What's On

Aspen Rocks: Inspire Aspen Foundation Aspen Rocks  
In loving memory of our co-founder, Tami Frances Word, whose vision and passion continue to inspire us.
Our popular youth event is back for it's fifth year. Aspen Rocks is our local “American Idol”-style music competition, celebrating the incredible youth talent in our community.
Six finalists will take the stage at the historic Wheeler Opera House, competing live for prizes of recording time with a professional engineer at the legendary Mad Dog Ranch+Studios. Performances will be evaluated by a panel of three judges, and the evening will also feature special appearances by past Aspen Rocks winners.
Proceeds from the event benefit the Inspire Aspen Foundation, providing unique opportunities for young musicians in the Aspen-Snowmass and Roaring Fork Valley to pursue their talents and musical dreams.
Come share in an unforgettable night of music, community, and inspiration. Changing Lives One Note at a Time.
For more information, visit www.inspireaspenfoundation.org.
Dates: Sat 09 Booking and More Information

Aspen Santa Fe Ballet School Recital 2026 Aspen Santa Fe Ballet School students are looking forward to returning to the stage for the 2026 Spring Recital. For more than three decades, the ASFB School has nurtured young dancers across Colorado and Northern New Mexico, fostering both technical excellence and a lifelong love of dance. This annual performance highlights the progress and dedication of rising artists of all ages as they share their talents in a vibrant 90-minute program. Dates: Thu 21 Booking and More Information

Cultural Vibrancy Fellowship Celebration The City of Aspen invites the community to a celebration of the 2026 Cultural Vibrancy Fellows, honoring two cohorts of local artists and the creative connections fostered through the program. The evening features the 2026 Fellows sharing and discussing their artistry and sharing their work. The evening will highlight the breadth of creative expression in our community supported by the Cultural Vibrancy Fellowship and reflect the evolving approaches of this year’s cohort.

The celebration takes place at the Wheeler Opera House on Thursday, May 14. A reception with light refreshments begins at 5:30 pm, followed by the program from 6:00–7:00 pm. This is a free community event; advance RSVP is encouraged to secure seating. Dates: Thu 14 Booking and More Information

Wheeler Presents: Roaring Fork Rising - Aggie Flores & The Wildflowers Singer‑songwriter Aggie Flores headlines an evening featuring original work rooted in her background across Buenos Aires, Aspen, and Charleston. Her music blends South American rhythm with indie and folk elements, shaped by her experience as both a vocalist and interdisciplinary artist. Her performances draw on themes of belonging, transformation, and personal narrative.
Dates: Fri 15 Booking and More Information

Wheeler Presents: Roaring Fork Rising - Alya Howe, WRIT LARGE presents Women's Voices Alya Howe is a movement‑based and storytelling‑focused artist whose work examines personal histories, interior landscapes, and the social and environmental pressures shaping individuals and communities. Her background includes work with the José Limón Dance Company, Kei Takei, Danceteller, Zakir Hussain, and teaching roles at the State Ballet School in Athens, the Laban Institute, and the Lincoln Center Institute. In the Roaring Fork Valley, she founded Under Alya’s Umbrella, creating platforms centered on performance and community narrative. Writ Large extends this practice, presenting stories that highlight lived experience, community memory, and the role of narrative in cohesion and resilience. Dates: Sat 23 Booking and More Information

Wheeler Presents: Roaring Fork Rising - Emery Major with Hannah Koivu Emery Major is a Colorado‑born singer‑songwriter whose work blends 1970s folk influences with modern pop elements. His sound reflects his background between the Colorado Rockies, Brooklyn, and Nashville, shaped by performances at venues including Carnegie Hall, The Bluebird Café, Mercury Lounge, Birdland Jazz Club, and The Wheeler Opera House.

Opening the evening is Hannah Koivu, an independent pop and indie‑pop artist known for emotionally direct songwriting and a blend of pop, R&B, and rap elements. Her work centers on personal narrative, self‑reflection, and modern pop structure. Dates: Fri 22 Booking and More Information

Wheeler Presents: Roaring Fork Rising - Local Comedy Showcase The Local Comedy Showcase features six comics from the Roaring Fork Valley and beyond. David Uhlfelder, raised in Aspen, has performed at major clubs including The Comedy Store, The Laugh Factory, and The Improv, and has opened for Taylor Tomlinson and Trevor Wallace. Julie Gillespie brings big‑personality, story‑driven comedy shaped by her southern roots. Sarah Sanders adds quick wit and relatable humor as a longtime local producer and performer. Brian Tauber rounds out the lineup with material influenced by his life in Detroit, San Diego, and Aspen. Additional performers include Beth Brandon, a Second City–educated comic and Aspen Daily News columnist, and Miller Ford, founder of Consensual Improv and Patio Night Live and recent Cultural Vibrancy Grant recipient supporting local comedy growth. Dates: Thu 28 Booking and More Information

Wheeler Presents: Roaring Fork Rising - Rai Omri with Abigail Benning Western Colorado songwriter Rai Omri leads an evening of folk storytelling and subtle, layered soundscapes, joined by special guest Abigail Benning. A finalist in Kerrville Folk Festival’s Grassy Hill New Folk Competition and the NewSong Music Songwriting Competition, Omri shapes songs with field recordings, open tunings, and lyrics that animate the natural and spiritual worlds. Benning, a third-generation Roaring Fork Valley singer-songwriter, brings intimate folk and Americana with a modern indie edge, drawing on river seasons, small-town memory, and the quiet work of becoming yourself for a night of reflective, place-rooted original music, shared in the Wheeler’s historic acoustic warmth. Dates: Sat 16 Booking and More Information

Wheeler Presents: Roaring Fork Rising - The Sopris Sisters with Mark Nussmeier The Sopris Sisters—singer‑songwriters Harper Powell and Emma Kieran—bring a contemporary folk sound shaped by the music they grew up on, including Nanci Griffith, Shawn Colvin, Aoife O’Donovan, and Sarah Jarosz. Their harmony‑focused duo debuted in 2025 and has since performed at Steve’s Guitars, on KDNK, in the in The Vault at the Wheeler through the Roaring Fork Rising Series, and opened for Big Richard at the Basalt Summer Concert Series. Harper and Emma first met a decade ago through eTown’s Handmade Songs competition and later co‑founded the virtual Tabletop Concerts series. The evening also features Aspen‑based multi‑instrumentalist Mark Nussmeier. Dates: Fri 29 Booking and More Information

Wheeler Presents: Roaring Fork Rising - Wild Flight with Hugh Phillips Wild Flight is a Colorado‑based trio featuring singer Emily Jurick, keyboardist and vocalist Eric Gross, and bassist Bill Ritchen. Formed in the Colorado mountains, the group has released multiple albums and singles and performs original, genre‑blending music described as roots‑rock with jazz and folk elements. Their live sound reflects years of collaboration and a growing audience across streaming platforms.

They are joined by Colorado country songwriter Hugh Phillips, whose music blends Americana, traditional country, and Rocky Mountain influences. Known for vivid storytelling and an expanding Mountain West following, Phillips brings an acoustic, narrative‑driven approach to the evening. Dates: Sat 30 Booking and More Information