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Aspen’s annual Wintersköl carries on under unique circumstances

Levin, Yeager recognized for their contributions to community during pandemic

Staff reports
City of Aspen’s Chad Cornish, left, Jeff Ellis and Tim Brignolo pack down snow to prepare for the Winterskol snow carvings in downtown Aspen on Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. (Kelsey Brunner/The Aspen Times)

Amid the changes brought on by the pandemic, the organizers of Aspen’s annual Wintersköl want people to know “The Snow Must Go On.”

The slogan for this year’s event, which starts Thursday and runs through Sunday, was picked for the 70th annual event going on under “unique circumstances,” organizers said Monday in a news release.

And it also “shows respect to the strength the Aspen community has demonstrated through these difficult times,” they said.



This year’s “royalty” for the king and queen goes to Jimmy Yeager, co-owner of Jimmy’s Restaurant in downtown Aspen and a leading voice for the industry during the pandemic, and Dr. Kimberly Levin, who is the Pitkin County medical officer.

Signs of the annual event showed up on the pedestrian mall in downtown Monday as crews started to fill the wooden boxes with snow, which will be carved out by snow sculpting teams in the coming days.




This year’s winning slogan, which comes from submission by the community, was submitted by three people (John Kenny, Zach Stevens and Lisa Zimet). Kenny, was selected by random drawing for the winning prize, which is a $1,000 gift certificate to The Gant.

A better of idea of the possible offerings during Wintersköl will be announced Wednesday on the Aspen Chamber Resort Association website.