Easter egg hunts, live music, Talons Challenge, stargazing and more: Tricia’s Weekend Picks 4/2/21

Easter Happenings

Egg Hunt

Kids, listen up, the Easter Bunny is back and so is the Vail Recreation District’s annual Easter Egg Hunt. This free event will take place on Saturday in Vail Village and is geared toward ages 2 to 10 and their families. No registration is necessary for this event.

This year’s event will take participants around Vail Village where they will be asked to find clues. For starters, head to the Vail Rec District booth next to the Covered Bridge in Vail Village between 10 and 10:45 a.m. to get your Easter Egg Hunt passport and first clue. From there, you will follow clues throughout Vail Village, complete your passport and find your way to the last destination where prizes will be awarded. You’ll also have the chance to visit and take pictures with the Easter Bunny.

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Look out for special eggs hidden along the route in Vail Village. Those can be redeemed for special prizes. The Easter Egg Hunt will wrap up by 11:30 a.m.

This event is held rain, snow or shine, so please dress children appropriately. For more information, call 970-479-2292 or email community@vailrec.com.

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Easter Services

Whether you are a local or a visitor and want to attend an Easter church service in person or virtually, here are listings of a few area congregations. Visit the websites or call the phone numbers below to find out more about the individual schedules for Easter services and COVID-19 protocols for attendance or how to get services online. Indoor services, outdoor services, mountain top services, services at a ranch and even a few Easter egg hunts can be found.

• Calvary Christian Fellowship – acalvarychurch.com, 970-524-1463
• Catholic Parishes of the Vail Valley – catholicparishesofthevalley.org, 970-926-2821
• Covenant Presbyterian Church – covenantvail.org, 970-477-0383
• Eagle Baptist Church – eaglebaptist.com, 970-328-6530
• Eagle River Presbyterian Church – erpc.org, 970-748-0040
• Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration – episcopalvail.com or 970-476-0618
• Gracious Savior Lutheran Church – gracioussavior.org, 970-926-3550
• Mount of the Holy Cross Lutheran Church – mountholycross.org, 970-476-6610
• Mountain Life Calvary Chapel – mountainlife.church, 970-926-3880
• Mountain Valley Lutheran Church – mvlutheranchurch.com, 970-328-6718
• The Vail Church – thevailchurch.com, 970-949-6585
• Trinity Vail – trinityvail.com, 970-926-1759
• United Methodist Church – umcofeaglevalley.org, 970-328.6598

You can also check the websites of local houses of worship regarding schedules for different congregations:

• Beaver Creek Chapel – beavercreekchapel.com – 970-471-3117
• Edwards Interfaith Chapel – edwardsinterfaithchapel.org
• Vail Interfaith Chapel – vailchapel.com, 970-476-3347

Easter Brunch

Brunch has always been popular at the Sonnenalp Hotel in Vail, but Easter Brunch at has been a long-standing holiday tradition. Ski or ride in the morning and come back down for brunch or fuel up before you go on the hill. Easter Brunch will take place from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. this Sunday. Whatever time you choose, come hungry as the Sonnenalp will be bringing out all the goodies on this special day. Here’s a sampling of some of the menu items:

• Seafood Omelet Station — shrimp, lump crab, bay scallops
• Raw Bar Station — king crab legs, snow crab claws, Northwest oysters
• Carving Station — black angus beef ribeye, Colorado leg of lamb
• Pasta Station — spaghetti, penne, special sauces, meats and veggies
• Kids Specials — mac and cheese, chicken fingers, peas and carrots
• Sweets Corner – special collection of homemade desserts

Prices are $110 for adults and $55 for kids, with kids 5 years and under free. Pricing does not include tax and gratuity. To make a reservation, call 970-479-5523 or contact the concierge.

There is also an Easter Brunch at Maya at the Westin Riverfront Resort and Spa in Avon. Maya’s Easter Brunch will feature chef-attended buffet stations this Sunday starting bright and early at 8 a.m. and will go until 2 p.m. Maya’s Easter Brunch is priced at $65 for adults and $20 for kids ages 5 to 12. Here’s a look at a few special holiday menu items:

• Herb roasted prime rib and honey glazed ham
• Crab claws, oysters, citrus poached shrimp and ceviches
• Omelets and waffles with toppings
• Maya’s special huevos rancheros
• Kids Favorites – chicken fingers and mac and cheese
• Dessert Bar
• Bloody Mary’s, mimosas and brunch cocktails

Book your reservation by calling 970-790-5500

Gessner at the Grand Hyatt Vail will offer Easter Brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. with live music by Andy Cyphert. Pricing is $70 for adults and $25 for children. Enjoy carving stations, cold and hot stations and sweets like:

• Carving Station – Colorado lamb, prime rib
• Hot Station – egg white frittata, smoked chicken benedict, vanilla poached grouper
• Cold Station – endive, fennel and quinoa salad, raw bar, fruit, fresh pastries
• Sweets Station – house-made desserts

Reservations can be made by calling Gessner at 970-476-1234.

