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Fireworks, a parade, comedy, ice sculptures and photography on snow: Tricia’s Weekend Picks 1/13/23

Enjoy the many festivities going on during the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend.

Avon fireworks

Watch the sky sparkle over Avon this Saturday as fireworks light up the night. Avon is hosting a fireworks show starting at 6 p.m. at Harry A. Nottingham Park, but get there early, the town of Avon will be giving away free hot chocolate and peppermint schnapps while supplies last. The venue opens at 5:30 p.m.

The fireworks used in this display were the ones set to be launched this past Fourth of July holiday period, but Avon decided to forgo the fireworks display because of dry weather and wildland fire danger, so Avon did not host its traditional summer fireworks show that typically happens on July 3. During the summer, Avon is known for having the largest and most spectacular fireworks on the Western Slope, so expect a robust show this Saturday night.

The event wraps up around 7 p.m. and please note that there will not be any food or beverages sold at the venue, just the hot chocolate and peppermint schnapps, which is in limited quantities. So, plan accordingly and dine and drink before or after the event.



The town of Avon will host a large fireworks display on Saturday night at Nottingham Park.
Courtesy photo

Another tip, the town of Avon encourages the use of public transportation as well as walking to the park. Free on-street parking is available, including spots on W. Benchmark Road and Lake Street. The Avon Elementary School parking lots will be closed and Avon buses and shuttles will be running their regularly scheduled routes. The ECO bus does make a stop at Avon Center which is a short walk from Nottingham Park. More transportation details can be found at Avon.org/2038/Mobility.

Nottingham Lake will be closed to ice skating beginning at 2:30 p.m. and a reminder that pets are not allowed. For more information, go to Avon.org.

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Vail Legacy Days Parade

Vail Mountain celebrates its heritage with the Vail Legacy Parade this Friday night.
Chris Dillmann/Vail Daily

Vail Mountain is celebrating its 60th anniversary this season and a great way to learn about the history of this world-class resort is to learn about its founders and ties to the 10th Mountain Division, the Army winter warfare unit that trained for battles in World War II at Camp Hale, south of Vail.

Vail ski area personnel dress up in the white camouflage uniforms that the 10th Mountain Division wore and ski down the mountain in a torchlight parade. Spectators can view the ski-down from the base of Gondola One at Mountain Plaza in Vail Village. The parade begins at 6 p.m. but it’s recommended that you arrive at 5:45 p.m. to get the best view. There is a short video that tells the story of Vail’s early days and it’s worth a watch.

After the program at Mountain Plaza, the group proceeds down Bridge Street and stops at the 10th Mountain Division statue by the Covered Bridge. Make your way up to the Colorado Snowsports Museum after the parade and learn more about the 10th Mountain Division in the exhibit. The museum stays open until 8 p.m. on parade nights.

Before the parade, head to the Colorado Snowsports Museum for Talks of the 10th from 4 to 5 p.m. This week’s speaker is Tom Hames, a 10th Mountain Division descendant and Colorado Snowsports Museum board member. Hames gives an informative talk from his father’s perspective. Eugene S. Hames spent time training at Camp Hale and served in Italy. There is a suggested donation of $5 per person. For more information go to SnowSportsMuseum.org.

Gray Malin

As part of Vail Mountain’s 60th Anniversary, the photography of Gray Malin will be revealed at events on the mountain and in town this weekend.
Vail Resorts/Courtesy photo

In honor of Vail Mountain’s 60th Anniversary, the resort is hosting several events throughout the season and finding creative ways to showcase its history. Vail Mountain has lined up some guest experiences this weekend featuring fine art photographer Gray Malin. Meet the man behind the creative photographs and learn more about the inspiration behind them.

Friday 11-1: Behind the Scenes with Gray

  • Join Malin for a behind-the-scenes tour of the locations featured in his Gray Malin in Vail fine art photography series.
  • Meet at the Eagle’s Nest Ice Bar at 10:45 a.m.
  • First come first served basis, limited spots

Friday 4-5 p.m.: Après with Gray at The Hythe

  • Join Gray Malin at the 10th Mountain Whiskey Bar at The Hythe
  • Champagne pours
  • Limited book signings
  • Meet-and-greet opportunities
  • Learn about his fine art photography series inspired by Vail Mountain’s 60th Anniversary

Saturday 10-11 a.m.: Vail Mail Signing at the Legacy Hut

  • Malin will be at the Legacy Hut singing postcards that feature his fine art photography
  • Meet Malin and mail your souvenir home with his signature
  • Legacy Hut is located just east of Northwoods Express (No. 11)

Saturday 1-3: a.m. On Mountain Après and Giveaway with Gray

  • Join Malin for an on-mountain après ski at the Eagle’s Nest Ice Bar
  • View his latest collection inside Bistro 14 before it’s released to the public
  • DJ and celebratory toast
  • A giveaway that includes custom skis featuring Malin’s fine art photography and a Gray Malin photo

