Money certainly doesn't buy class but unfortunately it does buy a ticket to the Food & Wine Classic…read morein Aspen. I've attended a few of these events over the years for business and it's a madhouse masquerading as a genteel foodie haven. Of course there are celebrity chefs doing cooking demonstrations that you'd be well advised to catch after the fact on YouTube as you'll never get close enough to actually see or hear anything. And if you're hot for a "meet and greet" you'll have better luck running into Jimmy Hoffa. What really made me laugh is the Trade Show Pavilion where countless vintners, upscale purveyors of foodstuffs and kitchen gadgeteers descend to demonstrate and sample their wares. You would think the "One Percent" would have evolved beyond the need to snarf and hoover everything that isn't nailed down. You'd be wrong. You haven't lived until you've witnessed a lord and lady of the manor food riot possibly involving Prosciutto di Parma and Pellegrino. I had no idea an NPR tote bag could hold that much graft... But there is Aspen. Far away from the civil disturbance, there's endless opportunity for biking and hiking in this Rocky Mountain hideaway. Lucky for me I had an endless supply of Prosciutto Protein for the trip. Two hilarious stars.

THIS IS A COVID REVIEW…read more Thank you Food and Wine magazine for informing me that the Food and Wine Festival will be at home this year. The event was free but viewers donated to support a few different charities. It was during the week which was also a nice treat while I'm at home. I really enjoyed this live virtual event on my computer. It was really well organized and ran super smoothly with no technical difficulties. The recipe book was sent out before the event which was really helpful to both get a preview of the program and cook along. There were also books for and suggestions for the wine and beer tastings so you could prepare beforehand if you wanted to drink along. The event was 2 hours but did run overtime but I was glued to my desktop watching Martha Stewart make peach pavlova and Martha-ritas that it didn't matter. The line up of this event was absolutely fabulous with lots of famous celebrity chefs. They cooked in their own kitchens either at home or in a restaurant setting. Besides Martha, there was also Jacques Pepin (steak grandma), Ayesha Curry (banana fritters with rum sauce), Stephanie Izzard (crumpets with chorizo maple syrup and fresh blueberries), JJ Johnson (Gullah shrimp burgers), Kwame Onwuachi (Turned Cornmeal with seared snapper and sauce creole), Kristen Kish (gnudi). All the dishes looked so pretty. There was a Southern flair this year which was interesting. The food was very chef worthy. I'm not sure I would cook all these dishes but I did enjoy watching the chefs prepare them. One good thing about being at home is that when I make the dishes myself I can sub out things I cannot eat with something I can. For example, I cannot eat shrimp so I would use salmon to make the Gullah shrimp burgers. My go to first thing I want to tackle are Martha's Martha-ritas which are the prettiest color baby pink I've ever seen plus it looks easy. Even though I love to cook and I did not buy any of the tasting wines or beers, the tastings were my favorite part of the festival. There were 3 different tastings: summer wines, wine and pizza, and beer and cheese pairing. The presenters were very entertaining to watch and described the alcohol really well. The wine and pizza presentation was my favorite and the presenter made me laugh when he put the wine and pizza in a blender to see how they taste. Don't do that, it's a joke! I love levity and humor as much as food so that was a nice touch. Overall, I thought this was an absolutely fabulous event and I'm really happy that it was moved to an at home virtual event this year so I could experience the festivities.

You know you are in a bougie place when you pass the airport and there are a ton of private G5s and…read more6s parked near the tarmac. That and the Zegna, Valentino, Loro Piana, and Buccelatti stores ( like I haven't seen that in years) are smack dab in the middle of town. Gorgeous area with amazing skiing, hiking, biking...or just hanging out. Be prepared to pay for it though. Plenty of my friends warned me of a certain douchiness here .... I didn't see it or feel it. Can't wait to come back

Still dream of Aspen. It is as if you are living in the postcard when you are there. So many great…read morerestaurants and resorts. So many fun activities. It is the most picturesque spot I have been. I hope to be there this year for the Food and Wine Festival. I have heard it is out of this world.

Very poorly run and organized in my opinion. Music was great so that's a positive. Venue is…read morebeautiful but poorly set up to maximize viewing and the large audience.

