Upcoming events to add to your bucket list, from weird to wonderland
By Malena Larsen
Editor’s Note: We don’t have an events roundup this week. Our weekly recommendations will return next Wednesday. In the meantime, add these festivals to your winter plans.
Temperatures are plummeting, the mountains have put on their sparkling caps, and main streets all over the state are lined with festive lights. No matter how you take your holiday coffee, there are plenty of ways to enjoy Colorado’s winter wonderland. Between January and April, from the Front Range to the San Juans, you’ll find everything from extreme sports to the extremely weird.
Winter X Games in Aspen
Jan. 23-25
The Winter X Games have been held at Buttermilk Mountain in Aspen Snowmass since 2002. This annual event showcases some of the world’s top action and sports athletes. See skiers and snowboarders take on SuperPipe, Slopestyle, Big Air, Knuckle Huck, and Street Style events. Plus, there’s more than extreme sports, there’s live music every night of the event.
Ouray Ice Festival
Jan. 23-26
People from all over the world come to Ouray to celebrate all-things ice climbing. You can participate in climbing clinics led by elite athletes, demo gear, and watch the mixed climbing competition. 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the event.
“There are world renowned climbers that come to teach clinics,” shares Peter O’Neil, Ouray Ice Park executive director. “If you’re a beginner, you can sign up for a clinic; the gear is provided. The event is extremely accessible. And the competition, of course, is spectacular to watch.”
The fun doesn’t end once the sun goes down. At night, the festival moves from the Ice Park to downtown Ouray, where you’ll find presentations and films by climbers. Plus, on Saturday night, there’s a dance party.
The Ouray Ice Festival isn’t the only action that the town’s Ice Park sees. The park is open 100 days out of the year and is free to the public for climbing. According to An Economic Impact Study for the 2021-2022 Season by Dr. Shawn M. Rohlin, the park contributes 17.8 million dollars to the local economy.
“The ice park is to Ouray as the ski hill is to Telluride,” explains O’Neil. “Thirty years ago you could sled down mainstreet—there was no one in town.”
UllrGrass in Golden
Jan. 31-Feb. 2
UllrGrass is a winter festival named after the Norse god of winter, Ullr, renowned as the patron god of winter, skiing, archery, and hunting. The festival embodies the spirit of community, as highlighted by UllrGrass co-founder Susannah Thompson: "The only way this event can happen is with the support of our incredible Golden community. It takes a village to throw a festival with more than 100 volunteers and 50-plus local businesses working together to pull it off."
This event includes two of a classic Coloradan's favorite things: live music and craft beer—the event features over 40 local craft breweries! If you’re looking for family fun, there’s an egg hunt, crafts, and games on Sunday, February 2nd.
International Snow Sculpture Championships in Breckenridge
Jan. 20-29
This event is broken up into two parts: Jan. 20 to 24, when artists hand-carve 25-ton snow blocks into works of art. Then, from Jan. 24 to 29 these sculptures will be on display for public viewing.
Artists come from all around the world to compete for Gold, Silver, Bronze, the Artist’s Choice Award, and the People’s Choice Award.
While the event is free, timed entry reservations are required for Saturday, Jan. 25, the busiest day of the event, so plan accordingly!
Steamboat Winter Carnival
Feb. 5-9
The Steamboat Winter Carnival has been a tradition for over a century. One of the most notable events from the carnival is “The Lighted Man.” This is where a skier is illuminated by lights and glides down the mountainside. The horse-drawn skier parade is another tradition, showcasing colorful floats, costumed riders, and, of course, skiers being pulled by horses. Beyond these creative events, visitors can enjoy classic winter activities like ice skating, snowshoeing and live music.
Don’t forget your Winter Carnival Button! Not only is it required to access Winter Carnival Events and allows you to ride the Howelsen Hill Ski Lift, but it has a deeper meaning from the past. In the early years of the carnival, the punishment for forgetting your button was pushing a peanut down Lincoln Avenue with your nose. Sure, you won’t have to do that today, but you don’t want to miss out on the events or the tradition.
Frozen Dead Guy Days in Estes Park
March 14-16
This may be one of Colorado’s quirkiest events. Frozen Dead Guy Days was founded in 2002 in Nederland and was moved to Estes Park in 2023. Cryonics, an international journey, and a handful of legal mix-ups are at the root of this festival.
In 1989, a Norwegian man named Bredo Morstoel was cryogenically frozen after his death. His family brought his body to the United States with the hope of reviving him in the future. After several years and a series of unfortunate events, Bredo ended up in a “makeshift cryonics facility” in a shack behind a family member’s house in Nederland.
Not only did Bredo’s presence impact the media, it also impacted Section 7-34 of the city’s Municipal Code, “Keeping of Bodies.” This outlawed the keeping of “the whole of any part of the person, body or carcass of a human being or animal or other biological species which is not alive upon any property.” However, because of the publicity around Bredo’s presence, they made an exception for him.
In 2023, Bredo was moved to Estes Park along with the event. He now resides at the Stanley Hotel’s old ice house where he is submerged in liquid nitrogen.
“Frozen Dead Guy Days is three days of fun happenings around Estes Park, anchored by the infamous festival,” shares Rachel Oppermann, marketing director for Visit Estes Park. “Many elements of the event benefit local organizations like the Estes Park High School Band and the Estes Non-Profit Network.”
At the festival, attendees can partake in a variety of activities from the iconic coffin races, a polar plunge, and a frostbite fashion show. There’s also live music and an array of food options.
“A lot of attendees dress up and there are stilt and fire performers walking through the crowds,” Oppermann says. “The coffin races are a spectacle with the costumed teams having a blast as they run around the course. This year, there will be a Crawl to the Ball the night before the festival that will take people on a bar crawl through Estes and end at The Royal Blue Ball, which is an incredibly fun dance and costume party.”
Leadville Ski Joring
March 1-2
This ski joring competition has been happening annually in the highest city in the United States for 75 years. Ski joring is a winter sport where a horse-rider team pulls a skier through a challenging course, racing against the clock and each other to navigate gates, jumps, and rings with the fastest time and fewest penalties.
In 1949, Tom Schroeder and "Mugs" Ossman were on a mission to find an activity to add to the upcoming festival. For inspiration, they headed to the Steamboat Winter Carnival (hopefully with their Winter Carnival Buttons!). This is where they first discovered ski joring and decided to bring it to Leadville.
Leadville Ski Joring kicks off each day at noon. This is a fun family event, just be sure to leave your four-legged friends at home.
Climbing, cryogenics, sculptures, and skiing—there’s never a dull moment during a Colorado winter. Grab your boots, bundle up, and choose your adventure. Just remember to drive safely, have fun, and never freeze your Grandpa in the shed behind your house.