Winter Park Ski & Ride School Deals

Ski School Deals Winter Park, CO

Christy Sports’ Powder Daze is kicking off this weekend at the Park Meadows Mall! Last year’s inventory will be 40-70% off AND Winter Park Ski & Ride School will be selling their new 4-packs with a bonus lesson! That’s 5 lessons for the price of 4 for kids or adults. This is a special offer so don’t miss it!

There are lots of deals and specials going on down in Denver starting this weekend.  Sniagrab, Powder Daze and Ski Rex all are offering some gret deals on ski equipment, ski passes and lift tickets, and ski tunes and services.

Colorado Ski & Golf is offering $50 Gift Card with any single item purchase of $150 or more. Includes items already slashed 40%-75% if you sign up to be a Preferred Customer before you shop at Ski Rex.

If you are looking for ski school deals, ski equipment or clothing this weekend will offer some of the best deals of the year.

The weather is starting to turn and snow will soon fly here in Winter Park, CO so get you ski equipment ready, buy your season ski pass and make sure your kids are signed up for ski lessons…… ski season is just around the corner.

This year should be an excellent ski season with a La Niña weather pattern set to bring lots of powder to Winter Park and the other Northern Colorado resorts.  Last La Niña season, 2007, was a record year for snowfall for Winter Park/Mary Jane so lets cross our finger and hope the snow gods look on us kindly this year.

Winter Park Colorado First Snow Contest

First Snow in Winter Park, CO 2010/2011

The time has come again for the second annual First Snow in Winter Park, CO Contest. Lady Summer is on her way out of the building and our three weeks of fall will come and go and then we are left with six months of glorious glorious snowy winter.

Here is a comment from WP  local Mr. Scott Hefel on Aug 24th, 2010:

Seasons are a changing, I could see my breath on my morning walk with (my dog) Sam. I actually started to get excited for snow.

So the contest is, guess the date  that Winter Park Resort will receive the first measurable amount (more than a half inch) of snow and you will win dinner, drinks and desert for two at either Deno’s Mountain Bistro or The Cheeky Monk Belgium Beer Cafe in the Winter Park Village.  Guesses can be put below in the comment section and need to be guessed at-least 24 hours before the date of the snow.  One guess per person please.

Last years first snow at Winter Park Resort was on September 21st, yes less than one month away.  There were two snow contest winners last year and each received a prize.

Last years first Winter Park snow contest had 74 guesses and we are hoping to beat that this year.

All-right here goes, get your snow dance on and lets start getting ready for some  fluffy white stuff here in Winter Park, CO.  I will be the first to guess below so make sure to not guess my date for you will be certain to have no chance of winning if you do, I will definitely be wrong.

SIA Snow Show Returns to Winter Park Resort

SIA Winter Park Resort

The SIA Snow Show returns to Denver and Winter Park Resort for the second year after a long run in the desert community in Las Vegas.

After 37 years in Las Vegas, the SIA Snow Show reported a six-year attendance high for the inaugural Snow Show held at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver from January 28-31, 2010. The sold-out Snow Show attracted 18,045 attendees and featured over 3,100 exhibitors representing 845 snow sports brands, including 125 new exhibitors.

For four days in 2011, the snow sports industry returns to Denver, Colorado to do business, socialize and network.  With over 18,000 all under one roof, the snow sports community comes together once a year to see the latest trends, styles and innovations from ski, snowboard, cross country, AT/tele, backcountry, snowshoe and fashion.

The SIA Snow Show is two parts.  One spent in Denver at the Convention Center and the other spent at Winter Park Resort with an on snow component.  The Snow Show schedule is as follows:

SIA SNOW SHOW
Thursday, January 27 — Sunday, January 30, 2011
Colorado Convention Center
Denver, Colorado USA

The SIA Snow Show, January 27-30, 2011 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, CO, delivers the largest, most concentrated and authentic trade event in the snow sports industry. It is the first time globally that the styles, technologies, innovations, culture and energy of snow sports is presented. Close to 20,000 industry professionals will meet to engage in business, networking opportunities, parties, brand events and seminars to feel the true essence of snow sports.

On January 31 and February 1, 2011 the industry will head up to the mountains for the On-Snow Demo/Ski-Ride Fest at Winter Park Resort and Devil’s Thumb Ranch. In conjunction with Western Winter Sports Reps Association’s (WWSRA) Rocky Mountain Demo and in partnership with Cross Country Ski Areas Association (CCSAA), buyers can try out the latest gear for ski, snowboard, AT/tele, backcountry, cross country and snowshoe while all other attendees can get some time on the hill with the brands, reps and media. Attendees of the SIA Snow Show and On-Snow Demo/Ski-Ride Fest get free lift tickets and entry to Winter Park and Devil’s Thumb.

