Super Bowl LIX, a race up Vail Mountain, Valentine’s dance and more this weekend
Where to watch the big game, a charity ball, art shows and First Fridays in Minturn
Cucina Rustica/Courtesy photo
Super Bowl parties this Sunday
Super Bowl LIX is this Sunday and fortunately for all you skiers and snowboarders out there, you can enjoy the hill all day because kickoff for the big game does not start until 4:30 p.m. This year’s match up is between defending champions, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. Several local establishments will be offering specials during the game. For a list of places hosting Super Bowl events around the Vail Valley, see our Super Bowl roundup of parties, which is online now and will be in print Saturday.
Competitions for adults and kids on Vail Mountain
Vail Mountain Winter Uphill Race
If climbing to the top of Vail Mountain is your version of the Super Bowl, we’ve got the event for you. The Vail Mountain Winter Uphill invites skiers, snowboarders and winter runners to tackle 2,253 vertical feet in elevation with a maximum grade of 40% in just over 2 miles from the base of Lionshead to Eagle’s Nest starting this Sunday at 7 a.m.
This race has a long history in Vail and honors a famous Vail runner, Lyndon Ellefson, who died in 1998 after falling into a deep crevasse in the Italian Alps while training for the Skyrunning World Championships. His good friends and fellow athletes, Hooker Lowe and Ellen Miller started the Vail Mountain Winter Uphill Race in 2008 in memory of their running buddy.
“It’s appropriate that the race climbs up Vail from Lionshead to the top of the gondola since Lyndon was the Lionshead gondola foreman,” said Miller, who is the first American Woman to climb both sides of Mount Everest from Nepal and Tibet. Ellefson was a pioneer with the US Mountain Running Team and Miller helped with the women’s team for 16 years. The event continues to be a fundraiser for the US Mountain Running Team.
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Racers will be treated to an awards ceremony, raffle prizes and breakfast at Eagle’s Nest after the race. For more information, the route and to get signed up, go to VailRec.com.
Vail Cup race for the kids
Throughout the winter, Ski & Snowboard Club Vail hosts competitions for those who aren’t already enrolled in its programs so kids can get a taste of what these events are like. This Saturday, the club will host slopestyle and big mountain events on Vail Mountain that are free and open to kids whose birth year was 2011 and are younger than 14 years old.
Registration starts at 8 a.m. with slopestyle inspection from 9 – 10 a.m. at Golden Peak Terrain Park and the competition will start at 10:15 a.m. The big mountain Inspection begins at 10:30 a.m. until noon on Head First trail and competition starts at 12:15 p.m. Once again, you don’t have to be a member of Ski & Snowboard Club Vail to participate, kids from Buddy Werner League, DEVO, BEVO and independents can join in the fun. For more information and to get signed up, go to VailCup.com/Events.
Valentine’s Dance for families
This Saturday, check out the Valentine’s Ball at the EagleVail Pavilion. This festive event is sponsored by Vail Friends of Dance community outreach program with all the proceeds benefiting the dancers of Vail Youth Ballet Company. Formerly called the Daddy Daughter Dance, which has not been held since before COVID, the Valentine’s Ball invites dads, moms, sons, daughters, even grandparents to the event from 5 to 7 p.m.
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The ball includes pizza, an ice cream sundae station, music and kid’s activities and mountain elegant attire is encouraged. Tickets are $60 for one adult and kid combination and $25 for each additional person. Purchase tickets at VFOD.BOOKTIX.com or at the door.
Art events around the valley
Art show at Hovey & Harrison on Saturday night
Near & Far Gallery will host an art show at Hovey & Harrison in Edwards on Saturday from 6-8 p.m. Near & Far Gallery hosted a few pop-ups at this local café and bakery in October and plan to do more throughout the winter. The art show will feature works from eight artists that Near & Far Gallery represents from Colorado and beyond in a variety of mediums and price ranges. Go to NearAndFarVail.com for more details.
Art Guild at Avon’s First Friday Gallery Night
The Art Guild at Avon is hosting its First Friday Gallery Night on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. This theme celebrates the color red, love and romance through art. The month-long exhibit includes various forms of art, such as mixed media pieces, paintings, photographs, sculptures and installations. At the event you can chat with the artists and others involved with the Vail Valley Art Guild and take a piece home as a present for a loved one or for yourself. More information on First Friday events can be found at VVAGCO.org.
First Fridays in Minturn
Speaking of First Fridays, Minturn returns with its monthly installment of gatherings that bring not only the folks of Minturn together, but the public is welcome to come and enjoy this little gem of a town. This month’s featured business is The Crazy Chicken on Main Street from 5-7 p.m. and the theme is the Super Bowl in advance of the big showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
Deals during the First Fridays event include five for $5 wings and one free drink coupon will be given out for beer, wine or a Texas lemonade cocktail. Another free drink ticket will be given out if you participate in the Safe Streets for All (SS4A) Pop-Up Event, in which the town of Minturn hopes to gather public input about the Safe Streets for All Safety Action Plan project. Representatives will be conducting a short survey and gathering feedback from residents. Check out the calendar of events at Minturn.org.
