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In Brief: Aspen’s month for young kids; summer concert series lineup; North Star parking area closed for work;

Staff report

Month of the Young Child event announced

The city of Aspen and Kids First this week announced the Month of the Young Child, a month-long celebration for children and families in Pitkin County. 

This annual event, held every May, is dedicated to highlighting the needs of young children and their families and recognizing the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.



This year’s celebration will kick off with a “Screen Free Week” May 1-7, where Kids First and Aspen Mountain Tots will be sharing “screen free” ideas for families through email and the Kids First Facebook page. Schools are encouraged to participate and share their ideas on Facebook, as well.

The festivities begin on May 4 with Read with Me Day, where community volunteers will be reading in all the childcare classrooms in Pitkin County at the same time. This event is an opportunity for children to meet community members who enjoy reading and sharing great stories with them.




On May 9, the Aspen City Council will declare May the Month of the Young Child by reading the proclamation at the regular council meeting at 5 p.m. in Council Chambers.

On May 10, a small group of children will attend the regular Pitkin Board of County Commissioners meeting, where the commissioners will declare May as the Month of the Young Child. 

That same day, each school will prepare a healthy lunch for the children and staff.

On May 16 at 10 a.m., children from all the childcare programs in Pitkin County will gather at the Aspen Fire Department in downtown for the annual children’s parade. They will parade down Hopkins Avenue to Galena Street, then Galena to Hyman Avenue, and the Hyman mall to the fountain area.                                                

On May 23 from 7:30-8:30 a.m., children will have the opportunity to ride their bike to child care or to the Yellow Brick. At the Yellow Brick, muffins and juice will be served. 

Finally, on May 25 from 4-6 p.m., children’s art will be displayed at Paepcke Park for the community to see, organized by Woody Creek Kids.

“The Month of the Young Child is a time to recognize the importance of early childhood education and to celebrate the children and families in our community,” said Nancy Nichols, co-manager at Kids First. “We are excited to organize these events and look forward to seeing the children, families, and community members come together to celebrate this special month.”

Snowmass Free Concert Series lineup

Celebrating 31 years of free live music this summer, the Snowmass Free Concert Series returns to Fanny Hill every Thursday evening, June 15-Aug. 24, 2023. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with shows starting at 6:30 p.m. Concerts feature a spectrum of sounds, from zydeco to reggae, rock to soul. 

“The Snowmass Free Concert Series is one of our most beloved summer traditions,” said Rose Abello, tourism director for Snowmass Tourism. “We are so looking forward to another summer of stellar music under the sky on Fanny Hill. This summer’s lineup is sure to please listeners of all genres.”

In addition to the Snowmass Free Concert Series on Thursday evenings, Snowmass is home to free live music throughout the summer at restaurants and venues around Snowmass Village, including a bonus concert on Fanny Hill on Saturday, June 10, part of Snowmass Rendezvous. 

The lineup:

  • June 15: Don Chicharron (Chicha)
  • June 22: Robert Jon & the Wreck (Rock)
  • June 29: Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble (Zydeco)
  • July 6: A-Mac & the Height (Reggae/Covers)
  • July 13: James Hunter (Soul)
  • July 20: Chicago Farmer (Country)
  • July 27: Emily Wolfe (Rock Guitarist)
  • Aug. 3: The Brothers Comatose (Bluegrass)
  • Aug. 10: LowDown Brass Band (Brass Band)
  • Aug. 17: Digging Dirt (Funk)
  • Aug. 24: Honey Island Swamp Band (Bayou Americana)

Alcoholic beverages can be purchased from the Snowmass-branded container bars, located inside the venue. Outside food and sealed non-alcoholic beverages are allowed. No glass bottles, open containers, or personal alcohol of any kind are permitted. No dogs are allowed. 

Attendance is expected to be high this summer and parking is limited. Tourism officials encourge using the free parking at Snowmass Town Park, carpool, or take RFTA or Snowmass Village Transit. For more information on the Snowmass Free Concert Series, visit gosnowmass.com/concerts

For the full Summer 2023 Event Calendar, visit gosnowmass.com/events.

