Aspen Jazz Festival - The Ultimate JAS Event Guide
Aspen, Colorado is home to the most prestigious Labor Day experience in the country: the Aspen Jazz Festival. Under the Elk Mountain Range, world-class acts like Jade Jackson, James, Bay, Billy Idol, The Foo Fighters, Grace Potter, and The Lumineers take over Snowmass for an epic concert weekend.
What is Aspen Jazz Festival?
Aspen Jazz Fest, also called JAS (Jazz Aspen Snowmass) is an annual 3 day concert series that happens every Labor Day weekend. The mission of JAS is to present, preserve, and appreciate different forms of jazz music through events, education programs, and performances. Every year, the event takes place outdoors at Snowmass Town Park against the backdrop of the Elk Mountain Range. In addition to the star-studded concert lineup, JAS Aspen also puts on musical education events, such as JAS Café artist talks, where performers discuss the history of the music they perform.
Jazz Fest Aspen is a one-of-a-kind outdoor concert experience. Tickets and accommodations can go fast, so be sure to start planning this year’s jazz experience early. Aspen Luxury Concierge is the premier concierge service in the Roaring Fork Valley, who specializes in providing luxury experiences during Aspen music festival season. Read on to learn how ALC can help with your JAS experience.
What Are the Best Aspen Jazz Festival Performances & Events?
In addition to the headliner performances, there are a few different types of events that happen during JAS. While most visitors prioritize the headliner acts, the ALC team recommends that visitors try to catch smaller events as well for a well-rounded JAS experience.
Headliner Performances
Every year, JAS has a star-studded line up with a wide range of well-known musicians who play a variety of different jazz compositions. Past and present headliners include:
Jade Jackson
James Bay
Grace Potter
The Lumineers
Billy Idol
Brothers Osborne
Old Dominion
Foo Fighters
The headliners typically start their set around 11pm or 12am and the party continues until the early hours of the morning. When you get tickets for the JAS mainstage, expect to dance until dawn!
Every year, tickets for the headliners at the Aspen Jazz Festival sell out extremely fast. Sometimes, general admission 3-day pass tickets sell out several months before the event and VIP tickets become a hot commodity. This is where Aspen Luxury Concierge comes in. Our team specializes at securing tickets to exclusive events in Aspen, whether for JAS or any other Aspen music festival. As a full service concierge, we go far beyond just booking tickets. Your concierge can also book your luxury accommodations, make restaurant reservations, arrange private transportation to and around Aspen, recommend daily activities around Snowmass, and take care of any odds and ends that you may need.
Contact Aspen Luxury Concierge to begin planning your Aspen Jazz Festival experience!
Free Outdoor Concerts
If you can’t get enough live music, there are many more performances happening over Labor Day weekend. A long-standing summer tradition is the Snowmass Free Concert Series. Every Thursday evening, from mid-June through the end of August, local and national bands perform at Fanny Hill. These concerts are completely free to attend and attendees are encouraged to pack an Aspen picnic or get takeout from one of the best restaurants in Aspen to enjoy during the concert.
Compared to the JAS mainstage, the free concerts feature a wider range of musical genres. You can expect to hear everything from traditional jazz music to rock, funk, bluegrass, chicha, zydeco, and bayou Americana music.
These free concerts are extremely popular, so parking and picnic spots can be hard to get. ALC has a few tips for navigating this event and getting a good spot:
Arrive Early
Concerts start at 6:30, so attendees start arriving as early as 5:30. If necessary, your concierge can help reserve a good spot for your party. ALC also recommends that visitors check out some of the nearby pre-game options. The Stew Pot, Limelight, and Venga Venga all offer pre-concert dining and drinks on their patios.
Avoid Parking if Possible
The Base Village parking garage has limited parking for the event, but it usually fills up very fast. ALC recommends having your concierge arrange for a private car to drop your party off at the concert venue and pick you up after. This allows your party to enjoy themselves without having to worry about how to get home.
Dress for the Occasion
The Roaring Fork Valley normally has beautiful, moderate weather during the summer months, ideal for the Aspen Jazz Festival. However, it can get a little chilly once the sun goes down. ALC recommends that concert attendees bring extra layers and an emergency umbrella. If you forgot to pack a jacket for your Aspen adventure, you have many choices for great shopping in Aspen. Perhaps you’ll discover your new signature style while shopping for a new jacket.