The SIA snow show is the place to check out the new trends in everything SKI. Up at Winter Park Resort all the latest will be tested on the hills.

Looking for lodging for the on snow demo session in Winter Park, CO? Look no further than Winter Park Lodging Company for SIA Snow Show lodging.

Zoppe Italian Circus in Winter Park Village

Sweet VIP Pass Offer for Free Concerts in Winter Park, CO

Join us in Winter Park for two FREE outdoor music festivals at Winter Park’s downtown concert venue at Hideaway Park, and when you book with Winter Park Lodging Company, you’ll get VIP passes to the show for all of the people in your group. 

The VIP passes allow you to access seating close to the stage, two free drinks (either alcoholic or non-alcoholic), a free commemorative festival t-shirt and a chance to win a backstage pass to Meet & Greet the performers.

It’s that easy. Just book lodging in Winter Park for the festival weekend of your choice (or both), let us know how many people are in your group, and we’ll throw in the VIP passes for the festival.   Check out the details for the free Winter Park festivals below!

KYGO HIGH COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL

July 10th, 2010.

We’ve got Chris Cagle, who, since his debut on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles & Tracks in 2000, has produced numerous top-ten hits including “I Breathe in I Breathe Out”, “Chicks Dig It” and “What Kinda Gone”.

Also on the line-up is Texas’s The Josh Abbott Band, the “fastest rising young stars in Texas country,”  and Denver’s own up-and-coming star, the Kory Brunson Band.

103.5 THE FOX CLASSIC ROCK MUSIC FESTIVAL

August 7th, 2010

If you love classic 80′s & 90′s rock, then you’ll have a great time in Winter Park this weekend.

The headliner of the event is Night Ranger, whose biggest hits include Sister Christian and Don’t Tell Me You Love Me. Their twin lead guitar and melodious metal has become a genre all their own.

We’ll also have Pat Travers,  Lewis & Floorwax and Denver’s own The Groove Hawgs to bring their entertaining rock to the stage. You won’t want to miss this festival of rock n roll!

Highlights from the Blues from the Top Festival in Winter Park

JP Soars and his handmade guitar

It turned out to be another perfect weekend of beautiful weather and outstanding blues performances for the eighth annual Blues from the Top festival in Winter Park, Colorado.  This weekend is my personal favorite of all Winter Park music festivals because: 1) it kicks off the summer in Winter Park; and 2) you can dance to the blues music right in front of the stage. You must check it out sometime if you haven’t yet.

The festivities started on Friday night with Curtis Salgado followed by Andy Irvine’s Blues Collective at Music at the Mall at Cooper Creek Square, then moved over to Smokin’ Moes for the official Pre-Festival Jam with jam performances by the festival’s performers.   The dance floor at Smokin’ Moes was packed as usual and the musicians were probably having as much or more fun than we were!

I missed the show on Saturday, but the highlight (from what I’ve heard) was the Walter Trout performance preceded by the hail strorm that swiftly cleared the park out for about 10 minutes. The cooler air after the storm was welcomed by my festival-goer friends, who came back to enjoy Walter and his band close out Saturday’s show.

Sunday’s show started out with a mimosa followed by several beers. Oh, and the music was great, too. We had Curtis Salgado, Nick Moss and the Fliptops, Mike Zito, Theresa James, JP Soars and Trampled Under Foot.  JP Soars was especially entertaining with his handmade guitar (pictured). His high energy paired with a voice that seems to come from a much bigger body was definitely a lot of fun to dance to. 

There were a lot of vendors to peruse between acts, plus good food like BBQ, Fried Catfish and Mexican. I loved the authentic $3 tamale and the mint chocolate chip ice cream for desert.  The continual lathering of sunscreen was necessary with all the wonderfully bright sunshine, with no afternoon thunderstorm or hardly a cloud in sight.  The Australian hat vendor sure must have made a killing, although be warned, he doesn’t take bargaining jokes lightly.

Ah, just another fun summer weekend in Winter Park, with plenty more to come. Next up is the Free Hi Country Music Festival, the Winter Park Jazz Festival, the Free Fox Classic Rock Festival and the Crankworx Colorado Mountain Bike Festival. The summer was just kicked off wonderfully by the Blues from the Top Music Fest.

