Honor the God of Snow
Breckenridge hosts Ullr Fest through Friday, paying homage to the Norse God of Snow. Named among the top U.S. small-town festivals by Ski magazine, the festival includes a Ullr Bonfire, the Ullr Fest Parade on Main Street and the “Ullrympics,” featuring ski races and other competitive events. For information, visit gobreck.com.
Telluride SnowFest
The second-annual Telluride Winter SnowFest is Friday-Jan. 16. Events include the CoolSculpt snow-sculpting contest, tubing at the Thrill Hill 3-7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, fireworks, a snowmobile stunt show and the SnowFest Snowshoe Scramble. For information on the snow-sculpting contest, visit coolsculpt.com or e-mail Andy Krueger at andy@coolsculpt.com. For information on the SnowFest Snowshoe Scramble, visittellurideskiresort.com or call 970-728-7400. For lodging packages, call 866-630-3250 and mention “Winter SnowFest.”
Grand Lake festival
The 2006 Grand Lake Snowshoe Festival benefiting the National MS Society, Colorado Chapter, is Friday-Jan. 16 in Grand Lake. There will be 5K and 10K races Saturday, free Geocaching events, a GPS seminar, celebrity races, snowshoe workshops, and a moonlight snowshoe tour through Rocky Mountain National Park at 7 p.m. Jan. 15. Late registration for the 5K, 10K, and Geocaching event is 4-8 p.m. Friday. Wendy Woo will perform at Poncho and Lefty’s at 9 p.m. Friday. For info, visit grandlakesnowshoefestival.com.
Wine festival in Taos
Taos hosts its 20th Annual Winter Wine Festival Jan. 18-29. Enjoy days of wine and food events throughout Taos Ski Valley and the town of Taos. Seminars include blind tastings, wines from Oregon, a tasting discussion on Napa Cabernets, the Rhone Zone, the World of Pinot Noir, Riedel Glass Comparative Tasting, and Wines of Northern Italy and Burgundy. There are also featured Grand Tastings, a Great Chefs of Taos Wine Dinner and various winemaker dinners. Visit skitaos.org/WINE_FESTIVAL or order tickets by phone at 505-776-2291, ext.1427.
Tips for cheap travel
Author Ron Stern will discuss money-savvy travel tips at the free “Lunch and Learn: Fly, Stay and Travel Cheap” series at noon Tuesday at Philip S. Miller Library, 100 S. Wilcox St., Castle Rock. For information, call 303-688-7700.
Betty Fest, better you
Keystone’s Betty Fest, a two-day event with extensive on-hill training, video analysis, yoga and discussions about nutrition, women’s specific concerns and equipment, will be Jan. 21-22 and Feb. 11-12. One-day camps are also available. For information, call 800-468-5004 or visit keystoneresort.com.
Fielder photo workshops
Nature photographer John Fielder is holding Photography Workshops in 2006, beginning with a Steamboat Springs winter workshop on snowshoes, Jan. 21-22; Gunnison River rafting and camping, May 18-21; Crested Butte wildflowers, July 6-7 or 8-9; and Telluride fall colors on Oct. 7-9. Appropriate for practiced beginner and intermediate level photographers, the workshops include one-on-one instruction from John Fielder, most meals and an autographed book. With limited enrollment of 16 participants, the workshop programs consist of slide-based lectures, field shoots and next-day critique sessions. Tuition ranges from $695 per person for Crested Butte to $750 per person for Steamboat Springs to $1,095 per person for Telluride and $1,395 per person for Gunnison River. Call Denise Robert at 303-368-5208 or visit johnfielder.com.
Jackson Hole carnival
Jackson Hole Winter Carnival 2006 will be Jan. 26-29. Events include the 11th Pedigree International Stage Stop Sled Dog Race, outdoor athletic competitions, winter wildlife excursions, films presented by the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival and a concert. Activities will be held at the national Museum of Wildlife Art, the Jackson Town Square, Off Square Theater Company, Snow King Resort, Teton Pines, Spring Creek Ranch, the Jackson Hole Mountain Resort and the Grand Teton Music Festival’s Walk Festival Hall. For information, call 303-733-3025 or visit jacksonholewintercarnival.com.
