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Have a hot time this weekend.
This weekend, June 5 and 6, the Snowmass Chili Pepper & Brew Fest celebrates its sixth anniversary as a union of two longtime and popular festivals. Now bigger than ever, the event opens the Snowmass summer festival season with a blast when the gates at Fanny Hill open at 2 p.m., Friday
The chili competition and tasting has moved back to the Snowmass Mall, but the beer sampling remains on Fanny Hill where the festival-goers will drink and eat in anticipation of the Leftover Salmon concert with Karl Denson at 7 p.m. on opening day. This popular Colorado band formed 20 years ago in Boulder and is the originator of “Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass” genre, a style that blends blues, bluegrass, Cajun/Zydeco, country, jazz and rock.
The whole weekend will rock with music starting each day with a DJ on Fanny Hill at 2 p.m. followed on Friday by Boulder Acoustic Society, a.k.a. B.A.S., on the Mall stage at 5 p.m. Saturday’s rockin’ offerings begin with Emith Band at 3 p.m. and Particle with Michael Kang at 5 p.m. followed by headliner moe., which will have the fans yelling for mo’, mo’, mo’.
Like Salmon, moe. has been around for 20 years playing progressive rock around the globe after its beginnings as a local bar band in Buffalo, N.Y. The band is known for its two guitar virtuosos, Al Schnier and Chuck Garvey, who were dubbed by Rolling Stone magazine among the top 20 new “guitar gods.”
Hop-heads will enjoy sampling seasonal brews on Friday and the Grand Beer Sampling on Saturday, which includes European and exotic beers alongside homebrews and microbrews featuring over 50 breweries.
The International Chili Society holds two official competitions along with the tastings during the weekend where the festival-goers get a chance to participate by voting for the non-ICS People’s Choice award. For the chili cooks, this is a chance to win a spot in the 2009 World’s Chili & Salsa Championship which is held in Las Vegas.
For chili-lovers, this is a chance to experience a wide variety of red and green chilis and salsas made from secret recipes. These spicy stews use a variety of chili peppers and can be mild and spicy to fiery hot.
In addition to the chili that each competitor makes for ICS judging, the cooks are also required to make an additional two gallons of chili for the festival-goers to judge in the People’s Choice contest.
It may seem like a lot, but two gallons disappears fast when thousands descend upon the tasting booths. For those who come too late, there is still lots of chili made by the town to spicy up the tongue after wetting the whistle with beer.
The brew offerings are incredible this year. Taste ales, beers, ciders, lagers, honeywines and porters by microbrewers with names such as Skinny Dip, Easy Street, Jack Whacker, Independence Pass and Karma. In addition to nearly 100 beers, the festival has added a Champion Tasting Pass for an extra $20 to taste six fruit vodkas by Skyy and four Cabo tequilas.
There are many types of tickets available and the best way to decide and purchase tickets is through the festival’s Web site at www.snowmasschiliandbrew.com. Or, buy tickets locally at The Daly Bottle Shop and Sundance Drug and Liquor. They can also be purchased at the Wheeler Opera House and at Glenwood Music.
In general, tickets for the concerts only for all ages are $20 on Friday and $25 on Saturday. Party Passes which include chili and brew tastings are $30 on Friday and $35 on Saturday. The best bet is two-day concert tickets for $35 and Party Passes for $50. The Party Passes are only sold to those 21 and over.
This is a rain or shine event and hopefully the early monsoon rains will have vanished by Friday. Don’t get caught drinking and driving, use RFTA and Snowmass Village Shuttles to get to and from the venue.
Ann Larson’s e-mail address is alarsonco@earthlink.net
The chili competition and tasting has moved back to the Snowmass Mall, but the beer sampling remains on Fanny Hill where the festival-goers will drink and eat in anticipation of the Leftover Salmon concert with Karl Denson at 7 p.m. on opening day. This popular Colorado band formed 20 years ago in Boulder and is the originator of “Polyethnic Cajun Slamgrass” genre, a style that blends blues, bluegrass, Cajun/Zydeco, country, jazz and rock.
The whole weekend will rock with music starting each day with a DJ on Fanny Hill at 2 p.m. followed on Friday by Boulder Acoustic Society, a.k.a. B.A.S., on the Mall stage at 5 p.m. Saturday’s rockin’ offerings begin with Emith Band at 3 p.m. and Particle with Michael Kang at 5 p.m. followed by headliner moe., which will have the fans yelling for mo’, mo’, mo’.
Like Salmon, moe. has been around for 20 years playing progressive rock around the globe after its beginnings as a local bar band in Buffalo, N.Y. The band is known for its two guitar virtuosos, Al Schnier and Chuck Garvey, who were dubbed by Rolling Stone magazine among the top 20 new “guitar gods.”
Hop-heads will enjoy sampling seasonal brews on Friday and the Grand Beer Sampling on Saturday, which includes European and exotic beers alongside homebrews and microbrews featuring over 50 breweries.
The International Chili Society holds two official competitions along with the tastings during the weekend where the festival-goers get a chance to participate by voting for the non-ICS People’s Choice award. For the chili cooks, this is a chance to win a spot in the 2009 World’s Chili & Salsa Championship which is held in Las Vegas.
For chili-lovers, this is a chance to experience a wide variety of red and green chilis and salsas made from secret recipes. These spicy stews use a variety of chili peppers and can be mild and spicy to fiery hot.
In addition to the chili that each competitor makes for ICS judging, the cooks are also required to make an additional two gallons of chili for the festival-goers to judge in the People’s Choice contest.
It may seem like a lot, but two gallons disappears fast when thousands descend upon the tasting booths. For those who come too late, there is still lots of chili made by the town to spicy up the tongue after wetting the whistle with beer.
The brew offerings are incredible this year. Taste ales, beers, ciders, lagers, honeywines and porters by microbrewers with names such as Skinny Dip, Easy Street, Jack Whacker, Independence Pass and Karma. In addition to nearly 100 beers, the festival has added a Champion Tasting Pass for an extra $20 to taste six fruit vodkas by Skyy and four Cabo tequilas.
There are many types of tickets available and the best way to decide and purchase tickets is through the festival’s Web site at www.snowmasschiliandbrew.com. Or, buy tickets locally at The Daly Bottle Shop and Sundance Drug and Liquor. They can also be purchased at the Wheeler Opera House and at Glenwood Music.
In general, tickets for the concerts only for all ages are $20 on Friday and $25 on Saturday. Party Passes which include chili and brew tastings are $30 on Friday and $35 on Saturday. The best bet is two-day concert tickets for $35 and Party Passes for $50. The Party Passes are only sold to those 21 and over.
This is a rain or shine event and hopefully the early monsoon rains will have vanished by Friday. Don’t get caught drinking and driving, use RFTA and Snowmass Village Shuttles to get to and from the venue.
Ann Larson’s e-mail address is alarsonco@earthlink.net
