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Wine and beer tastings, concerts, a bike swap and more: Tricia’s Weekend Picks 8/12/22

Learn about wine, spirits, beer and beyond in Vail, Beaver Creek and Avon

Both Vail and Beaver Creek are hosting wine and spirits events this weekend.
Zan for Unsplash

Wine Events

Beaver Creek Wine & Spirits Festival

The Beaver Creek Wine & Spirits Festival is back after taking a break due to COVID but it’s not skipping a beat. The fun and frolicking on the mountain and weaving in opportunities to wine and dine in and around beautiful Beaver Creek Village and the trails are what this event is all about. From on-mountain adventures to seminars and wine-paired dinners, it’s time to sip and savor at summer’s end.

From learning about Austrian whites and some not-so-well-known Spanish wines to a Farm-to-Table Dinner at Mirabelle where all the ingredients are sourced within 150 miles of Beaver Creek, there’s a lot to learn. Beaver Creek Wine and Spirits Festival also focuses on the spirits side of things and Laws Whiskey is on hand to pair their whiskey with ice cream.



Don’t miss opportunities to hike to your next sip or bite with the Hike and Lunch at Saddle Ridge on Saturday or a 4×4 Jeep Tour ending with a wine and food pairing at the Beaver Creek Chophouse on Sunday. The full schedule can be found by searching Signature Events on BeaverCreek.com.

Vail Wine Classic

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 In Vail, you’ll find the Vail Wine Classic with wine and food tastings going on along with winemaker dinners, hikes, lunches and whiskey pairings.  

The Vail Wine Classic features hundreds of fine wines from around the world, so check out the list at VailWineClassic.com to see if your favorite is on there or find a few that pique your interest.

Grand Tastings happen on Friday and Saturday with different ticket prices, some offering premier access, at the festival. Check the event’s Eventbrite page to find the ticket that’s right for you and to take part in other festival offerings.

Big name concerts

On Saturday, Emmy and Tony Award-winning singer and actress Kristin Chenoweth will be at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek.
Vilar Performing Arts Center/Courtesy photos

Primus, Kristin Chenoweth and Amos Lee – these names won’t be performing on the stage together, but they will all be in town this weekend for separate shows in Vail and Beaver Creek.

Primus will play two nights as part of their Tribute to Kings Tour, where they play Rush’s classic album, “A Farewell to Kings” in its entirety. “A Farewell to Kings,” the 1977 album by the Canadian trio, features classics like the title track, followed by “Xanadu” as well as “Closer to the Heart,” Rush’s first hit single in the United Kingdom, and it was also a chart-topper in Canada and the U.S.

Primus was just at Red Rocks Amphitheater earlier this week as part of the 25th anniversary of “South Park,” where they played with Trey Parker and Matt Stone and Ween. Primus wrote the theme song for the animated series. Catch them this weekend before Primus heads off to Santiago, Chile to perform “A Tribute to Kings” at Teatro Coliseo in November.

On Saturday, Emmy and Tony Award-winning singer and actress Kristin Chenoweth will grace the stage at the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek accompanied by the Colorado Symphony.

Besides winning awards, Chenoweth has been busy on the sets of “Pushing Daisies,” “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” “Wicked” and “Glee.”

“With Kristin Chenoweth’s visit to Beaver Creek, we welcome a performer and entertainer of the highest echelon to our community,” said Owen Hutchinson, executive director of the VPAC. “Both on-stage and on-screen, her masterful performances lift hearts and delight audiences of every age and artistic preference. We are honored to host Kristin with our beloved Colorado Symphony.”

As of press time, tickets were listed at limited availability, so act fast. For ticket information, go to VilarPAC.org.

The Colorado Symphony has a busy weekend in the Vail Valley. After playing with Chenoweth on Saturday, they will venture over the Ford Amphitheater on Sunday to perform with Amos Lee and Danielle Ponder. Gone will be the heavy bass beats by Les Claypool of Primus the night before, the sounds will be replaced by Lee’s vulnerable style of songwriting and singing along with Danielle Ponder’s smooth, soulful sound.

A couple of fun facts: Lee was an English major in college and was teaching school and bartending when he decided to make music his career and Ponder was working as a public defender before taking the leap and sharing her voice with the world.

Tickets for Primus “A Tribute to Kings” and Amos Lee with the Colorado Symphony and Danielle Ponder can be found at GRFAVail.com.

Brew’au in Avon

The Vail Valley Charitable Fund presents the Vail Valley Brew’au, a beer tasting with a Hawaiian theme, on Saturday.
Vail Valley Charitable Fund/Courtesy photo

The Vail Valley Charitable Fund is once again hosting its annual Brew’au which is a beer tasting event with a luau theme. This luau, libations and live music combination all results in a fun way to spend your Saturday afternoon. Held at Nottingham Park in Avon, the lake and the Performance Pavilion stage provide the perfect backdrop for the entertainment. The headlining act this year is the Rocky Mountain Grateful Dead Review with opening act The Sweet Lillies.