Open studio event in Carbondale on May 11

Studio for Arts and Works artists and creative professionals invite the public to join them on Thursday, May 11, from 4-8 p.m. for the spring open-studio event.

Attendees can visit with local artists in their studios and find handmade gifts for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or other special occasions, organizers said. Live music will start after 5 p.m. Light refreshments will be served, and this event is free and open to all. For more information, visit the S.A.W. website at sawcarbondale.com, or find Studio for Arts and Works on Facebook.

Studio for Arts and Works is located at 525 Buggy Circle, Carbondale.

South gate parking area at North Star closed for work

Construction of a redesigned south gate parking area at North Star is underway, and the parking lot is closed to use, Pitkin County officials said.

East of Aspen Trail, users are being detoured around the project site. Work on parking areas at North Star will continue until approximately June 23, then resume in late August. 

W Aspen announces Aspen Pride and collaboration with AspenOUT

W Aspen announced it will launch Aspen Pride for the first year in the city’s history. The hotel has collaborated on this historic month of events with the longtime Aspen LGBTQ+ organization, AspenOUT, which is dedicated to promoting tolerance and understanding through education, community action, and service. 

“For 27 years, AspenOUT has been a part of the Aspen Community and is synonymous for hosting Aspen Gay Ski Week,” said Chris Jaycock, general manager of W Aspen. “Based on demand, W Aspen and AspenOUT partnered to create Aspen’s inaugural Pride event. We have a longstanding commitment to the LGBTQ+ community. Ensuring that we are creating a safe and welcoming environment where all feel valued and accepted is at the heart of everything we do at the W, and we couldn’t be more excited to be the host hotel for Aspen Pride.”

Beginning in June, W Aspen will bring new programming and incentives to support the LGBTQ+ and greater Aspen community. Every Thursday in June, proceeds from cocktail purchases will be donated to AspenOut. W Aspen will also host a variety of events throughout the month, including mixology classes, and pop-ups by cocktail bars giving guests, visitors, and locals insights into the history and versatility of spirits as well as tips to create beverages. Additionally, wellness events will be open to guests and the public, hosted on WETdeck, throughout the month of June, including morning yoga sessions, stretching and meditation classes, sound baths, and other mindfulness programs. 

Snowmass shuttle to increase service during Brush Road work

The Snowmass Village shuttle will provide increased service to Route 8 to accommodate transit users impacted by the construction closure from Monday, June 5,to Sunday, Sept. 24, town officials said.

The Brush Creek culvert reconstruction project begins on May 15. Brush Creek Road will be closed immediately downhill from the intersection with Owl Creek Road for the duration of this project.

Due to the detour on Brush Creek Road this summer, the village shuttle will be providing increased Route 8 service to the communities along Brush Creek Road and to Town Park. During the closure, buses will be running every 15 minutes, with stops along Brush Creek up to Sinclair Road and ride request service to the Melton Ranch and Horse Ranch communities. 

Route 8 will serve these neighborhoods at 15-minute service intervals and will be available from 7:05 a.m.-8:05 p.m., with 30-minute service continuing to 9:05 p.m. and ride request service will be available until midnight.

For questions regarding village shuttle service, call 970-923-2543. Route information and maps can be found at villageshuttle.com.

For more information on the culvert reconstruction project, visit tosv.com/566/Brush-Creek-Culvert-Reconstruction.

Aspen spring cleanup scheduled for May 15-19

The city of Aspen Street Departments annual spring cleanup event is taking place May 15-19.

Aspen residents who schedule an appointment with the street department can have large trash items picked up curbside at their residence, city officials said. Call 970-920-5130 no later than 4 p.m. on Friday, May 12, to schedule pickup.

