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February 27, 2007
HBO AND U.S. COMEDY ARTS FESTIVAL ANNOUNCE FIRST EVER KELLOGG'S SKI AND SNOWBOARD RACE
Celebrity Skiers and Riders include Chris Tucker, Katt Williams, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Marc Maron and others Hosted by Daniel Tosh with musical performance by Liquid Carousel
Saturday, March 3, 2007 at Aspen Mountain
NEW YORK, NY February 22, 2007 -- HBO and the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival (USCAF) announce the first-ever Kellogg's Ski and Snowboard Race on Saturday, March 3 at 11:00 a.m. on Aspen Mountain. The race is being welcomed back to the festival for the first time in over a decade and is co-sponsored by Burton Snowboards and Aspen Skiing Company. Hosted by comedian Daniel Tosh, the race will put celebrities, including Mary Lynn Rajskub and Marc Maron against industry moguls up against one another. Comedians Chris Tucker and Katt Williams will also be in attendance, learning to snowboard for the first time! Prizes will be provided by Burton and Nokia Nseries. Participants will race to the live sounds of Liquid Carousel - a New York based independent rock band - this invite-only event will be a highlight of the 13th annual USCAF, which returns to Aspen, Colorado February 28-March 4, 2007.
Aspen Skiing Company will be running the race on the Aspen Mountain Nastar course, an intermediate registered course. Racers will be given one-two practice runs, before racing to set their time against the clock. The racers with the fastest record time will win. Burton Snowboards will be providing demo gear for the riders along with gifts to all race participants including jackets, beanies and goggles. Burton Snowboards will be awarded to the winners in the Snowboard division. Other great prizes include Nokia N80 devices.
At 2:00 p.m. the race will be opened up to the general public for the admission price of a $2.00 donation to benefit the American Heart Association.
"We are very excited about the return of the ski race to this year's festival. Comedians, actors and filmmakers racing against one another is sure to create quite a scene," said Bob Crestani, CEO of the USCAF. "We look forward to a great race with plenty of laughs."
For mor information on HBO and the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival (USCAF), go to www.stayaspensnowmass.com
Posted by Dina at 10:33 AM | Comments (0)
STEPHEN COLBERT TO BE HONORED WITH INAUGURAL PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD, FILMMAKER TRIBUTE TO ACADEMY AWARD WINNER BLAKE EDWARDS
NEW YORK, NY January 17, 2007 -- HBO and the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival (USCAF) announced today that Stephen Colbert and Blake Edwards will be honored at the 13th anniversary of the prestigious comedy festival, to be held February 28 - March 4, 2007 in Aspen, Colorado.
Emmy Award-winning comedian, actor, and writer Stephen Colbert will receive the Festival's 2007 Person of the Year Award. A new addition to the USCAF, this tongue-in-cheek award recognizes a comedian, artist or character whom the Festival feels is the most important contributor to life in America in the past year, having exhibited such great accomplishment that they have affected or made history.
"I am humbled to be part of the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival's tireless efforts to bring joy to the wealthy," said Stephen Colbert.
Film-director, screenwriter and producer Blake Edwards will be honored with the USCAF Filmmaker Tribute in an event that traces his work from Breakfast at Tiffany's and 10 to S.O.B. and the Pink Panther film series.
Previously announced, the first-ever The Pinnacle Award will be presented to Don Rickles in recognition of his achievement in comedy for over 50 years.
"As the Festival reaches its 13th year, we are continually looking at how we can freshen our approach toward our mission of discovery, innovation and tribute," said Bob Crestani, CEO of the USCAF. "While it is important to continue honoring film icons like Blake Edwards, we have created these new awards to bring attention to comedy milestones, which Don Rickles is celebrating, as well as to having a sense of humor about our business, by presenting Stephen Colbert with the 2007 Person of the Year Award."
Ana Marie Cox, Washington editor for TIME.com and founding editor of The Wonkette and Marc Maron, stand-up comic and former co-host of Air America's Morning Sedition will co-host The Gaggle. This smart, funny, provocative opinion show brings the freewheeling approach of ESPN-style sports talk to politics and pop culture, with user-generated video commentary and topics to drive the debate. Panelists and guests will be announced soon.
