Renowned New York auctioneer coming to Aspen 

Renowned New York auctioneer Lydia Fenet is making her annual foray out to Aspen to lead live auction at Aspen Words’ 2025 Book Ball from 5:45-9:30 p.m., Friday, June 13, at the Hotel Jerome. 

The goal? To raise more money than ever before. 

“I’m so excited to get on stage and raise, hopefully, a record-breaking amount for the ball — that’s number one,” Fenet said.

Initially, she knew Aspen as a winter destination. As an avid skier, she started coming to Aspen in her 20s — skiing Aspen and Snowmass and just really loving the mountains.

After becoming a well-known auctioneer, she made an annual visit to Aspen to be the auctioneer for the Aspen Education Foundation each December.

During one of those visits, she was spotted and asked to join Aspen Words and lead their June summer auction.

“I have to be very strategic about where I take auctions,” Fenet said.

She has three children — Eloise, 8; Henry, 10; and Beatrice, 12, and she lives a flight away in Tribeca, New York. 

“So there are reasons I go to certain places, and Aspen’s always been such a warm and welcoming crowd, Fenet said. “It’s hard to say ‘no.'”

She is also the author of two books: “The Most Powerful Woman in the Room is You,” and “Claim Your Confidence,” — which is a natural tie-in to Aspen Words.

“I was particularly excited because it allows me to talk about something I know well, which is the literary world. But also the impact that philanthropy has in the literary world — and the importance of it, especially in the world that we live in right now,” she said. 

In addition, the ball is another opportunity for her to be an auctioneer, which is a profession she loves to do.

In fact, she admits it was reading that led her to her career. She read an article in Vanity Fair magazine when she was in college about Princess Diana’s dress being sold at a place in New York City called Christie’s Auction House.

“That for me was the hook,” Fenet shared.

She could imagine what it would be like to be there. She applied for an internship, which was full at the time, yet that didn’t deter her. For two weeks, she called Christie’s auction house in New York every day until she was able to secure a future summer internship, which she began at age 19 while she was attending Oxford University abroad.

“They could not get rid of me, and I stayed for 23 years,” she said, with a big smile. 

After three years there, she became an auctioneer.

“I think what is so fun for me with Aspen Education Foundation, is that I get this fun experience of coming into town for three days every winter and meeting all of these amazing people who have lived in Aspen and are local to the town,” Fenet said.

When she came out to Aspen for the first time in the summer, that’s when she learned about the summer community and discovered it’s just as special in Aspen year-round. She feels embraced by the community and has special spots she likes to go — namely the Paradise Bakery, touting that she’s tried nearly every delicious baked good they have because they fuel her hikes.

She adds, “I like to be out in nature and really kind of reset, which is for me what a place like Aspen is all about.”

That’s the second reason, she agrees, to lead this event.

Fenet led 23 auctions in May, sometimes speaking twice a day, and totaling 40 auctions for her 2025 spring season. She leaves on the first flight out and comes home on the red eye, the last flight of the day. The Aspen Words auction will be her last stop before she takes a summer break and spends time with her family — her children and husband, Chris Delaney.

Fenet has every intention of embracing those attending the event and ensuring they know the auction is about them. Her fearless approach and infectious enthusiasm could be just the magic needed to reach Aspen Words’ funding goals for 2025.