High Points: A midsummer’s night dream

It’s going by fast.

If you are one of those people who think that summer begins with the Friday of Memorial Day weekend and commences after the Monday of Labor Day, the unofficial bookends of the season of the sun, then it may shock you to know that we are more than halfway through summer.

“Wait … what?” you say. “But it just got here.” It may feel that way, but according to this year’s calendar, from the start of Memorial Day weekend on May 23 until Labor Day Monday on Sept. 1, there are 101 days, and we, ladies and gentlemen, are 56 days into it. There are just 45 days left in the summer season of 2025. Yes, days drift, years fly, and decades disappear, and the seasons? They are constantly changing.

But enough with the numbers. The real question is how is your summer going and what are you going to do with the next 45 days before the reality of autumn falls upon you?

Before the smoke arrived this week, it had been a sublime summer, weather-wise. True, we could use a little rain, and the mid-day sun has been a bit toasty, but for those who love to get out amongst it this has been epic. Fly fishermen, trail runners, road bikers, mountain climbers, and shale skiers have all reveled in the picture-perfect daylight hours.

If you haven’t made your way to one of the Roaring Fork Valley’s pristine lakes this summer yet, you might want to think about putting that on your seasonal agenda. The standards, Maroon Lake and the Ruedi Reservoir, are easy to get to, but there are other options if you want to hoof it. Think Lost Man Lake up Independence Pass, American Lake up Castle Creek, Snowmass Lake, Geneva Lake beyond Marble, or Savage Lake up the Frying Pan. The beauty of a mountain lake is good for the soul, and the hike to get there is good for the body.  

For some, the culture in the community is more appealing than a jaunt uphill. If you count yourself amongst that crowd, then your summer timing is impeccable. Theatre Aspen is alive with performances of “Mamma Mia!” and “Million Dollar Quartet” running through Aug. 23. The Aspen Art Museum is in full flourish with a timely exhibit by Brazilian artist Solange Pessoa titled “Catch the Sun with Your Hand,” which brings together four bodies of work across soapstone, ceramics, crystals, and organic matter. A highlight event of summer, Aspen Art Museum’s annual Art Crush 2025, will take place on Aug. 1, celebrating artist Glenn Ligon, recipient of the 2025 Lewis Family Art Award.

And, as always, there is music in Aspen. The hills are alive with the sounds of symphonies, trios, and soloists all summer long. The Aspen Music Festival is in session for another few weeks and highlight performances still on tap including Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto, Handel’s Messiah on Aug. 6, and Puccini’s La Bohème on Aug. 19.

Every Thursday at Snowmass, locals and visitors gather to dance on the slopes of Fanny Hill and hear the tunes at the Free Concert Series. There are five shows remaining before the O’Connor Brothers Band closes it out on Thursday, Aug. 24.

This year, there are two big outdoor music festivals on tap before summer calls it a wrap. On Aug. 8-9, the Up In the Sky Music Festival makes its summer debut with headliners Rüfüs du Sol and Kacy Musgraves at Buttermilk. This new event produced by the pros from Belly Up should be an interesting addition to the late summer lineup and worthy of a stop. You can say I was there for the first one.

Of course, it wouldn’t be summer without the signature outdoor event the JAS Labor Day Experience. Now in its 32nd year, the event will feature another stellar big-name lineup including Imagine Dragons, Cannons, Lenny Kravitz, Lawrence, Luke Combs, Marcus King Band, and more.

The shows take place in Snowmass Town Park on Labor Day weekend and offer an iconic capper to the summer season.

Forty-five days to go. Make ’em count.