Comedy at Vilar

Comedian Joe Pera will perform at the Vilar Performing Arts Center on Saturday night.
Vilar Performing Arts Center/Courtesy photo

End your busy week with some laughter at the Vilar Performing Arts Center this weekend with Joe Pera’s Comedy In Ice. New York City-based comedian Joe Pera isn’t your average comedian who’s constantly pushing the envelope with edgy material, in fact, it’s the exact opposite. His low-energy approach and grandfatherly voice leads you to lean in and wonder what he’s going to say next. The formula works and Pera has been featured and applauded by NPR, The New York Times and Pera’s gentle humor has been called “TV’s quietest, most artful comedy” by the LA Times.

The late-night television hosts and others in the industry like Pera, too. Watch his clip with Seth Meyers about being selected as the next James Bond and you’ll understand the subtle and creative humor. Or, Pera talking about his segments at the grocery store on “Late Night with Stephen Colbert,” Pera makes mundane, everyday tasks a little more interesting through his perspective.

In addition to the late-night talk show circuit, Pera has appeared on Adult Swim with his animated special, “Joe Pera Talks You To Sleep” and other projects for Adult Swim including “Joe Pera Helps You Find the Perfect Christmas Tree” and “Relaxing Old Footage with Joe Pera.” Season 3 of “Joe Pera Talks With You” is now available on HBO Max, and Pera can also be seen appearing on Season 5 of “Search Party,” which just premiered.

He’s also directed a number of film and TV projects and is an author. “A Bathroom Book for People Not Pooping Or Peeing But Using the Bathroom as an Escape,” is out now and on the USA Today bestseller list.

The intimate Vilar Performing Arts Center will be the perfect place to catch a show with this crafty comedian. Pera kicks off the Vilar Performing Art Center’s winter comedy lineup which continues with Piff the Magic Dragon on Feb. 19 and Justin Willman on Mar. 16. For tickets and the full schedule of shows for the venue’s 25th season, go to VilarPAC.org.

16th Annual Vail Winterfest

The 16th Annual Vail Winterfest is now on display along Gore Creek in Vail Village.
Dominique Taylor/Courtesy photo

In a little over a week, 90 blocks of ice weighing in at 27,000 pounds have been sculpted into this year’s Vail Winterfest design along Gore Creek. Vail Winterfest celebrates the season using ice as an appropriate medium.

The art installation is called New Wave and was conceived by artist Ben Roth, a Colorado native who now resides in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Roth has collaborated with the town of Vail’s Art in Public Places for the past decade.

“It has been great fun designing an ice sculpture installation while considering the material’s transparency and transformation over time. I can’t wait to see it come to life and then gradually sublimate,” Roth said in a press release.

Roth may have designed the artwork that spans 100 feet across the snowy lawn between Gore Creek and Gore Creek Promenade near Mountain Standard, El Segundo and the International Bridge, but it was the team at Alpine Ice that executed the design.

Paul Wertin of Alpine Ice and his team created the shapes and sizes needed, with the tallest part of the installation coming in at 9 feet tall. About 50 undulating forms make up New Wave and once dusk hits, the ice sculptures are illuminated with LED lighting in all sorts of colors.

The display will be up as long as Mother Nature allows. One of the reasons it is placed along Gore Creek and Gore Creek Promenade is because it gets quite a bit of shade during the day. According to Molly Eppard, Art in Public Places coordinator for town of Vail, the exhibit should be up for about four to five weeks. For more information, go to ArtInVail.com.

Christmas Tree Bonfire

Minturn is hosting a bonfire for Christmas trees this Friday. There will be a smaller bonfire for s’mores. The event takes place a Little Beach Park.
Town of Minturn/Courtesy photo

The town of Minturn invites the public to its annual Christmas Tree Bonfire at Little Beach Park. Come and gather around the fire for a hometown post-holiday tradition this Friday from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

All week long, the town of Minturn has been receiving trees at upper Little Beach Park or picking up trees from Minturn residents not able to get their trees to the bonfire location. If you are able to bring your tree over to the park, please do. The town of Minturn’s website said that with snow removal demands, being short staffed and some injuries, they don’t have the bandwidth to collect extra trees.

Come get your s’mores and hot cocoa and warm up by the fire. There will be two fires, one that contains all the Christmas trees that will be more of a big bonfire, and then a smaller fire for roasting s’mores. The fire department will be on-site to keep an eye on the fires.

Come early and do some shopping in this quaint little old railroad town that was established in the late 1800s or stay later and go to dinner at some of the fun, casual eateries in Minturn. Enjoy the small town with big charm where these restaurants are pretty much within walking distance of each other. For more information about Minturn and its winter events, go to Minturn.org.


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