# Aspen events calendar

> Aspen's year at a glance: opening day November 26, Christmas and New Year's Eve, Gay Ski Week (Jan 17–24), X Games (Jan 29–31), Palm Tree (Feb 19–20).

Canonical page: https://aspenprive.com/aspen-events-calendar/  
Updated: 2026-09-29 · Publisher: Aspen Privé (local Aspen stay planning and concierge)

The Aspen year turns on a handful of dates: **opening day on November 26, 2026**, the **Christmas to New Year** peak, **Gay Ski Week (Jan 17–24)**, **X Games (Jan 29–31)**, **Palm Tree (Feb 19–20)** and **closing day on April 18, 2027**. In summer 2027 the **airport is closed April 4 to November 19**, the **Food & Wine Classic** runs June 18–20 and the **Music Festival** June 30 to August 22.

Dates come from each organizer and Aspen Snowmass, checked for our event guides in September 2026. Where a 2027 date isn't published yet, we say so.

## Let us handle the weekend (what Aspen Privé arranges)

Event tickets, dinner reservations around the big nights, drivers between venues and the house ready when you land. [Tell us your dates](https://aspenprive.com/contact.html?service=events).

## November 2026 to April 2027

- **November 26**: Opening day at Aspen Mountain and Snowmass, and Thanksgiving. [Thanksgiving in Aspen](https://aspenprive.com/thanksgiving-in-aspen/)
- **December 12**: Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk open. [Highlands](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-highlands/) · [Buttermilk](https://aspenprive.com/buttermilk-aspen/)
- **December 20 – January 4**: The holiday peak: Christmas, then New Year's Eve fireworks over Aspen Mountain. [Christmas](https://aspenprive.com/christmas-in-aspen/) · [New Year's Eve](https://aspenprive.com/new-years-eve-in-aspen/)
- **January 17–24**: Aspen Gay Ski Week, the 50th. [Gay Ski Week](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-gay-ski-week/)
- **January 29–31**: X Games Aspen at Buttermilk. [X Games](https://aspenprive.com/x-games-aspen/)
- **February 15**: Presidents' Day and the holiday week around it.
- **February 19–20**: Palm Tree Music Festival in Rio Grande Park. [Palm Tree](https://aspenprive.com/palm-tree-music-festival-aspen/)
- **March 28**: Easter; late March outside Easter week is one of the quieter windows. [Spring skiing](https://aspenprive.com/spring-skiing-aspen/)
- **April 4**: Aspen airport closes for reconstruction; Buttermilk's last day. [The 2027 closure](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-airport-closure-2027/)
- **April 11**: Aspen Highlands closes.
- **April 18**: Closing day at Aspen Mountain and Snowmass. [Season dates](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-ski-season-dates/)

## May to November 2027

- **Late May**: Independence Pass normally reopens the Thursday before Memorial Day; the Maroon Bells shuttle season begins (2027 dates to be announced). [Independence Pass](https://aspenprive.com/independence-pass-aspen/) · [Maroon Bells](https://aspenprive.com/maroon-bells-reservations/)
- **May – October**: Glenwood Canyon I-70 repairs with head-to-head traffic; plan arrivals via Eagle, Rifle or the pass. [Summer 2027](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-summer-2027/)
- **June 18–20**: Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Wagner Park. [Food & Wine](https://aspenprive.com/food-and-wine-classic-aspen/)
- **June 30 – August 22**: Aspen Music Festival and School, Michael Klein Music Tent. [Music Festival](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-music-festival/)
- **June 22–25**: Aspen Ideas: Health (registration opens fall 2026); the main Aspen Ideas Festival's 2027 dates aren't published yet.
- **Mid to late September**: Fall colors. [Fall colors](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-fall-colors/)
- **November 19**: Aspen airport reopens.

## What the calendar means for a trip

- **Book the peaks first**: The holiday fortnight, X Games weekend and Presidents' week go first: houses, cars, instructors and private chefs.
- **The quieter windows**: Early December, and late March to April 18 outside Easter week.
- **Summer 2027**: With the airport closed, every summer arrival is by Eagle, Rifle, Grand Junction or Denver; see [airport transportation](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-airport-transportation/).

## Questions

**What are the biggest events in Aspen?**  
In winter: the Christmas–New Year's peak, Gay Ski Week (Jan 17–24, 2027), X Games (Jan 29–31) and Palm Tree (Feb 19–20). In summer: the Food & Wine Classic (June 18–20, 2027) and the Aspen Music Festival (June 30–Aug 22).

**When is the Aspen ski season 2026–27?**  
Aspen Mountain and Snowmass open November 26, 2026 and close April 18, 2027; Highlands and Buttermilk open December 12.

**Is the Aspen airport open in summer 2027?**  
No. It is closed for reconstruction from April 4 to November 19, 2027.

## What Aspen Privé can arrange for this

Drivers for event nights, tables held, a chef at the house and arrivals planned around the airport.

- [A driver for the evening](https://aspenprive.com/contact.html?service=evening-driver) (From $210 per hour): A car and driver on call for dinner and the night out, so nobody hunts for a taxi at midnight.
- [Private chef](https://aspenprive.com/private-chef-aspen/): Dinner at the house, menu agreed in advance.
- [Private airport transfer](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-airport-transportation/) (From $195 per vehicle): From Aspen's airport to the door in a private SUV, timed to your actual landing.
- [Eagle to Aspen by private car](https://aspenprive.com/eagle-to-aspen-private-car/) (From $850 per vehicle): The 70-mile transfer from Eagle airport, flight tracked and re-timed around the canyon.

## Sources (checked September 29, 2026)

- [Aspen Snowmass: season dates](https://www.aspensnowmass.com)
- [X Games Aspen](https://www.xgames.com)
- [Food & Wine Classic in Aspen](https://classic.foodandwine.com)
- [Aspen Music Festival and School](https://www.aspenmusicfestival.com)
- [Aspen Ideas: Health 2027](https://www.aspenideas.org/pages/event-overview-aspen-ideas-health)

## Related

- [Aspen winter events](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-winter-events/): The winter season in detail.
- [Aspen in summer 2027](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-summer-2027/): Airport closed, canyon works.
- [The best time to visit](https://aspenprive.com/best-time-to-visit-aspen/): Month by month.

To plan or request any of this: https://aspenprive.com/plan-your-trip/ · https://aspenprive.com/contact.html