The event is held from 4 to 8 p.m., so it’s perfect timing after that hike, bike ride or just a day of getting the kids ready for back-to-school season. Ticket holders will enjoy unlimited samples of over 40 amazing brews, but it’s not just beer, seltzers and ciders will be poured, too, all in a souvenir sampling glass.

Drink vendors include: 10th Mountain Whiskey, BATCH Slapped Brewery/Cidery, Black Bottle Brewery, LLC, Canteen Spirits, Cutwater, Dirty Dill, Ecliptic Brewing Company, Elevated Seltzer, Golden Moon Distillery, Juicy Beverage CO, Kona, Los Dos Potrillos, Cerveceria, Mixedup Mules, Smoking River Brew, So Many Roads Brewery, STEEP Brewing and Coffee Co., Upslope and Vail Brewing Company.

In addition to the libations, there will be food vendors on hand to fill your belly. No outside alcohol or food will be permitted at this event.

Bring the kids because there will be plenty of activities they will love like the bouncy house, climbing wall, lawn games, face painting and more. There will also be live performers including hula dancers and dressing in Hawaii attire is encouraged. Elua Wahine Hula, which means “Two Women Hula” in Hawaiian, will take the stage between The Sweet Lillies and Rocky Mountain Grateful Dead Revue. They will also be doing a hula dance with the kids when their set concludes on the main stage over near the kids’ activities.

The Vail Valley Charitable Fund is celebrating 26 years of serving the valley. The VVCF provides assistance to individuals who live and work in the Vail Valley who are experiencing a financial hardship due to a medical crisis or long-term illness. Over the past two decades, the VVCF has raised and distributed $8.6 million to over 1,900 families in the community, with the majority of the donations coming from individuals and businesses in the valley. To close out the event, water lanterns will be lit and released to honor those who we have lost in the community who were touched by the VVCF.

This is the VVCF’s biggest fundraiser of the year, so make plans to attend and help your community. Buy tickets at Brewau.com.

Vail Youth Music Showcase

Michael Gheghan, who has played with Supertramp, Justin Timberlake and Andrea Bocelli, is one of seven industry pros who will participate in the inaugural Vail Youth Music Showcase as a mentor and performer to 14 young musicians from around the state.
MAPS Institute of Modern Music/Courtesy photo

The search for the next generation of musical talent will be showcased this Saturday at Solaris in Vail Village from 3:30 to 6 p.m. The Vail Youth Music Showcase features emerging musicians and in order to find them, the MAPS Institute of Modern Music searched the state earlier this summer to pick who would come to the workshop and perform at the event.

The free event will bring in 14 youth ages 14 to 20, and a few of them are locals. The young artists will perform two songs of their choice, but they won’t be alone. They will be backed by some pretty big names in the music world. The list of mentors and musical professionals includes:

  • Aaron Johnston – Brazilian Girls, David Byrne
  • Matt O’Ree – Bon Jovi, Matt O’Ree Band
  • Michael Ghegan – Supertramp, Justin Timberlake, Andrea Bocelli
  • Michael Jude – Brothers Keeper, John Oates Band
  • Michael Travis – The String Cheese Incident
  • Rob Eaton Jr. – Brothers Keeper
  • Scott Rednor – Brothers Keeper, Dean Ween Group

Local musicians include Isaac Silvers of Avon, Rennick Williams of Eagle-Vail, Izzy Thomas and Jake Beau of Eagle and the band Trees Don’t Move from Eagle.

Before the showcase starts, the youth participate in musical workshops and rehearsals with the career musicians. This is a project of the MAPS Institute of Modern Music, the mentoring program of the Eagle County-based nonprofit organization, Mr. Anonymous Philanthropic Society (MAPS). Founded in 2021, MAPS is inspired by connection, collaboration and integrity in the music it produces and the relationships it builds. For more information, go to GoMAPSMusic.org.

Vail Bike Swap

The Vail Bike Swap will be held at Battle Mountain High School on Saturday.
Ski and Snowborad Club Vail/Courtesy photo

Have your kids outgrown their bikes? Have you upgraded to a more technical set of two wheels? If you have a bike to spare, bring it to the Vail Bike Swap this weekend. Presented by Vail Ski and Snowboard Club and The Kind Bikes and Skis, the Vail Bike Swap helps those looking to offload bikes and those looking to get a new ride at a discount.

The equipment dropoff time frame is Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. or Saturday from 8 to 10 a.m. The event will be held once again at Battle Mountain High School in Edwards. In addition to bikes, gear in good working order can be donated as well. With a 20% commission going to Ski and Snowboard Club Vail, Unsold equipment pickup will be on Saturday from 4 to 5:30 pm.

There will be a $5 entry fee and cash is preferred. Children under $10 are free. The money raised will benefit Ski and Snowboard Club Vail’s Junior Cycling Team. For more information, go to VailBikeSwap.com.


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