Vail Colorado is always a great place to be for the Fourth of July celebration.  This year’s festivities get going early with the legendary Vail Lacrosse Shootout ramping up and culminating with the finals Monday.

Friday features street entertainment, Family Friday Afternoon Club and opening nite for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra performing at 6 pm in the Ford Amphitheatre.

Saturday the 3d features the Vail Hill Climb starting at 8:00am in the heart of Vail Village and ends 7.5 miles later at the summit of Vail Mountain at an altitude of 11,250 ft.  It’s a real gut buster and not for the faint of heart.  On a much more relaxed front Minturn and Edwards will be hosting a farmers market for 9am to 2ish. 

The main event on Saturday will be the fireworks display held in Avon.  This event is the largest display of fireworks in the State.  There will be live musice and lots of vendors in Nottingham Park starting around 5:30pm.  This is a major event so plan on getting there early.  If large crowds are not your thing, the Dallas Symphony will be performing at Ford Park in Vail starting at 6pm.

Sunday the 4th, my favorite day of the weekend, brings one of the most eclectic parades in the USA which gets going around 10am.  People from all over the country come here year after year just for the 4^th of July parade.  Following the parade there will be lots of people watching, socializing, farmers market and art show, a free Patriotic Concert at 2pm and lots of street entertainers.  The day caps off with the fireworks show at approx 9:45pm.  If you are in Beaver Creek they will also have a fireworks display with entertainment starting at 5pm.

Don’t forget to bring your bikes (you can also rent) to take advantage of the bike paths and mountain biking on the “hill”.  The weather will be great for hiking.   The white water rafting will be awesome, the fishing is getting really good and lots of exciting Lacrosse continues all weekend and the weather will be great for picnicking and hiking.

This is a great weekend to all ages to spend in Vail.  If you spend the holiday here and you don’t have a great time, shame on you!  So, what are you waiting for??

The weekend continues on Sunday with Lacrosse, street entertainers, the La Sportiva Vail Hill Climb, a Farmers market, street entertainment, an ice skating show, and another performance by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

If you and your family like the outdoors, Vail is the place for you and your family over the 4^th of July.  Aside from the activities listed above, there is mountain biking, hiking, white water rafting, gold metal fishing, golf, great dining and great shopping.  So, what are you waiting for?

The Ford Amphitheater is hosting Vail’s annual 4th of July celebration, “A Salute to Freedom”, with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Tickets go on sale Thursday at 8am and cost $15 for wonderful pavilion seats. General admission lawn seats are free. The concert begins at 2pm on July 4th.

You can always get an opinion on the economy from a Realtor, and this year we are starting to see a lot more smiles from our bretheren. Today the Vail Daily came out with an article that supports what the real estate community is starting to see: more customers. We have all been suffering with lack of interest in real estate sales for the past two years, and now the Daily has revealed that summer tourists are coming back. To me, that means more people looking at real estate than we have seen in a while.

Some of the backup to this assumption is coming from the Eagle Airport where reservations for July have increased by 11% from last summer, and there is already a 7% increase in August reservations. Interestingly enough is that the direct flight from Dallas is already 35% booked for the summer, and from Miami, seats are 45% booked. The Vail Valley Partnership thinks that this summer’s events are showing some signs of across the board improvement. Typical of this is the Yo Yo Ma concert coming before the Fourth of July, and then there is the King of the Mountain Volleyball tourney and upcoming Bravo events starting over the Fourth.

Tony O’Rourke, CEO of Beaver Creek, says that the next step is loosen the purse strings so that people are willing to spend more than in the past two years. “Everyone is still looking for a deal on their lodging rates” he says. We in the real estate business see this as the next step before the housing market picks back up again. Here at Gateway Land, we have seen a very positive increase in phone calls and showings in the past several months. As the main part of the summer approaches, we expect to see more offers coming in for inventory which has to date been sitting around dormant. Please call us soon, as we anticipate the usual rise in prices as inventory is bought up. Call Judd Babcock on his cell at 970-376-3230 to get a picture of what the ‘hot property list ‘ looks like this summer.

