# MLK weekend in Aspen

> Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, January 18, 2027. The three-day weekend in Aspen falls inside Gay Ski Week (January 17–24), two weeks before X Games.

Canonical page: https://aspenprive.com/mlk-weekend-aspen/  
Updated: 2026-11-09 · Publisher: Aspen Privé (local Aspen stay planning and concierge)

**Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, January 18, 2027**, a three-day weekend for many American families. In Aspen it falls inside **Aspen Gay Ski Week, January 17–24**, its 50th year, and two weeks before **X Games at Buttermilk, January 29–31**. January averages **highs of 32°F, lows of 10°F and about 28 inches of snow** in town.

Dates from Aspen Gay Ski Week, X Games and Aspen Snowmass; weather is NOAA's 1991–2020 normals. Checked November 9, 2026.

## The weekend, and what surrounds it

- **Saturday, January 16**: The usual arrival day for the long weekend.
- **Monday, January 18**: Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
- **January 17–24**: Aspen Gay Ski Week, the 50th: parties, the Downhill Costume Contest and nights at Belly Up.
- **January 29–31**: X Games Aspen at Buttermilk; daytime competition is free until 4 p.m.

## Book these with the flights

- **Cars from the airport**: Three-day weekends compress arrivals into Friday and Saturday. A private car at ASE or Eagle, with room for ski bags, is the first thing to secure. [Airport transportation](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-airport-transportation/).
- **Lessons**: Private instructors and small-group lessons go early on holiday weekends. [Private ski instructor](https://aspenprive.com/private-ski-instructor-aspen/).
- **Saturday dinner**: With Gay Ski Week in town, the good Saturday tables go first. [Dining reservations](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-dining-reservations/).
- **Passes**: Ikon Base blackout dates can include holiday weekends; check before you book. [Aspen and the Ikon Pass](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-ikon-pass/).

## Land, and the weekend is ready (what Aspen Privé arranges)

Tell us the flight and who is coming. We arrange the car at the aircraft, skis fitted at the house before the first morning, groceries in the kitchen and the Saturday table. [Plan the weekend](https://aspenprive.com/contact.html?service=arrival-transfer&from=mlk-weekend-aspen).

## Three days, done well

- **Skip the rental shop**: Have skis and boots fitted at the house the evening you arrive; the first morning starts on the lift, not in a queue. [Ski rental delivery](https://aspenprive.com/ski-rental-delivery-aspen/).
- **Respect the altitude**: Town sits near 7,900 feet. A gentle first afternoon and plenty of water make the next two days. [The first 48 hours](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-altitude-first-48-hours/).
- **Or stay for X Games**: Extend to the following weekends and you catch the quieter midweek before X Games. [Aspen in January](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-in-january/).

## Questions

**When is MLK weekend 2027?**  
Saturday, January 16 to Monday, January 18, 2027. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is Monday, January 18.

**Is Aspen busy over MLK weekend?**  
Busier than the quiet early-January stretch: it is a three-day weekend for many U.S. families and falls inside Aspen Gay Ski Week, January 17–24, 2027.

**What is the weather in Aspen in mid-January?**  
Deep winter: NOAA normals give January highs near 32°F, lows near 10°F and about 28 inches of snow in town.

**Is X Games on MLK weekend?**  
No. X Games Aspen 2027 is January 29–31 at Buttermilk, two weeks later.

## What Aspen Privé can arrange for this

Cars at the aircraft, skis at the house, and the evenings booked.

- [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.
- [Ski rental delivered](https://aspenprive.com/ski-rental-delivery-aspen/): Fitted at the residence, not in a shop queue.
- [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 ski instructor](https://aspenprive.com/private-ski-instructor-aspen/): A private lesson matched to the skier and the mountain.

## Sources (checked November 9, 2026)

- [Aspen Gay Ski Week](https://gayskiweek.com/the-best-ski-week-aspen/)
- [X Games Aspen 2027](https://www.xgames.com/events/aspen-2027/)
- [Aspen Snowmass: 2026–27 season passes](https://www.aspensnowmass.com/visit/tickets-and-passes/2026-2027-season-passes)
- [NOAA NCEI: 1991–2020 monthly normals, Aspen](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00050372&format=json&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL)

## Related

- [Aspen in January](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-in-january/): Weather, events, planning.
- [Aspen Gay Ski Week](https://aspenprive.com/aspen-gay-ski-week/): January 17–24, 2027.
- [X Games Aspen](https://aspenprive.com/x-games-aspen/): January 29–31, Buttermilk.

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