Also new to this year's festival, Funny Picture Show is the USCAF Film Program's online initiative for the very best in comedic short film content. It showcases comedic shorts from around the world and encourages viewers to participate in The Screening Room, a section of the site to rate, review, and truly be responsible for what gets programmed. Grand prizes for filmmakers and screening committee members will include meetings with HBO Films and USCAF Film Programming executives. Submissions can be made at www.funnypictureshow.com beginning January 17, 2007 through March 1, 2007.
2007 Person of the Year Award: Stephen Colbert Stephen Colbert is a three-time Emmy Award-winning comedian, actor, and writer, known for his satirical style and deadpan comedic delivery. Colbert's debut of The Colbert Report in 2005 was successful, and the news-parody show has established itself as one of Comedy Central's highest rated series. Colbert was named one of Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in 2006.
USCAF Filmmaker Tribute: Blake Edwards Academy Award winner, Blake Edwards is a film director, screenwriter, and producer whose remarkable body of work includes 49 feature films as well as two hit television shows. In a career that spans six decades, his diverse film classics include 10, S.O.B., Days of Wine and Roses, Victor/Victoria and Breakfast at Tiffany's as well as his best-loved comedies like The Great Race, Blind Date, and most famously, the Pink Panther film series. Not satisfied with just film, Edwards created the successful radio program Richard Diamond, Private Detective and several stylish TV series, including the popular Peter Gunn and Mr. Lucky. Mr. Edwards' numerous awards include Lifetime Achievement Awards from the WGA (Laurel Award) and DGA (Preston Sturges Award), the distinguished French Legion of Honor, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for cumulative achievements over the course of his career in 2004.
Previously announced programming for the upcoming USCAF includes Entourage: Behind the Scenes with cast Kevin Connolly, Adrian Grenier, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, and Jeremy Piven, executive producer and creator Doug Ellin and executive producer Stephen Levinson; The Rickles Project, a John Landis documentary based on the legendary Don Rickles; a special screening of FOX’s The Winner with Rob Corddry; performances by George Carlin, Steven Wright and Katt Williams; Panels including Blogging: Buzz vs. Biz with Mark Lisanti (Defamer.com), Harvey Levin (TMZ.com) and Jessica Coen (formerly Gawker.com and now Vanity Fair.com); Film Program Guest Directors Bill and Stella Pence presenting the Alloy Orchestra and a Chuck Jones Retrospective; Fireside Chats with Peter Rice, Bob Berney and Daniel Battsek; stand-up, sketch and alternative line-up including Lavell Crawford; Web-based show Broadband Theater and storytelling group The Moth.
For more information HBO and the U.S. Comedy Arts Festival (USCAF) go to www.stayaspensnowmass.com
Posted by Dina at 10:26 AM | Comments (0)
February 26, 2007
U.S. COMEDY ARTS FESTIVAL CELEBRATING THE BEST IN FILM
ROCKET SCIENCE
A teenager tackles the mysteries of life, love and public speaking in Rocket Science, a wry comedy of adolescent angst by Jeffrey Blitz, director of the Academy Award®-nominated documentary Spellbound. Making his feature narrative debut, Blitz leaves behind the conventions and clichés of coming-of-age tales to instead conjure a world where everyone, regardless of age, is befuddled by desire and the longing for human connection. Mixing humor with a compassionate regard for his characters and their idiosyncrasies, Blitz creates a film about the little insights that can emerge from, and ultimately eclipse, the agonies and disappointments of youth.
Director Jeffrey Blitz in attendance.
THE GENERAL and LONESOME with the ALLOY ORCHESTRA LIVE
The Alloy Orchestra isn't an orchestra: it's a three-man musical ensemble that writes and performs live accompaniment to silent film classics. With their famous "rack of junk" and electronic synthesizers, they have audiences believing they're being attacked by tigers, hearing signals from Mars, or being swept up in the Russian Revolution. For last 15 years, the group has composed a new score and premiered it with a classic silent film at the Telluride Film Festival in addition to playing such prestigious venues at the Louvre, Lincoln Center, Academy of Motion Pictures, National Gallery of Art, and many others. Alloy revives two of their masterpieces, as chosen by Guest Directors and Telluride founders Stella & Bill Pence. First time ever in Aspen!
