Peak Inspiration | April 6

What do you do after you’ve climbed the world’s tallest mountain? Plan your next adventure. Summiting Mt. Everest wasn’t the cherry on top of Vail native Jon Kedrowski’s mountaineering career. It was just the motivation he needed to take on other daring feats, like scaling Antarctica’s Mt. Vinson, which he’ll tackle next January in hopes of joining the elite group of adventurers who have stood on the Seven Summits, aka the tallest peaks on each of the seven continents. He has also camped atop all of Colorado’s fourteeners (including Sunlight Peak, where he’s pictured above). Join the accomplished mountaineer for his Sleeping on the Summits talk at Chautauqua Community House. He’ll share some of his outrageous tales and documentary clips and explore how his approach to adventuring can help you with your own goals—even if that’s as simple as finding the energy to tackle that mountain of laundry you’ve been putting off.

5280 April 2017
More From The Issue

Ice Capades | April 9

If building a craft capable of careening down a ski slope, launching off a jump, and landing in a pond sounds impossible, you’re wrong. It’s how Aspen Highlands celebrates the end of the ski season during Schneetag (German for “snow day”). This high-octane event sees costumed teams of four race down the Jerome Bowl run in pursuit of prizes that include a bar tab big enough to cover their lost pride.

Dystopia Realized | April 4-19

Curious Theatre Company will be one of the first four theaters in the country to present Tony Award–winning playwright Robert Schenkkan’s provocative Building the Wall. Written in just two weeks as a response to President Donald Trump’s controversial stance on immigration, the dynamic show draws on elements of George Orwell’s novel 1984 to imagine an America two years in the future. Trump has been impeached, and a prison supervisor is on trial for following an executive order to deport millions of immigrants—with horrific results. “This play is powerful because it’s immediately responsive,” says Curious’ managing director, Katie Maltais, noting Curious sped up its typical production timeline from a year to a few months. “We didn’t want to wait and have it lose ferociousness.”

Leaps and Bounds | April 21-23

Each April, the University of Colorado Boulder presents the Current, a showcase for the impressive original work coming out of its dance department. This year, faculty and guest artists will pay tribute to the woman who made this performance possible: the late Charlotte York Irey, founder of CU’s dance programs, who died in January. Celebrate the power of movement as aerial expert Ana Prada executes feats of Cirque du Soleil–inspired theatrics, Mecca Madyun explores the idea of possession through traditional African and contemporary rhythms, and Larry Southall highlights both the street and party elements of the hip-hop genre through his bold moves.

And Many More | April 28 & 29

Estes Park turns the big 100 this year. On April 28 and 29, the town will celebrate the milestone with music from three Front Range bands, community-brewed beer, and presentations about the importance of local sustainability during the free Mountain Festival.

Looking for more to do in Denver? Check out our events calendar.