Winter Skol Aspen

Blue text on an illustration of a mug of beer on a white background

Wintersköl is an annual winter festival that has been held in Aspen, Colorado since 1951. Wintersköl was originally created by Jack DePagter, a local Aspen bartender and lodge owner, to attract tourists to the area during Aspen’s slow post-holiday season. Celebrating Aspen’s unique Nordic lifestyle, Wintersköl takes place over a four-day period in January. Early Wintersköl festivals were pretty wild, with costumed skiers, rooftop pool diving, and snowmobile drag races down Aspen’s main street. The festival has morphed into a popular, family-friendly event that includes mountain bike races, live music, theater, comedy shows, fireworks, and even a canine fashion show.