DEATH AT A FUNERAL: World Premiere
Director Frank Oz (Bowfinger, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) brings us Death at a Funeral, a romp of a story that follows the comic twists of a dysfunctional British family as they gather to mourn the passing of their patriarch. It's the day of his father's funeral and Daniel wants everything to go according to plan, but his brother is only interested in chatting up a pretty girl at the service, his cousin's straight-laced boyfriend is convinced that someone is alive in the coffin, and a rogue bottle of hallucinogenic pills keeps popping up. If that isn't enough, a mystery visitor from his father's past threatens to expose the patriarch's secret unless he is paid a princely sum. Death at a Funeral is the riotous, shocking tale of one man's struggle to maintain his dignity while swimming in a sea of calamity.
THE COMEBACKS: Work-in-Progress
The producers of Wedding Crashers bring you some select scenes of their newest spoof of the best inspirational sports movies ever made! The Comebacks is about out-of-luck Coach "Lambeau" Fields, who takes a rag-tag bunch of college misfits and drives them towards the football championship. In the process, this life-long loser discovers that there is indeed, no "I" in "team." Starring David Koechner (Anchorman), Carl Weathers, and a talented young cast including Matthew Lawrence, Brooke Nevin, Jackie Long, and Jesse Garcia.
This is a work-in-progress. Join the filmmakers for this rare opportunity to view a movie-in-progress, and share your thoughts and suggestions!
HECKLER: Work-in-Progress
Heckler is a feature documentary exploring the increasingly critical world we live in. After starring in the critically bashed Son of the Mask, Jamie Kennedy is on an epic mission to take on hecklers and critics. He asks fascinating questions of George Lucas, Bill Maher, Mike Ditka, Rob Zombie and many others in the public eye, and he personally confronts his own critics. This wild ride of a documentary shows just how nasty the fight is between those in the spotlight and those in the dark.
This is a work-in-progress. Jamie Kennedy and director Michael Addis will present select scenes from the film followed by a Q&A. They will be shooting additional interviews post-screening for potential inclusion in the film.
EAGLE VS. SHARK: World Cinema
Directed by Academy Award®-nominee Taika Waititi, Eagle vs. Shark is a wry comedy that chronicles the quirky romance of two awkward misfits, Lily (Loren Horsley), a shy fast-food restaurant cashier, and her crush, Jarrod (the deadpan Jemaine Clement of Flight of the Conchords), an electronic store clerk. On the day Lily gets fired from her job at Meaty Boy, she musters up the courage to attend Jarrod's annual "come as your favorite animal" costume party. The dressy affair sparks the beginnings of a romance as well as a small journey for the pair to Jarrod's quiet hometown, in which Jarrod plans to seek revenge on an old nemesis and where Lily unwittingly finds herself stranded amongst Jarrod's family of eccentrics.
Writer/Director Taika Waititi in attendance.
For more information on the HBO U.S.A Comedy Arts festival, as well as lodging deals, visit www.stayaspensnowmass.com
Posted by Dina at 08:18 AM | Comments (0)
February 23, 2007
THE HONDA SKI TOUR ARRIVES AT ASPEN/SNOWMASS, CO, FEBRUARY 22-25, 2007
The third stop on The Honda Ski Tour & BaseCamp Music Experience 2007 attracts ski enthusiasts along with big-name bands, parties and the world’s best ski cross and halfpipe ski competitors Sun Valley, ID, February 15, 2007-Aspen/Snowmass, CO, is only the third resort to host the inaugural season of The Honda Ski Tour (THST). THST is North America's new elite, four-stop mountain festival and skiing competition that features the world's best halfpipe and ski cross skiers competing for a total of $500,000 over four stops, the largest purse in the sport. The final tour stop and championships are being held in Squaw Valley USA, CA, March 8-11, and past tour stops include Sun Valley, ID, and Breckenridge, CO. The BaseCamp Music Experience (BCME) at Aspen/Snowmass will feature over 10 big-name musical acts headlined by world famous dancehall reggae artist Sean Paul alongside the multiday alpine festival including street parties and countless parties. THST's Aspen/Snowmass stop will be nationally televised (in a one-hour show) on ABC network television on Sunday, March 11, 2pm EST / 1pm CT / 12pm MST / 11am PST. Please check your local listings for changes. Confirmed athletes for THST Aspen/Snowmass skier halfpipe competition include X Games gold medalists and previous winners of THST halfpipe Simon Dumont (Sun Valley winner) and Tanner Hall (Breckenridge winner), who both took home $25,000 respectively for their winning runs. Dumont leads THST point's standings with 150 points while Peter Olenick sits in second with 106, followed by Hall with 100, Matt Philippi with 95 and Mike Riddle with 80. