Aspen Entertainment, Things to Do

There's always something artistic or intellectual happening in Aspen, despite the area's reputation for athletics. Take a yoga lesson. Go fishing. Ski. But don't forget the cultural side of the town, especially in the summer. In addition to great food and nightclubbing, there are tons of activities that will satisfy your mind and soul.

Summer is the perfect time for festivals in Aspen. The Summer Words literary festival is great for bookworms. To enjoy some beautiful art, visit the Aspen Art Museum. The Aspen Dance Festival, held in July and August, is another event you shouldn't miss. It features visiting troupes (including the Washington Ballet and Hubbard Street Dance company from Chicago) and a local company, the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. Jazz Aspen Snowmass is a festival of jazz and popular music that lasts all summer long, ending over Labor Day weekend. Or catch one of the many free bluegrass concerts held each Sunday atop Aspen Mountain.

The International Design Conference in Aspen has been a world-famous gathering since 1951. This year expect to see Shigeru Ban, the Japanese architect; Julie Bargmann, a professor of landscape architecture at the University of Virginia; and Bill Joy, the founder of Sun Microsystems.

The Aspen Music Festival, however, is the best reason to visit the area in the summer. Enjoy a remarkable lineup of chamber music, as well as orchestral and opera performances, from June until August. On certain afternoons and evenings, sign up for a preconcert walking tour that leads you through downtown Aspen to the concert site.