Mountain Village

Yesterday’s FirstGrass was an awesome kickoff to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival! Gondola lines were packed but that didn’t stop people from heading up to Mountain Village for free music in the park followed by the 11^th annual Yonder Mountain String Band Nightgrass show. Here’s a few shots in case you missed it!

Today, we’re off to Telluride Town Park for the first official day of bluegrass- good thing it’s the longest day of the year! If you don’t have a ticket to the festival, be sure to swing by Elk’s Park for free Workshops put on by some great bands.

Wow... what a year it's been. Robert Plant and Willie Nelson played Town Park, Baked in Telluride was resurrected, we skied, we hiked, we even skied and hiked the "closed" Bear Creek, the Wilson Peak trailhead opened, we got snow, we got even more sunshine and we had some of the best memories of our lives. We hope you shared a special moment or event in Telluride in 2011... if not, make it your New Year's Resolution to come visit us soon. It will be the best gift you could give yourself for 2012! Here's the TOP 10 to do in Telluride this New Year's Eve! 

Thursday, December 29^th – Justin Townes Earle – Blues meets Americana meets Folk… at its very best. Son of Steve Earle, Justin Townes Earle is an anomaly with his own style, twang and charm. He just recently won the Song of the Year at the 2011 Americana Music Awards in Nashville, TN and will be performing on stage at the historic Sheridan Opera House this Thursday night. BE THERE. Tickets are $25 and the show starts at 8:00pm. www.justintownesearle.com

Friday, December 30^th and Saturday, December 31^st – Jason Bishop – America’s hottest Illusionist is in Telluride for New Year’s. Not only is he an award-winning illusionist… but he’s also the youngest person to win the Magician’s Alliance award and one of the youngest people to compete in World-Class competitions. Sleight of hand, large illusions, “close-up” magic and many more thrills to keep you on the edge of your seat. Tickets are $20/children, $28/adults. Shows start at 7:00pm on Friday and Saturday at the Palm Theatre (High School). www.thejasonbishopshow.com

Friday, December 30^th – Head for the Hills – Get ready to party like its Bluegrass Festival… all over again. Head for the Hills is a progressive, acoustic/modern roots band that knows how to party. This four-piece bluegrass band is sure to get everyone dancin’ & stompin and the floors shakin’ in the historic Sheridan Opera House. Tickets are $20 and the show starts at 8:00pm. www.headforthehillsmusic.com

Friday, December 30^th & Saturday, December 31^st – The Bubble Lounge NYE Party – Colorado Mountain Voodoo Grass will be going down at The Bubble Lounge (S. Fir Street) with The Olora Bros. Show starts at 10:00pm each night. Stop by for good live music! www.facebook.com/pages/The-Olora-Bros/104777949638029

Saturday, December 31^st – Ah Haa NYE Winter Gala – Party down NYE at the Ah Haa School for the Arts with fine art, wine and delicious food. Enjoy a champagne reception, 4-course meal by Chef Eliza Gavin of 221 South Oak and live music from the Mike Pale Jazz Trio. Tickets are $250 and the event starts at 6:30pm. www.facebook.com/AhHaaTelluride

Saturday, December 31^st – FIREWORKS! – New Year’s Eve will kick off in style with the annual torchlight parade followed by a dazzling firework show in Mountain Village around 6:30pm. Come watch this beautiful show and don’t forget your camera!

Saturday, December 31^st – The Fabulous Thunderbirds & Canned Heat – Ring in the New Year at the historic Sheridan Opera House with two legendary Rock ‘n’ Roll and Blues bands! The NYE Gala at the Opera House is the place to be to party down and celebrate the great year of 2011. The Fabulous Thunderbirds have toured with The Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton… while Canned Heat played at the original Woodstock festival in 1969. Enough said! Tickets are $100 for dancing and $250 for balcony seats. For more info, visit: www.sheridanoperahouse.com/events/saf-nye-gala-featuring-fabulous-thunderbirds-and-canned-heat

Saturday, December 31^st – The Great Funktier – Funky music going down at The Fly Me to the Moon Saloon for NYE! Come party at the Moon with free party favors and champagne at midnight. Tickets are $10. This will be one of the rowdiest shows in town for NYE… check it out! www.thegreatfunktier.com

Saturday, December 31^st – Telluride’s NYE Countdown – The always fun and chilly NYE countdown will take place at the Main Street Courthouse from 11:30pm to 12:30am. Ring in the New Year with EVERYONE in town! HAPPY 2012!!!

Sunday, January 1^st – SKI! – What a great way to start a new year… than taking some turns with friends and family on New Year’s Day. Grab a drink at Gorrono’s, watch some football and don’t forget to eat your collards and black eyed peas! 

How was everyone's weekend?! We had a great one here... 9+ inches, lifts 5 & 6 opened and Tebow dominated the Vikings! TEBOWING! Town is hopping and it's only going to get better. Lots going on this week... holiday events, live music and preparing for the World Cup. The course is beginning to look great and a couple athletes came in town over the weekend to begin training and ski some powder stashes. @LindsJacobellis reports: "Had a great day at #Telluride, fresh pow and afternoon training". Here's a photo from the course construction under Lift 4. Looking good fellas... keep up the good work. Have a great week!

