The cultural calendar in Aspen this week blends fundraising, chamber and crossover music, and a popular cider tasting as organisers and performers seek to draw summertime audiences back to mountain venues.
Fundraising for the festival
The Aspen Music Festival and School is running its annual online auction, titled “Great Bids for Great Talent”, which launched on 7 August and will conclude at 17:00 on 17 August. Proceeds are intended to support the festival’s programming and its work with emerging musicians.
The auction features a mix of experiences, travel packages and local products; bidders can participate via the event’s GoFundMe page. The charity drive forms part of the festival’s broader fundraising activities that underpin summer tuition, performances and outreach.
Live music highlights
On 14 August the Wheeler Opera House presents the Venezuelan‑Appalachian duo Larry & Joe at Bad Harriet, Hotel Jerome’s performance space. The pair combines Venezuelan harp virtuosity and Appalachian musical traditions: Venezuelan harpist Larry Bellorin joins Grammy‑nominated musician Joe Troop from North Carolina for the free event. Reservations are encouraged.
Then, on 15 August, award‑winning pianist Simone Dinnerstein performs a one‑night programme at Harris Concert Hall billed as “Simone Dinnerstein Plays Bach and Philip Glass”. The recital places baroque counterpoint and contemporary minimalism in direct conversation, a programming choice that has become a hallmark of Dinnerstein’s recent seasons.
Cidermass and late‑afternoon tasting
Also on 15 August, the eighth annual Cidermass Invitational will take place on the Snowmass Mall between 15:00 and 19:00. The event gathers producers of beer, hard cider, distillates, hard seltzer and wine for an afternoon of sampling and live music.
Among the vendors listed for this year’s tasting are familiar regional and national names such as Anna’s, Schilling, 2Towns, Big B’s, Stem, Scar of the Sea, CO Cider Company, Locust Cider and Wild Cider, alongside other producers and brands. Local breweries and spirits companies will also be represented.
- 7–17 August — “Great Bids for Great Talent” online auction (closes 17:00, 17 Aug)
- 14 August — Larry & Joe, Bad Harriet (Wheeler Opera House/Hotel Jerome)
- 15 August — Simone Dinnerstein, Harris Concert Hall
- 15 August, 15:00–19:00 — Cidermass Invitational, Snowmass Mall
| Event | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| “Great Bids for Great Talent” auction | 7–17 Aug | Online |
| Larry & Joe (Venezuelan‑Appalachian duo) | 14 Aug | Bad Harriet, Hotel Jerome |
| Simone Dinnerstein – Bach & Philip Glass | 15 Aug | Harris Concert Hall |
| Cidermass Invitational | 15 Aug (15:00–19:00) | Snowmass Mall |
For audiences travelling from elsewhere, the schedule places a mix of ticketed recital work and free, reservation‑recommended performances within a short span, offering the possibility of combining fundraisers, recitals and informal tastings into one cultural weekend. The auction in particular underlines how summer festivals increasingly rely on a mix of philanthropy and experiential fundraising in order to sustain training and performance opportunities for early‑career musicians.
Practical details and ticket information are available on the Aspen Music Festival website and the individual venue pages for Hotel Jerome and Harris Concert Hall. Those planning to attend the Cidermass Invitational should note the four‑hour tasting window and the roster of participating cider and beverage producers.
These events illustrate a familiar late‑summer pattern in mountain towns: a scramble to squeeze a concentrated arts agenda into warmer months, connecting regional producers with national and international artists while building support for institutions that run year‑round programmes.