According to the city:

  • Items must be sorted by type which includes branches and wood of eight feet or less in length, metals, trash, tires, and leaves in compostable bags.
  • All piles must be labelled “City of Aspen Spring Clean-Up”, or they will not be picked up. Branches and wood must be placed parallel to the street.
  • Items not eligible for pick-up include household garbage, construction debris, batteries, paint, oil, refrigerators, hazardous waste, televisions, and any electronics with a memory chip. If these items are left on the curb, they will not be picked up. Alley pick-up service is not possible.
  • Electronic waste can be recycled during the City of Aspen’s E-Waste Collection Event in the fall.

More information is available at aspen.gov/street.

Nature journaling class at Carbondale Library

Adults who wish to explore, observe, and creatively document nature are invited to join Romana Davies for a two-part class at the Carbondale Branch Library on the different forms of nature journaling.

Minimal supplies are provided and attendees are encouraged to bring their own journals and drawing implements. The class will be held from 1-2:30 p.m. on the Fridays of May 19 and June 16. The class is free and open to all. For more information, call 970-963-2889.

Cancer center adds radiation oncologist

Board-certified radiation oncologist Lauren Kropp, MD, has joined the Calaway-Young Cancer Center, part of the Valley View health system based in Glenwood Springs.

When planning radiation treatments, she said she focuses on advanced technologies while developing individualized treatment plans in order to reduce the side effects of treatment. 

Dr. Kropp is a member of Radiating Hope, a non-profit organization that strives to improve radiation oncology care internationally. With the organization, she has traveled to Nepal and Chile on advocacy trips, supporting those nations’ radiation oncology practices.

I-70 roadwork near DeBeque starts this week

The Colorado Department of Transportation will begin resurfacing work Tuesday along Interstate 70 east of DeBeque for three miles. United Companies of Grand Junction is the contractor for the project.

“This project will create a smoother, safer ride for residents and commuters on this busy section of I-70 that is critical for the Western Slope,” said CDOT Executive Director Shoshana Lew. “CDOT is committed to improvements along the entire I-70 corridor. These surface and safety improvements are part of that effort and build on efforts last year across the corridor, including in nearby stretches close to Rifle.

Construction will take place on I-70 east of DeBeque from Mile Point 65 to MP 68. Work will include the placement of a 2-inch hot mix asphalt overlay, striping, rumble strip installation, guardrail replacement, three culvert treatments, replacing bridge rail, and performing minor bridge repair. The HMA will add approximately 10 years of life to the interstate, provide a smoother road surface and will add durability by increasing the resistance of ruts and road damage. This will allow for a smoother and safer drive for motorists, officials said. 

“Like many parts of the state, the western portion of the I-70 corridor is an important part of the rural, local economies in Mesa and Garfield counties,” said Region 3 Transportation Director Jason Smith. “It’s important for such a key roadway to make business as easy as possible.”

Other benefits of the project include installation of new guardrail that will be 31 inches high, designed to meet new safety standard requirements. The higher railing will help veering vehicles remain on the road more effectively, making the highway safer for the traveling public. The former standard height of guardrail was 27 inches.

United Country Colorado Brokers & Auctioneers wins top company award

Gary Hubbell of United Country Colorado Brokers & Auctioneers, with offices in Hotchkiss and Carbondale, recently won received the top marketing award for all 550 United Country Offices, The Genesis Award. 

“To join this amazing fraternity of United Country’s Genesis Award winners is a true honor,” he said. “I started cashing checks as a professional photographer way back in the 1980s, so I’ve always understood the power of great imagery. … We just put a ranch under contract with a buyer who still has to come walk the property. He said he didn’t need to see it right away — our marketing explained the property so well that he felt comfortable putting it under contract before even seeing it in person.”

United Country Colorado Brokers & Auctioneers has expanded to cover a wide swath of western Colorado.

“We have 11 agents strategically located across the western half of the state,” Hubbell said. “From Loma to Grand Junction, Rifle, Glenwood Springs, Basalt, and Aspen, and then over to Hotchkiss, Crawford, and Montrose — we help buyers and sellers achieve their real estate goals.”

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