Winter Park, CO Summer Fun

Summer in Winter Park, Colorado

Today is the first day of summer officially and that means it is hot, very hot down in the low lands and dreamy beautiful up here in the Rocky Mountains.   The time to head to Winter Park is now to enjoy the beauty of Colorado without the crowds.

Here is the weather for Denver June 21st to June 24th:

89°F Current: Cloudy Wind: W at 4 mph Humidity: 80% Mon 89°F | 60°F Tue 91°F | 61°F Wed 81°F | 60°F Thu 89°F | 64°F

63°F | °C Current: Cloudy Wind: W at 4 mph Humidity: 80% Mon 89°F | 60°F Tue 91°F | 61°F Wed 81°F | 60°F Thu 89°F | 64°F

And here is the weather for Winter Park, CO.

Mon

71°F | 42°F

Tue

73°F | 42°F

Wed

66°F | 43°F

Thu

73°F | 47°F

As I said time to get out of the heat!

Lots of events and activities in WP this time of year also. The Eighth Annual Winter Park Blues Fest starts this Thursday with the best lineup ever for this rockin’ show.

There is also the Winter Park Chocolate Festival this weekend on June 26th.  Taste some great chocolate with some wine and have a great time in the Rockies.

And for the kids there are all the events and activities in the  Winter Park Village and base area:

COCA-COLA® FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT
Fridays, June 25 – September 3 The Village at Winter Park presents Outdoor Movie Night! We will be showing a great selection of family and kid-friendly movies every Friday evening from June 25 – Labor Day Weekend. Movies will be held outdoors on the lawn next to the Discovery Center and are free to the public. A limited number of chairs are provided. All movies will begin just after sunset. Times may vary week to week.

CIRQUE du SATURDAYS
Saturdays, July 3 - September 4

It’s a circus in the mountains every Saturday in the Village at Winter Park!  Kids will enjoy the fun and festive atmosphere as they walk with troubadours, unicyclists, stiltwalkers, jugglers, and more in the Village from 10am – 2pm. Don’t forget to pause long enough for free face-painting and caricatures. All events are free and fun! Come one, come all! Don’t miss out on the chance to join the circus!

KIDS’ NIGHT OUT
Saturdays, July 3 – August 21

This fun, activity-filled evening is for 4-12 year olds. This program is loaded with indoor and outdoor activities and it includes dinner and s’mores by the firepit! Kids’ Night Out is a worry-free night out for Mom & Dad and a convenient alternative to at-home babysitting.  Kids’ Night Out is held at the Discovery Center in the Village at Winter Park on Saturday evenings from 5:30pm – 9:00pm starting July 3rd and running through August 21.  Kids’ Night Out is a FREE childcare service offered to parents on the condition that $30 per child is spent in any commercial outlet at the resort during the hours that your children are in the program. We do require original receipts to verify the expenditure. If less than $30 per child is spent, parents will be charged the difference. Kids Night Out includes: Dinner from Doc’s Roadhouse and Outdoor Activities / Indoor Activities - games, crafts, movies.

Reservations: Please reserve your child’s space by 3pm on Saturday. Call Winter Park Guest Services at 800.729.7907 to reserve your child’s space. Enrollment is limited and is on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Now that is a deal free day/night care while the parents head out for a drinks and dinner.

Summer is here and the now is the time to make your plan to head up to the mountains.  Let Winter Park Lodging Company make your getaway fun, economical and relaxing.

More on Weddings in Winter Park!

As more and more engaged couples catch on to the appeal and popularity of our quaint and beautiful town, it seems that new businesses that cater to weddings in Winter Park keep popping up. Recently I’ve stumbled upon a couple of well kept secret gems that I’m happy to be able to share with everyone.

First, wedding cakes! Evelyn Stowers has been in the business of making delicious and elegant wedding cakes for 44 years. In fact, the first wedding cake she ever created was for her own wedding (they’re still happily married, likely due to her sweet personality and the cakes she’s always whipping up in their kitchen). Evelyn showed me a binder filled with hundreds of cakes she’s created over the years, and I have to say that I melted completely into giddy girl mode! She has fun and gorgeous ideas for decoration, and after almost half a century of baking, you better believe she’s got more than a couple delicious cake recipes on hand. So ff you don’t feel like hunting down a big banner to post on your car that says “wedding cake on board” while you drive up our curvy mountain pass, then send Mrs. Stowers an email at evelynstowers@yahoo.com. She’ll be happy to hear from you!

