship between Edward Bloom, a traveling salesman and his adult son Will, who looks for what is behind his father’s tall tales. The story goes from present day and then goes back in time when Edward is recounting his very colorful life.

Over 50 Vail Christian High School students are involved. From acting and singing, set design to being a crew member behind the scenes.

“I would describe this journey as being “a unique story with deep character development relevant to relationships we all share,” said Ava Garrison, a senior at Vail Christian High School.

Junior Jack Pryor encourages everyone to come and see “Big Fish” because it is “exciting and entertaining like most musicals along with a thoughtful storyline that will bring families together and remind them to appreciate one another.”

Show times are Thursday through Saturday at 7 p.m. and a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Saturday. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students and $5 for children 5 and under. The sale of tickets benefits the performing arts program at Vail Christian High School.

Cocktails, Cooking & Clay

Cooking has been added to the Cocktails and Clay art project on Friday at Alpine Arts Center. Try your hand at making clay dishes for sushi.
Alpine Arts Center/Courtesy photo

The Alpine Arts Center has hosted many Cocktails and Canvas and Cocktails and Clay events, but this is the first time it has added cooking to the mix. Sushi is the theme on Friday at Cocktails, Cooking and Clay and aspiring artists and even someone who is just showing up for a good time will enjoy sake along with cooking instructions from The Kitchen Conservatory on how to make sushi rolls.

Enjoy an ochoko of sake (ochokos are small vessels you pour sake into when you sip it). The Kitchen Conservatory will walk you through how to make two California rolls. You’ll also be taught how to handle the clay and turn it into a sushi platter and a soy sauce dish.

After firing and glazing, your sushi ware will be available for pickup in about two weeks. If you are a visitor and still want to participate, you can do so and shipping can be arranged.

This event takes place on Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. For more information about Alpine Arts Center, go to AlpineArtsCenter.org. For more information on The Kitchen Conservatory visit TheKitchenConservatory.org.

Earth Day

Celebrate Earth Day with events happening at Walking Mountains’ Climate Action Week.
Noah Buscher/ Unsplash

Saturday is Earth Day but at Walking Mountains, every day is Earth Day. Check out some of the events and activities Walking Mountains has planned surrounding Climate Action Week, a special schedule of events that brings people together to discuss, learn, create and have fun all for the environment’s sake.

Climate Action Week spans more than just a week, it started out on April 17 and goes through April 26 Events like the PURE Energy pizza party, trivia night, the Wild and Scenic Film Festival, hikes and sustainable business training has already gone on this week. Here’s a look at the schedule for this weekend. For the full schedule, go to WalkingMountains.org.

Friday:

  • Eco-Transit Fare Free Day
  • Food, Water & Climate Speaker Panel and Sustainability Fair
  • Backcountry Snowshoe Hike

Saturday:

  • Yoga for Climate Resilience
  • DIY: Transform Your Lawn

Sunday:

  • Sustainable Community Gardening with New Roots

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