The June Experience - After-Hours Jazz & Jam Sessions
Leading up to Labor Day weekend and the headliner performances is what locals call the June Experience. Built into Jazz Fest Aspen are educational programs that bring talented, young musicians to Aspen to learn and perform. Starting in early June and running through August, these music students perform all over Aspen in small, intimate venues.
Nearly every night you can catch after-hours jazz performances and student jam sessions at the Wheeler Opera House, the Aspen Art Museum, The Gant, Limelight, The Sterling, Hotel Jerome, Bon Bon, Belly Up, and more. Some events are free to attend, while others require pre-purchased tickets. Contact Aspen Luxury Concierge to get tickets for your desired music festival events.
Classes, Workshops, and JAS Café
For the duration of festival season in Aspen, visitors have the opportunity to attend classes, lectures, and masterclasses on different topics related to art and music. Some events are free, while others require advanced tickets.
One big draw of the Aspen Jazz Fest are the JAS Café events. At 7pm and 9:15pm, musical artists perform intimate concerts while attendees enjoy gourmet candle lit dinners. Before the 7pm performance is the Pre-Concert Listen Up Artist Interviews where musical artists take audience questions, discuss their personal histories with music, and shed light on the evolution of the jazz musical genre.
Aspen Luxury Concierge Accommodations for Aspen Jazz Festival
There are so many things to do in Aspen in the summer. From outdoor adventures to the Aspen Music Festival for classical music, visitors flock to Aspen during the summer months. This means that hotels and vacation rentals can book up very quickly. No one wants to commute into Aspen every time they want to shop, try a new restaurant, or see a show. This is where Aspen Luxury Concierge comes in. Our team helps manage vacation rentals all over Aspen; we also have relationships with all the major luxury hotels in the area, so we are experts at matching visitors with accommodations that meet all their needs.
Generally, the ALC team recommends either a hotel or a vacation rental for your Aspen experience. Depending on the size of your party, the events you want to attend, your budget, and your desired amenities, your concierge will suggest a certain hotel or vacation rental home.
Benefits of Staying at a Hotel during the Aspen Jazz Festival:
Most hotels are located close to the center of Aspen, so you will be within walking distance of stores, restaurants, clubs, and other activities.
Hotels often offer special deals and packages for visitors who are in town for music festivals. (Ask your concierge about the best hotel festival packages).
If you are a solo traveler, staying in a hotel offers a more social experience. You may meet people with similar interests at your hotel and find a buddy to explore Aspen with.
Some hotels have complimentary shuttle services that may run to and from certain music events, including the Aspen Jazz Festival.
Benefits of Staying at a Luxury Vacation Rental
Luxury vacation rentals offer more privacy because you have the entire home, condo, or villa to yourself.
They are better for large groups, families, and parties who are traveling together. In a vacation rental, everyone can stay together in the same home and share common areas.
Some luxury vacation rentals come with amenities and services, such as private chefs, private pools, personal spa areas, courts or sporting areas, home theaters, large professional-level kitchens, or ergonomic beds.
You get better service in a luxury vacation rental because some rentals come with concierge services.
Vacation rentals are often farther away from the center of town, so they are quieter and more peaceful.
For more information about available vacation rentals, jazz fest Aspen special deals, and planning your trip, contact Aspen Luxury Concierge.
Experience JAS With ALC!
Come to Aspen for the biggest and best Labor Day party! Aspen Jazz Festival is the premier music festival in the US and it takes place in the most beautiful venue. Whether you’re only coming to see your favorite band headline or you’re here to soak up the jazz atmosphere, ALC can make your trip effortless. Contact Aspen Luxury Concierge today to start planning your Aspen Labor Day experience!
BY: RACHEL NAIDUS
Rachel is the Principal & Founder of Aspen Luxury Concierge. For over a decade, she has cut her teeth in the luxury hospitality services business. Since 2019, she has led ALC’s premier staff in creating luxury, effortless experiences for its clients. With her ever growing network of partners, vendors, and clientele, Rachel leads the pack in providing expert services to Aspen luxury travelers and locals.