Concerts at The Amp, Taste of Vail, Magic at the Vilar and terrain closures at the Beav this weekend in the Vail Valley

Après at The Amp

For its third year in a row, the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater has proven that it’s not just a summer venue. Each April a huge crowd comes out – rain, snow, sleet or stars for a night of heart-pumping music. Single-day and two-day tickets are available, as well as a VIP option. For parking and more information, go to GRFAVail.com. Although this event starts when it’s daylight, you’ll want to dress for cooler temperatures once the sun goes down, so plan accordingly.

Friday:

• 5:30 p.m. — Amba
• 7 p.m. — L’Impératrice
• 8:45 p.m. — Jungle DJ set

Saturday:

• 5 p.m. — Don Fuego
• 5:45 p.m. — Interplanetary Criminal
• 7 p.m. — Goth Babe
• 8:45 p.m. — Sammy Virji

There are a variety of parties outside of The Amp this weekend as well. Check out Avanti Vail for its pre party on Friday at noon-2 p.m. with DJ Styla and Don Fuego from 2-4 p.m. Chasing Rabbits will do an after party with Laszewo featuring Don Fuego on Friday night after the shows at The Amp. It will also host the pre party on Solaris Plaza with Laszewo and special guest Sunday Scaries. Check Vail.com for its Après All Day schedule at Express Lift Cafe.

On Sunday, Vail Mountain announced that it will invite Goth Babe and Interplanetary Criminal to the top of Vail for its last Mountaintop pop-up concert of the season. Pick up one of 400 free wristbands that will be given away on the path east of the Lionshead ticket office near Eagle Bahn Gondola (No. 19) and either use your Epic Pass or buy a scenic lift ticket to get to Eagle’s Nest. Music goes from noon to 2 p.m. This show is a 21-and-older event.  

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Taste of Vail

The 34th annual Taste of Vail is going on this weekend. This multi-day foodie and wine lovers event started on Wednesday, and there are more events on Friday and Saturday.

Friday’s main event is the Mountaintop Tasting, one of the signature events and one that really makes this event stand out from other food and wine festivals. Here, you have your sips and bites with a view from 10,350 feet above sea level. The Mountaintop Tasting is held at the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola (No. 19) out of Lionshead outside and under the large tent at Eagle’s Nest. Festival goers can either ski or snowboard in the morning and make their way there when they are hungry and thirsty. Otherwise, many people take the gondola up. The event goes from noon until 2:30 p.m.

Saturday’s signature event is the Grand Tasting held at The Hythe Vail from 5-8 p.m. Come hungry as the area’s top chefs and guest chefs will be pulling out all the stops for this finale. Wineries are known to pour some of their best as well. The Mountaintop Picnic and Grand Tasting are both a part of the Signature Pass or you can buy tickets individually. There are also several seminars you can take part in on Friday and Saturday:

Friday:

• Behind the Blind: A Tasting of Skill & Discovery — 10:30-11:30 a.m., Grand View Room, Lionshead
• Pinea & Hall: A Comparative Tasting of Fine Wines: Gems of the World — 3-4 p.m., Grand View Room, Lionshead
• The Art of Chardonnay by Ruinart — 3 p.m., at Root & Flower, Vail Village
• From Vision to Napa Grand Cru. The Enduring Impact of Robert Mondavi Winery — 5:30-6:30 p.m., Grand View Room, Lionshead

Saturday:

• The Essence of Napa: A Deep Dive into Terroir – 11 a.m. to noon, Grand View Room, Lionshead
• Pushing Boundaries: The Maverick Spirit of Paso Robles Winemaking – 12:30-1:30 p.m., Grand View Room, Lionshead
• Van Duzer: Exploring the Willamette Valley: A Deep Dive into Its Sub-AVAs – 2:30-3:30 p.m., Grand View Room, Lionshead

 For more information and tickets, go to TasteOfVail.com.

 Champions of Magic perform at the Vilar Center on Sunday

Do you believe in magic? You’ll believe in the unbelievable after seeing the Champions of Magic at the Vilar Performing Arts Center. A magician, illusionist, escape artist, a mind reader will take the stage to dazzle the audience. The show is very interactive, making the Vilar Center a perfect place to see this show.

Champions of Magic has been touring as a group for over a decade and are ready to reveal some new tricks they’ve got up their sleeve. There’s so much work that goes into magic tricks in order to make it a reality, sometimes it can take years for a vision to come to fruition.

This is the world’s biggest traveling magic show. It takes a lot to pull off these grand stage illusions, big escapes and the magicians all do the performances together, along with help from costume designers, props builders, lighting professionals and pyrotechnicians.

There will be two performances at the Vilar Performing Arts Center on Sunday and Monday night at 6:30 p.m. Go to VilarPAC.org or call the box office at 970-845-8497 to get tickets.  

 First Friday at Minturn

Head to The Barn in Minturn for food, drinks, sauna experiences, live music and more during the town’s First Friday event from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The Barn is a world-class movement arts sanctuary and event space, and if you’ve never been, here’s your chance to experience it.

Come hungry because barbecue will be for sale for adults, and free hot dogs for the kids from Kirby Cosmo’s. Vail Mountain Coffee & Tea Company will be handing out free iced tea and lemonade while Dave Andersen plays music. Nomadic Roots will have its mobile sauna available — $20 for 25 minutes. Parents, bring the kids as The Barn will have a kids’ aerial play space set up. The event will be indoors and outdoors (weather permitting), so dress accordingly. Go to Minturn.org for more details.

 Mystery on Broadway returns to Eagle with a Derby theme

EagleARTS is hosting its annual and biggest fundraiser of the year again this weekend called Mystery on Broadway: Riddle at the Racetrack. This interactive game will take participants through all sorts of meandering plots and clues before arriving at the answer to this whodunit event.

Eagle’s Broadway Street will be turned into a crime scene, complete with suspects giving alibis, clues and other tips to help determine the outcome. Prizes will be awarded for the correct guesses and best derby costume. This real-life Clue game will involve many businesses in Eagle with the reveal party held at FOODsmith. For more fun details about how the evening will work and to sign up, go to EagleArts.org.

Terrain closing at Beaver Creek Mountain

Even though Beaver Creek’s Closing Day isn’t until April 13, there will be some terrain closures by the end of this weekend. After Sunday, the western hillside consisting of Arrowhead, McCoy Park, Bachelor Gulch, Strawberry Park, Larkspur Bowl and Grouse Mountain will be closed for the season. Talon’s restaurant, Mamie’s Deck and the Broken Arrow Café will close this Sunday as well. Stop by and hear The Laughing Bones play from 2-5 p.m. and the theme is beachwear and fur.