Bud Light is proud once again to sponsor local favorite:  Hot Summer Nights!!  Be sure to visit Ford Amphitheater this summer on Tuesday nights to see great live music and to see everyone in town!!  This is THE place to “see and be seen”!  Free music, great views and fun people, all in a stunning outdoor setting here in the Vail Valley.

Click Here For the Vail Valley Foundation’s Official Hot Summer Night Website!

Here is the summer 2010 line up (shows start at 6:30pm):

Soulive: 6/15
The Aggrolites: 6/22
The Killdares: 6/29
Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights: 7/6
Hoots & Hellmouth: 7/13
Laura Reed & Deep Pocket: 7/20
Break EFX: 8/10  (Hot Summer Nights of Dance)
Toad the Wet Sprocket: 8/17
Message in a Bottle: The Police Tribute: 8/24

If you’ve never to been to a Hot Summer Nights’ show, you’ve been missing out; go solo, go as a couple, or bring the kids, just be sure to check it out.  To learn more about all the fun activities here in the Vail Valley, please call or email anytime.

Sometimes it is almost impossible to remember all the entertainment and activities the Vail Valley has to offer. This blog will give you an up to date look at upcoming events which you should not miss. This time of year there are so many opportunities to see the very best there is in the country, starting with the Opening NIght of the Vail International Dance Festival tonight at the Ford Amphitheater at 6:30 pm. The opening event is Savion Glover who is considered the world’s greatest tap dancer. He will perform again on Tuesday. In addition, the Vail Valley Foundation will present Edward Villella with the Miama City Ballet starting August 3, and finally Wendy Whelan on August 6.

Meanwhile, the Bravo Festival continues with another performance by New York Philharmonic Orchestra, also at the Ford Amphitheater. If you go, enjoy the outdoor beauty of Vail by sitting on the grass and enjoying a nice bottle of Chardonnay wine. Not to be outdone, Beaver Creek ofers Peter Frampton at the Vilar Center for Performing Arts on Wednesday, Aug. 12 followed by Michael Bolton on Aug. 20 and then Rick Springfield on August 29. The lineup can’t get any better than that.

However, if you just want to kick back and play like a cowboy/girl, you can head west to Eagle where the annual fair and rodeo gones on thru Saturday, Aug. 1. Wild horse riders, bull riders, calf roping and all the other exciting events in a rodeo all come together at night. Jump on your mountain bike and take a few hours to explore the mountain trails outside of Gypsum and Eagle. There are plenty of rides even for the novice rider.

Finally, to cap off another weekend, enjoy the 22nd Annual Beaver Creek Arts Festival that will be opening on Aug. 1 and 2. Over 150 artists and contemporary crafters will be there along with culinary demonstrations and food and drink. It is totally free to the public and there is plenty of parking in the summer. Another great  place to take a hike up to the serene and beautiful Beaver Lake. There are plenty of restaurants in Beaver Creek to enjoy if you dont fill up at the festival and just about all of them are offering specials from 20 to 50% off the menu.

Whenever there are events to enjoy, call me, Judd Babcock at Gateway Land – 970-926-6777, and I will try to help you.

Its summer time in the Vail Valley and that means the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival is back!  Commencing tonight, July 1st, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra will kick off the 2009 season at the Ford Park Amphitheater at 6pm.  Everyone that frequents Vail in the summer knows that these outdoor concerts are not to be missed.  Amazing scenery, world class music, and lots of people enjoying themselves with great food and drink.

This is the 22nd season of BRAVO! Vail and looks like it will again be fun for the whole family.  Click here for this summer’s BRAVO! VAIL schedule!  Sit on the lawn or under the shell, just be sure to bring a smile and your appreciation of music!

And Vail has much more to offer as well.

Click Here for the Town of Vail’s Website!

Just visit Vail Resorts’ website by clicking here to view lots of summer activities!

And here are just a few suggestions on what to do when you’re here:
-Take the gondola (or ride your bike for the athletic types) to the top of Vail Mountain
-Visit the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens
-Fly fish Gore Creek (go solo or hire a guide)
-Hike the East Vail trails (Booth Lake, Gore Creek Trail & Pitkin Creek to name favorites)
-Bike up (or drive ) to Vail Pass to access Shrine Pass for Huge views
-Learn to kayak or go rafting
-Play golf at the Vail Golf Club

Call or email me anytime for the scoop on what to do here in Vail!