We went to this festival excited to see Brandi Carlile. Of course Aspen Snowmass is a beautiful…read moresetting but it is not a venue for a concert; it's flat field and you have to stand the entire time to see the performance. Most of the crowd around us were not there for a concert they were there to party. No consideration for others around them. Talking loudly and having a good time. Unaware of how their behavior was spoiling the concert for others. Not a good experience if you're looking for a concert; great if you want to hang out and party but you could do that in a honky tonk.

Blissful and Magical! With almost 200 performances this season, AMF is celebrating its 76th year…read more The summer concerts are given at different locations, with the performances held at the Michael Klein Music Tent being my favorite. All lawn viewing are Free, including rehearsals and day/night of. The sound system is great outdoors as it is inside. A few guest artists I was looking forward to this summer were Lang Lang, Patti LuPone, and, Xian Zhang. Sweet memories of beautiful music heard. Until next year! CHEERS!

One of the best "to do" in Aspen during the summer. There are a few ways to go see some of the…read moreworlds best classical performers. The best way is free and great way to enjoy a nice afternoon in Aspen. The Benedict Music tent is surrounded by a grass field and meadows its the ideal way to enjoy the music and its free to-boot. So take a picnic lunch, some wine, a blanket and join all the locals on the grass. You won't be disappointed. Unless it rains, but if it does take a quick walk over to The Aspen Meadows Resort. Sit down at Plato's and undiscovered and under rated restaurant in Aspen. By far one of the best menus for 100 miles or more!

Ugh! I hate the idea of even writing this review, but I am not even going to get to see this place…read more I ordered tickets online (BTW - their online ticket ordering system is a little dated) and was really excited for the show "Vaud and the Villains". My wife and I are heading up next weekend for our honeymoon. Well, turns out I ordered online and had the wrong date which was totally my fault. I received a really nice "we look forward to seeing to you tonight" email this past Saturday just to realize I had the wrong day. Within minutes of receiving the email I called, emailed and called again to get someone on the phone to talk to. I did receive a call back on Saturday within an hour (guess they get the obligatory 1 star for that). They left a message saying I was out of luck, but if I am in town next weekend they have available shows that I can pay for and see. Booh! Well, I just gave you $65 for free. Why do you want to take my money, then take more for me to see a show? I don't think so. The offer was in poor taste.

Wife and I decided to go to a John Denver tribute concert after meeting Rory Young, who was nice…read moreenough to take some photos for my wife. Unbeknownst to her he's an actual professional photographer! He told us about the concert and here we are. Love Aspen, most of all the friendly people. We will definitely be back.

Here for the very first show In this new and unusual venue. Only holds a few hundred but close to…read morestage makes it perfect for small events. Can't beat the location for John Denver fans its right by the sanctuary. Worth the trip just to see the John Denver Sanctuary which is an inspirational and renewing experience. Takes me back to the 60's. At the Chris Collins tribute to Jon Denver. Chris's Boulder Canyon band is an up and coming group on their own. Jim Connor will preform also, he is always worth seeing.

We saw Les Miserables at their theater in the park and it was amazing. They have built a complete…read moreindoor theater the provides an intimate and fun setting. The actors of the play did did a fantastic job and it was every bit as good as anything you would see in a big city. This is well worth the price of admission! HELPFUL HINT: There is not really a bad seat in the house so buying a cheaper ticket is almost as good as buying the more expensive tickets. Save your money and go with the cheaper option. You will not be disappointed.

Aspen's history comes alive and is well presented inside the museum. Upstairs they have 1000s of…read moreposters, photos, info boards and memorabilia that show Aspens history decade by decade. Our greeter/docent, Jane was a walking encyclopedia of fun facts and interesting stories about Aspen. It was easy to visualize Aspen's growth and how it evolved from humble beginnings as a poor mining town to the Aspen we all know as the place that only the very rich can afford to ski and play and live.

The museum does a fantastic job at giving you a glimpse of Aspen's history, segmented into…read moredifferent decades. Susie was working the front desk when we visited and was fantastic. Very knowledgeable about the history of Aspen and had lots of neat "folklore" stories to add. She also gave us some fantastic recommendations on some other things to do in Aspen that were a little more off the beaten path. Would definitely recommend coming here!