Denver, CO – Folks have already been skiing and riding in Colorado thus far this season at Arapahoe Basin, Loveland and Wolf Creek, so with snow flying, snow guns roaring and chairlifts opening, it’s time for the 22nd annual Colorado Ski and Snowboard Expo, a three-day bonanza of shopping, beer tasting, resort information gathering and family activities in Denver.
The Expo opens Friday, Nov. 8 at noon and continues through Sunday, Nov. 10 in Hall A of the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver.
This annual sale is the last chance for skiers and riders to make their pre-season gear purchases at deeply discounted prices. The six Colorado Ski & Golf, Boulder Ski Deals, and Colorado Ski & Sports shops across the Front Range combine their inventory from last season and pack their 20,000 square feet of shopping space with just about every kind of gear, apparel and accessories for winter fun. In addition to skis, snowboards, boots, bindings, poles and helmets, there will be literally tons of jackets, base layers, fleece tops, outerwear and essential accessories such as hats, goggles, sunglasses and gloves. And for shoppers looking for a holiday gift for the skier or snowboarder in their life, the diversity of items assures a concentrated and productive shopping experience with prices marked down 40-75 percent on last year’s makes and models. Equipment for the 2013-14 season is also on sale during the Expo at early season discount prices.
And rumor has it that members of the U.S. Ski Team, in Colorado for pre-season training, will be putting in appearances during the weekend inside the Colorado Ski & Golf pavilion.
Besides the shopping bonanza, representatives from Colorado resorts, Ski Utah, and other western and Canadian destinations will have exhibit space with updates and information on new lifts, restaurants, terrain and other improvements at their mountains. This is the place to scout for special offers on everything from lodging, lift tickets, and lessons to discounts on dining and mountain resort activities. In addition to multi-day lift ticket deals, resorts will be selling their season passes at pre-season prices—pretty much for the last time.
Because kids prefer non-retail fun, the Mountain Activity Center presented by Monarch Mountain is back with a full line up of attractions where kids can participate and test their skills. The fast-paced Eliteam Training Center offers a timed obstacle course that measures basic fitness and flexibility skills—and kids love competing against the clock and each other. The Eliteam trainers are also introducing a new quickness and reaction time training machine called FitLight this year that requires kids to react as quickly as possible to the random light flashes. The pro athletes from Gibbon Slackline will showcase some of their top moves and assist at a demo center where kids can try balancing across the wobbly cord. In the MBS Mountainboard Zone, Expo visitors can try doing stunts on the skateboard-like mountainboards. Backflips aren’t allowed but beginners and skilled mountainboarders can take a board for a test ride on the onsite obstacle course.
For first-time, just-thinking-about-it little skiers, the gently sloped Winter Park Kid’s Slope with an artificial surface offers an easy introduction to skiing. Burton’s Riglet Park offers the same kind of easy introduction to snowboarding. A 25-foot Climbing Wall and Keystone’s Kidtopia Play Park with their bouncy castle are two additional play zones where kids can burn some excess energy while working on strength and balance.
Kids and adults are always drawn to the high-flying antics of former Olympian “Fuzz” Feddersen and the Flying Aces with their trick-filled trampoline show. And on Sunday only, every Disney-loving kid in Colorado will want to stop by the Radio Disney booth to play games, win prizes and “live loud.”
Adult refreshments will be on tap at the third annual Rocky Mountain Brew Fest—a mellow beer-tasting event inside the Expo for ages 21 and older. Ten Colorado breweries will be showcasing some of their most popular hand-crafted beers, ales and lagers during three-hour tasting sessions on Friday and Saturday. Look for their signature beers and seasonal specialties. Admission to the Rocky Mountain Brew Fest is $30 in advance or $35 at the door and includes admission to the Ski & Snowboard Expo. Brew Fest-only tickets can be purchased onsite at the Expo door for $25 if the Expo admission ticket has already been purchased. Tasting sessions are Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and two sessions scheduled for Saturday—in the afternoon from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and an evening session from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Brew Fest tickets are good for only one session and include unlimited sampling during the session.
Expo hours are noon to 10 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 8; Saturday, Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Expo-only admission costs $12 for adults or $10 with a discount coupon available in The Denver Post or at any Colorado Ski & Golf or Colorado Ski & Sports store. Tickets can also be purchased in advance at www.skisnowboardexpo.com. Kids 12 and under are free.