The holidays kick into high gear with tree lightings, winter markets, skating shows and visits from Santa in the Vail Valley
Beaver Creek, Vail host holiday events while local businesses celebrate Shop Small Saturday
Vail Daily file photo
Beaver Creek holiday happenings
After opening for its 44th season on Wednesday, Beaver Creek rolls right into the holidays with a host of activities and events you won’t want to miss throughout the weekend. On Friday, kick the day off with free ice skating from 10 a.m. to 3p.m. in between a visit with Santa Claus from 12 noon to 2 p.m. when the jolly man in red makes a special visit from the North Pole. Stick around the ice rink for live music. There is a Family Fun Zone from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Fountain Patio and Hawk’s Nest Cabin where kids can get festive and create a cookie to take home. After the skating shuts down for the public, watch amazing skaters perform a spectacular show on ice. When darkness falls at 5 p.m., the Beaver Creek Tree Lighting ceremony will occur with music by the Fabulous Femmes, Santa flipping the switch on the tree followed by fireworks. Don’t miss this tradition that has been going on since the early 1980s.
In addition to the Holiday Tree Lighting and kickoff event, Beaver Creek will once again host its Holiday Market from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Find unique, handcrafted gifts and support artisans while shopping in Beaver Creek’s idyllic village. There’s something for the whole family with holiday gifts perfect for everyone on your shopping list. To get you into the holiday spirit, the Battle Mountain High School Choir will perform some holiday carols on Saturday at 3 p.m. in the village. For more information, go to and search Signature Events.
Apr猫s Vail holiday events
The calendar is filling up with all sorts of events for the holiday weekend. Apr猫s Vail, (formerly Revely Vail and Vail Holidays) is hosting festivities all weekend long. On Friday, come off the slopes and join others in a big dance party that nobody can hear. It’s Vail Apr猫s Silent Disco and you can grab free headphones in Lionshead Village and dance to your own beat or switch channels and jive with others. The Vail Apr猫s Silent Disco happens every Friday from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. from now until Jan. 3.
On Saturday, the Vail Apr猫s Ice Skating Show will be held in conjunction with the Lionshead Village Tree Lighting. Head to the ice rink at Arrabelle for a short, 15-minute program at 4:45 p.m. followed by a second program at 5:30 p.m. Come see Olympian, World competitor and three-time Finnish National Champion Emmi Peltonen. The show will also star current U.S. National Pair Champions and World Team members, Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea. Other skating athletes include Clar Seo (Team USA member and International medalist), Jordan Moeller (Team USA and International medalist) and Naomi Williams and Lachlan Lewer (Team USA/ World Junior Medalists).
After the skating, stick around to view the lights on the tree in Lionshead as it is lit for the first time this season for the holidays. Enjoy live music by the Fabulous Femmes, special guest speakers and watch as Santa Claus flips the switch and lights up the night. Please note the new location this year. The tree will be lit by the Lionshead Welcome Arch, across from the Lionshead Welcome Center in the parking structure and next to the main bus stop.
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On Sunday don’t miss Smile with Santa from 3:30 to 6 p.m. where you can meet Jolly Old St. Nick on the International Bridge and let him know if you’ve been naughty or nice and show him your holiday gift wish list. To find out more events happening throughout the holiday season, go to .
Small Business Saturday
This time of year is always known for big sales at the Big Box stores, online and beyond, but don’t forget about Small Business Saturday. In 2010, American Express founded Small Business Saturday and has been championing this day ever since. Eagle County is the perfect place to shop small. Our number of individually owned and family-owned businesses are plentiful and when you shop at your locally owned ski and snowboard shops, clothing stores, liquor stores, gift shops, restaurants and more, your money is staying in the community.
Here are a few places that are celebrating with Small Business Saturday events:
All the Good Stuff and Berit Brooks are inviting you to come to their Small Business Saturday celebration at their storefronts in Edwards on the upper Edwards Plaza from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. This was the location of the Edwards Market on Saturdays this summer and they are bringing in food trucks, a festive photo booth, holiday fun for all ages and Santa. There will also be a fire truck for the kiddos to explore, a branding bar, face painting and exclusive in-store specials.
撸先生pper and Scout in Vail Village is celebrating 10 years of serving the local teens and tweens (and occasionally the moms, too) and to thank their clientele and this community for all the support, 撸先生pper and Scout is doing two days of 25% off select items on Nov. 29 and 30. Hype Alert: 撸先生pper and Scout is now a Moon Boot distributor and they have sizes that fit babies all the way up to moms just in time for all this snow!
You rarely find deals on ski and snowboard equipment at the beginning of the season, but the Kind Bikes and 撸先生s is slashing prices the same month as Vail and Beaver Creek opened for the season. From now until Dec. 3 save 20% off skis from Black Crows and Faction and snowboards from Burton and 20% boots from Nordica and Solomon. How’s your outerwear looking? If you could use an upgrade, take 20% off products and save on base layers and accessories, too. For the ultimate deals, check out last years items for 50% off. If Armada 撸先生s are in your future, get a free pair of Pit Viper sunglasses with a purchase of Armadas.
Mountain Market and Supply on Broadway in Eagle invites you to shop small with them on Saturday between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. and try a fresh stroopwafel made while you shop around. A stroopwafel is a crispy Dutch waffle cookie sandwich filled with caramel. Get ’em while they’re hot, these will go fast!
LA Studio in Edwards invites you to stop by between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Saturday for special discounts and to enjoy a glass of bubbles as a thank you for the continued support of this small business.
These events are just a few suggestions on where you can shop and celebrate small businesses. Stop by your favorite small businesses and show them some love.
4 Eagle Ranch Country Western Dance Night
Need to burn off some of that turkey dinner? Head to 4 Eagle Ranch and do some boot scootin’ on the dance floor in the 4 Eagle Ranch Events Center. The ranch is bringing back a crowd favorite out of Denver, the Walker Williams Band, to get everyone up on their feet. Dance instruction will be from 6 to 7 p.m. and then you can test those moves with more music by the live band from 7 to 9 p.m.
From the popularity of the Grammy Award-winning Lainey Wilson and her Country is Cool Again Tour and Post Malone heating up the country charts with all sorts of duets with the genre’s musical stars, to the recent “Yellowstone” episodes, get your country on at a property that was homesteaded back in 1885. These western dance nights bring in people from all over Eagle County and the surrounding region.
The price for admission is $20 and kids under 15 years old are $10. Tickets are sold at the door and there will be a cash bar and food for sale if you want to get some dinner. For more information about 4 Eagle Ranch and the event, go to .