Talons Challenge

It’s the last call for Talons Challenge, where you are asked to ski 14 of the steepest runs at Beaver Creek all in one day. This year, you get to pick the day you want to tackle 26,226 vertical feet of black and double black diamond runs but you only have until April 4 to get the job done. Here’s how you can earn bragging rights and the coveted Talons Challenge pin:

1. Pick up a Talons Challenge credential at a participating business in Beaver Creek Village
2. Complete the on-mountain challenge of 26,226 vertical feet
3. Return to a merchant location to redeem a collectible pin. Participating businesses include:

• Avalon Clothing Company
• Base Mountain Sports
• Beaver Creek Chophouse
• Beaver Creek Sports
• Blue Moose Pizza
• Coyote Cafe
• Knox Galleries
• Siempre Viva
• Vail Mountain Coffee & Tea Company

Please note that credentials and pins are available while supplies last. Once you complete the Talons Challenge, share your story to be entered to win a prize package from Helly Hansen. The event is free this year. For more information, go to beavercreek.com and click on the Events Calendar.

The Motet at the Vilar

The pandemic closed many musical venues last March. The music literally came to a stop, but the Vilar Performing Arts Center was the first venue in Colorado to welcome back live music in June. By using creative measures and safety protocols, the Vilar breathed new life into concerts and helped employ bands, support staff and create a safe place for music lovers to come by creating The Residency.

The Residency brings major artists to the Vilar for a multi-day concert schedule and unique collaborations. The Motet will perform for the first time since March 2020 at the Vilar. The Denver-based funk and soul ensemble kicked off 2021 with the release of “And the Beat Goes On” and is excited to be back on stage.

“The Motet makes music to dance to. It’s the perfect soundtrack to spring skiing, complete with high-energy horns, a tight rhythm section, and funk-driven guitar and keyboards,” said Owen Hutchinson, executive director of the Vilar Performing Arts Center. “If you’re a fan of contemporary funk groups like Lettuce, Vulfpeck or classic funk bands of the 70s like Sly & the Family Stone or Parliament Funkadelic, this band is for you.”

For tickets and more information, go to vilarpac.org.

Friday:

• The Motet: Instrumentals
• 8 p.m.
• $95 general admission

Saturday:

• The Motet: Instrumentals with special guest Jeff Franca
• 8 p.m.
• $95 general admission

Vail Astronomy Nights

This Saturday marks the last Vail Astronomy Nights for the winter season. The lack of metropolitan lights creates a fantastic place to view the stars, planets and constellations and be introduced to a world of wonder. Last week the full moon was the focus, but this week plan to check out other starry wonders in the night.

Vail Astronomy Nights is free and open to the public and this week’s event will be held at the International Bridge in Vail Village on Saturday from 8 to 10 p.m. Brian Hall from Blue Creek Productions has been hosting these events with the town of Vail and bringing in Bryan White, author and astronomer and huge telescopes to guide you as you discover the night sky. Check out craters and valleys on the moon, or look for the volcano, Olympus Mons, on Mars. Or, view the Trapezium star cluster in the Orion nebula or Castor, a binary star that is 51 million light years away from Earth.

At press time, the forecast looks good for stargazing. Follow Vail Astronomy Nights on its Facebook page to stay up to date on info if inclement weather occurs. Dress warm enough to be outside for a while to soak in the views. Bring the whole family, too. All ages can enjoy learning about the stars, moon and planets. This is the last Vail Astronomy Nights of the season, but look for its return this summer.

Vail Nordic Center

This marks the last weekend that the Vail Nordic Center will be open for the season. Mix up your activities by getting out on classic cross-country skis, skate skis, snow shoes or a fat bike. The pro shop has items on sale and you can wrap up your day with a delicious meal at Grill on the Gore.

Day Passes:

• $18 adult day pass (13 and older)
• $13 youth day pass (ages 6-12)
• Children under 6 years old are free

Rental equipment rates (on-site usage):

• $27 Classic package
• $32 Skate ski package
• $65 AT ski package
• $27 Snowshoe package
• $30 Snow bike & helmet package – 1/2 day
• $22 Youth classic/skate package (12 & under)
• $25 Sled (to pull children – no off-site rentals)

The Vail Nordic Center is located at the Vail Golf Club, east of Vail Village. For more information, go to vailrec.com/vail-recreation/Nordic.