Jazz Aspen Snowmass

Jazz Aspen Snowmass hosts wilco this summer

BY Joe Kovack

www.jazzaspen.org

June 24-July 3

September, 3-5

Aspen, Colo.

The Jazz Aspen Snowmass festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a musical lineup that brings award winning artists to the legendary ski town. The J.A.S. is a non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve jazz music through world class performances, special events and education, but their lineup is far from jazz-only.

The event is best described as a season with multiple festivals, rather than just the one. The season kicks off with the J.A.S. June Festival, from June 24 to July 3. As with the original J.A.S. festival, the June festival has grown over the years from a three-day festival to a 10-day musical extravaganza. Once located in a canopy tent in downtown Aspen at the Rio Grande Park, the June event moved to the more intimate Benedict Music Tent in 2009.

A new addition to the summer schedule is the newly formed Labor Day Festival. Bringing a larger array of eclectic music than the June festival, the Labor Day Festival packs rock, blues, R&B, world music, and more into the three-day event. Playing from September 3-5, the event will showcase the acclaimed band Wilco, who will headline Friday, Sept. 3, marking their only appearance in Colorado this summer.

Travel time:

(As calculated by maps.google.com from

Denver, Colo. to Aspen, Colo.)

Total Est. Time: 3 hours, 30 minutes

Total Est. Distance: 160 miles

YOU NEED TO KNOW: Every festival is different, and at the J.A.S. they ask that you not bring food on the festival site. There will be an array of food and drink vendors available on site.  Festival goers may bring in empty or sealed water bottles and water will be available on site to fill.

PRICE: $$$

Camping: Not on-site but Forst Service camping is available “nearby.”