Wednesday, December 7^th – Noel Night – Get into the Christmas spirit and enjoy town-wide specials, holiday treats, tree lighting, caroling and more all day long for the 25^th Anniversary Telluride Noel Night. This is the perfect time to get your discounted Christmas shopping done as many local businesses will have “grab bag” discounts – 10%, 20%, 30%... even up to 50% off certain goods! For an entire list of special events and each local business’ participating, check out: http://www.visittelluride.com/festivals-events/calendar/2011-12-07/noel-night

Wednesday, December 7^th – Bluegrass Festival Tickets on Sale – FESSSTIVAAAL! Your favorite Summer Solstice party will be going down this year on June 21^st -24^th so get your tickets early because it will definitely sell-out! 2012 Telluride Bluegrass Tickets go on sale at 9am MST on Wednesday… just in time to get that special someone the best Christmas present they’ve ever received. Seriously. If you haven’t been to the Bluegrass Fest before… it’s a must-do bucketlist item for anyone! SOOO much fun. For more info and to buy tickets, click here: http://www.bluegrass.com/telluride/

Thursday, December 8^th – The Great Funktier @ The Llama – These funky monkeys are back and ready to party. They rocked out the Moon over Thanksgiving… and they’re ready to break it down Thursday night at The Llama. Come dance your butt off and make sure you preview their new EP Hunting Season on iTunes. A teaser video will launch on their Facebook Page this week. Check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/thegreatfunktier

Friday, December 9^th – Jingle Jam & Tree Lighting Ceremony – The Town of Mountain Village will host their own “Noel Night” called Jingle Jam all day Friday. Celebrate in the Village with a tree lighting ceremony, sit with Santa Claus, holiday music, free ice skating, special holiday deals all day and cookies! Ski all day, grab an après drink and then get your Christmas shopping done. Free ice skating and cookies??! We’re there! For an entire list of special events and each local business’ participating, check out: http://www.visittelluride.com/festivals-events/calendar/2011-12-09/jingle-jam-annual-tree-lighting-ceremony

Saturday, December 10^th – Old Fashioned Christmas at Schmid Ranch – The Telluride Historical Museum will host the Old Fashioned Christmas Party at Schmid Ranch this weekend from 1-5pm. Enjoy a bonfire, tree cutting, Santa Claus, horse drawn carriage rides and more holiday fun. For more info or directions to the ranch, go to the Museum’s website: http://telluridemuseum.org/

The town of Telluride, Colorado, evokes many things for different people — world-class skiing, the Bluegrass Festival, the Telluride Film Festival, etc., but most people aren’t aware that a free, short gondola ride away is the town of Mountain Village. Skiers flock to Mountain Village in the winter to be close to the slopes and ski school, but this small hamlet is sometimes forgotten during the summer season, even though it has a lot to offer visitors to the area!

 1. Peaceful – Since most of the major festivals and events happen in Downtown Telluride during the summer, Mountain Village remains a peaceful, serene escape from everything. Guests enjoy the peace and quiet in the quaint European-style core area or REALLY get away from everything in a house along the thawed out Telluride Ski Resort slopes.

  2. Sunset Concert Series – Every Wednesday evening throughout the summer, an open air concert takes place on the Sunset Plaza lawn for FREE. Music lovers bring blankets, snacks, and the entire family to enjoy live music and a beautiful sunset. Shows in the past have featured The Avett Brothers, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Taj Mahal and more.

  3. Golf – It will be hard to stay focused because Telluride Ski & Golf’s 18-hole golf course is located among the highest concentration of 13,000 and 14,000-foot peaks in North America. The Telluride Golf Club, open from May to mid-October, is a spectacular way to spend an afternoon in the outdoors. Playing golf at 9,000+ feet in altitude creates less resistance against the golf ball during flight, translating to 15% more distance on your drives.

  4. Frisbee Golf Course – Located across the street from Town Hall Plaza, a free Double Cabin Disc Golf Course is available from 7 a.m. to sunset during the entire summer. Players aim for the metal baskets and the fewest number of throws wins. A great mix of hiking, friendly competition, and outdoor scenery… this activity is perfect for all ages.

  5. Trampoline & Adventure Rock – Located in the Heritage Plaza and the Conference Center Plaza, are a couple adrenaline activities for adults and kids alike. Get strapped in and catapult into the air on the trampoline bounce or test your strength on the free-standing, man-made climbing rock.

  6. Mountain Biking – The greater Telluride region offers some of the best mountain biking in the region behind Moab, UT. From the San Sophia Station (top of the Gondola), access the Mountain Village Bike Park with five trails stretching three miles  along the ski slopes. The trails are equipped for all ability levels.

  7. Trail running and hiking – From the San Sophia Station, your hiking and running opportunities are endless. Hike up to the top of Gold Hill, run along the thawed out ski slopes, or simply build up your appetite by hiking down to the Mountain Village Center for lunch.

  8. Free scenic Gondola – The scenic and very unique Gondola that separates Telluride and Mountain Village is a spectacular 13-minute ride and is 100% free. The Gondola is the first and only free public transportation system of its kind in the United States and is worth every minute. Don’t forget your camera!

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 10. Festival of the Arts – Every August, share a common passion for local art, food, wine, and spirits as art lovers meet in the Mountain Village core for the Festival of the Arts. This annual weekend culinary and visual arts event, produced by the same folks as the Cherry Creek Arts Festival, features a Grand Tasting, nationally juried art show, and delicious local culinary. 

              

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For the more information about events, activities and accommodations in the Mountain Village and Telluride area visit Telluride.com. Telluride Alpine Lodging, the exclusive lodging provider for Telluride.com, offers a varied range of vacation rental accommodations throughout Telluride and Mountain Village, Colorado.  We feature a large selection of hotel rooms, one, two and three bedroom condominiums and premier homes – each offering a diverse range in location, décor and price.