Second, and a little more unique, is Ear 2 Ear photo booths. A couple of locals, Jeff Skinner and John Vella, have found great success with their small business of delivering, setting up, and operating photo booths at all kinds of events, including weddings. And yes, you’re thinking of the right photo booths: the same ones you laugh like crazy in at carnivals with your best friends. Photo booths are a creative and fun addition at any event; we think it’s worth your time to check it out! You can read about all the details and see some sample photos at www.ear2earphotobooths.com , then give Jeff and John a call at 970 509 9778.

And as always, if you have any questions about other great services in the area or are interested in lodging, give Winter Park Lodging Company a call at 877-329-1383. We’re always happy to hear from you!

Winter Park, Colorado Beer Festival

Colorado Mountain Beer Festival

The first annual Winter Park, CO beer festival has been announced and will be taking place in Hideaway Park in downtown Winter Park, Colo on Saturday August 14, 2010.  This is Winter Parks first foray into the beer festival world but we are thinking that the Winter Park Beer Festival will be bigger and badder than the Great American Beer Festival in no time.

The Winter Park Beer Festival will be a celebration of beer, music and mountains, can you have any of these without the others?, in the beautiful environs of Winter Park, CO.  There will be over 25 breweries represented doing beer tastings and selling merchandise with local and national bands to keep all entertained.  There will also be vendors in Hideaway Park selling all that you will need to make this a fun and friendly day of beer drinking.  We are hoping that the three young ladies to the left will be attending to help peddle some of the suds.

Breweries that can be expected to be attending, but in no way guaranteed to be, include New Belgium Brewery, Odell’s Brewery, Coors, Budweiser, Great Divide Brewery, Oscar Blues Brewery, Sierra Nevada Brewery, Left Hand Brewery, Grand Lake Brewery, Deschutes Brewing and Flying Dog Brewery.  There should be some great beers by some of the best brewers in the nation.

As for music, the lineup should be fun with lots of good beer drinking tunes.  Here is who will be playing:

JJ Grey and MOFRO

“intriguing and fortuitous… Grey’s a songwriter with a sharp wit and a knack for skewering the hypocrites, jive politicians and carpetbaggers who litter the landscape. The MOFRO vibe travels freely among swamp funk, blues, rock and soul, and does so with a certain down-and-dirty swagger that’s as real as it is appealing.”

Filthy Children

This funk/jazz/rock septet serves up a funkinetic frenzy of fresh, original, mind moving music; reminiscent of such groove giants as Soulive, Greyboy Allstars, John Scofield, and Deep Banana Blackout. Filthy Children deliver action packed funk that’s sure to be “a big fat kick in the groove”

Cowboy Dave

Hillbilly yuckster by day, Saturday-morning-cartoon hero by night, Cowboy Dave and his band of honky-tonk all-stars are poised to put the western back in country and western. Known to many as the deadpanned FortyTwenty frontman and fiddle player, Cowboy Dave Wilson has spent the better part of this decade honing his craft throughout the honky-tonks of the Midwest and South.

Sounds like some good grooves to get a good beer drink going up in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.  This festival being on a Saturday lets you come up and enjoy a Free Ride Friday in Trestle Bike Park then the beer festival on Saturday and maybe some cross country/ single track mountain biking on Sunday before you return home.

I forgot to mention that the Winter Park Beer Festival benefits a truly worthy cause in the National Sports Center for the Disabled.  I do not know of a better cause to give to and to do it all by drinking some beer and listening to some music in the Colorado mountains, now that is one heck of a weekend.

So come on out and celebrate summer with some beer and music!

Winter Park Spring Splash Pond Skimming

Winter Park End of Season Pond Skimming

Here is a video of contestant #15 at Spring Splash.  From the time that we watched the pond skimming competition this guy by far had the best run.  The Spring Spash this year was was very good and very spring like.  Last year there was a ton of new snow on closing weekend but this year was just a bunch of spring-like slush.

The locals party over at Mary Jane C-Lot was  very fun with local musicians and people BBQ-ing,  having some drinks and  an all around good time.  The weather cooperated with no rain or snow and delightful sunny skies.  We will post some of the pictures from splash in the next day or two.

Now that Winter Park Resort is closed we are getting some spring storms that are just making me wish the resort was still open.  Maybe a trip up to Berthoud Pass for some back country skiing will end this ski season on a proper note.  Oh well it was a good ski season with some big storms followed by some dry periods but we got some very good days in and overall the season was not bad.  El Nino held for the entire year and we were a little short of our average snow fall.

Goodbye ski season and hello mountain bike season.  Well, after all this snow melts that has dropped in the last few days.