Always a great place to be for the Fourth of July celebration, this year will be no different.  This year’s festivities get going on Thursday the 2d with the legendary Vail Lacrosse Shootout ramping up and culminating with the finals of Sunday.

Friday features street entertainment, Family Friday Afternoon Club and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra performing at 6 pm in the Ford Amphitheatre.

Saturday the 4^th brings one of the most eclectic parades in the USA.  People from all over the country come here year after year just for the 4^th of July parade.  Following the parade there will be lots of people watching and street entertainers.  The day caps off with the fireworks show at approx 9:45pm.

The weekend continues on Sunday with Lacrosse, street entertainers, the La Sportiva Vail Hill Climb, a Farmers market, street entertainment, an ice skating show, and another performance by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra.

If you and your family like the outdoors, Vail is the place for you and your family over the 4^th of July.  Aside from the activities listed above, there is mountain biking, hiking, white water rafting, gold metal fishing, golf, great dining and great shopping.  So, what are you waiting for?

Click here for information on Summer Vail.

One of the reasons that living in the Vail Valley is so wonderful is all the summer activities available to our visitors and residents alike. I write this blog just to touch on some of the great fun you can have in the Rocky Mountains if you just knew how to plan for it.

Certainly one of the first events people want to ask about are the many outdoor music festivals. Starting in Vail are the Bravo concerts held mostly at the Ford Amphitheater. There will be three orchestras playing this summer starting with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Not to be missed is the free concert on the Fourth of July celebrating our rich heritage of patriotic songs. They will be followed by the Philadelphia Orchestra in mid July and then the month ends with concerts from the New York Phiharmonic. Can you imagine any town with that much class and entertainment? That is not all in Vail, however, August is the month of the International Festival of Dance, also held at the Ford Theater. Dancers from all over the world make their appearance at this incredible display of dances.

Being in Vail allows one to visit all the outdoor music festivals around the state. My favorite is the Telluride Bluegrass Festival the weekend of June 18 -21. Some of the featured artists include Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, David Byrne and the Yonder Mountain String Band. The Breckenridge Music Festival is June 23 to August 23 spread over several weekends. Also in June is the Palisades Bluegrass Roots Festival on June 12 to 14. That one will host Cadillac Sky, the Kruger Brothers and the April Verch Band.  Copper Mountain has a smaller event over Labor Day weekend called the Copper Country Fest. But the most exciting music festival of the year has to be the Snowmass Music Festival over Labor Day weekend, but you had better get your tickets now because it does sell out.

No mention of music should ever neglect the Red Rocks natural amphitheater in Morrison, usually not more than an hour and a half from Vail. Phish will be playing there for four days on July 30 to August 2. Get your tickets soon! Aerosmith and ZZTop will follow up in Denver the next weekend at Fiddlers Green. Later in the summer Kings of Leon and Stephen Marley will be entertaining at Red Rocks. And the list goes on.

For the adventurous types, get into the mountains with the Colorado Fourteener Adventure Package. It is offered at Beaver Creek Hiking Center. The offer a  guided hike up one of Colorado’s 54 14,000 foot mountain peaks, an option of rafting down the Arkansas River, or exploring an historic mining town. Vail also is home to several raft guide companies: Lakota, Novus, etc. for anyone who wants to get on the water and enjoy some of fastest rapids in the West. On your own you can rent a mountain bike and ride some challenging single track trails all over Vail mountain, or you can put your bike on the gondola and jump on when you get to the top to ride the Grand Traverse. There is also road biking on the designated bike trails or fishing in the Eagle River, or rent an ATV and ride up to the Continental Divide.

Finally, without going into detail the Vail Valley is proud of its 15 golf courses, most of which are open to the public. But that is a subject for another day. Call me to get the lowdown on the best courses in the valley or if you want to buy a nice home on any fairway, there are plenty to be had.

Vail’s Summer Free Hot Summer Night Concerts is another reason to visit or live in the Vail Valley!

Enjoying Vail's Hot Summer Night Concert