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently approved the addition of ski cross for the 2010 Winter Olympics. The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association (USSA), the national governing body for Olympic skiing, is officially calendaring THST 2007 as a sanctioned USSA ski cross event. Athletes confirmed for THST Aspen/Snowmass ski cross includes undefeated THST ski cross winner, Olympian and Aspen/Snowmass local, Casey Puckett, who leads the point's standings with 200 points. Stanley Hayer who has placed second and third at previous THST stops sits comfortably in second with 160 points. U.S. Ski Team legend Daron Rahlves, who has had some bad luck (crashing in the semi-finals and finals at both THST stops and the 2007 X Games) sits in third place overall with 95 points. X Games gold medalists Lars Lewen, Zach Crist, Enak Gavaggio, and ski cross World Champion Tomas Kraus will also be fighting for the $25,000 winner’s check. "It’s always exciting when another high profile event comes to Aspen/Snowmass," said John Rigney, Vice President of Sales & Events for Aspen Skiing Company. "What makes this special is that The Ski Tour is brand new, yet has captured the attention of skiing enthusiasts everywhere. The talent we'll be witnessing is truly incredible, and the sport of skiing will only benefit. Plus, we get to share the incredible story of Snowmass with these influencers and the rest of the viewing world." The nightlife at the Aspen/Snowmass stop of The Honda Ski Tour will rival the on-slope action with BCME headliners such as Sean Paul, George Clinton and the P Funk All Stars, Swollen Members, Tommy Lee with DJ Aero, Joseph Israel, Elan and DJ Dylan, Jillian Ann, DJ Logic and more. Showcasing the year's best action sports segments from the biggest producers in the game, the Limelight Film Festival highlights from THST Sun Valley, ID, stop will be aired throughout the Aspen/Snowmass THST on the Jumbotron at the base of the competitions and in the town’s bars and restaurants. The Limelight Film Festival covers the entire spectrum of actionadventure filmmaking from the biggest producers in the game, with segments by Teton Gravity Research, Warren Miller, Jason Moriarty, Kent Kreitler, Jamie Mossberg, Standard Films and Lindgren Productions. Highlights from the five world-class photographers who showcased the best work of their careers at the Sun Valley Pro Photo Shootout will also be featured throughout the Aspen/Snowmass THST. Scott Markewitz, Tony Harrington, Charlie Munsey, Corey Rich, and Gene Dwarkin will showcase epic images from across the globe, including skiing, surfing, kayaking, climbing and more. THST was founded by Kipp Nelson and Steve Brown, former University of Colorado alpine racers. Nelson, a trustee of the U.S. Ski Team as well as the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation, is putting the fun back in to ski competition by combining two very separate aspects of the sport, halfpipe and ski cross into one event.Posted by Dina at 03:24 PM | Comments (0)
February 21, 2007
10" of Fresh Snow and a Blue Bird Day On Aspen Mountain
Yesterday was a beautiful day on Aspen mountain. See for yourself!
Interested in skiing the Colorado Champagne Powder? Book you vaction with us at www.stayaspensnowmass.com
Posted by Dina at 10:49 AM | Comments (0)
February 19, 2007
15th Annual Mother Of All Ascensions
Here is the latest press release from Snowmass Village:
15th Annual Mother Of All Ascensions kicks off Madri Gras in Snowmass Village!
Snowmass, Colorado (February 14, 2007) - It's time to bust out your snowshoes and your Mardi Gras beads for the 15th Annual Mother Of All Ascensions happening on "Fat Tuesday" February 20th. This is one of the most fun winter uphill racing events in the state.
The Mother Of All Ascensions, which is part of the all-day Mardi Gras festivities being hosted by Snowmass Village, consists of an uphill climb of 1,741 vertical feet. The race starts at 7:00 AM Sharp at the end of the Snowmass Village Mall by the ticket pavilion and follows the Fanny Hill run to Green Cabin then Coffee Pot and finishes at the High Alpine restaurant.
Everyone will receive a heavenly competitor bag, limited edition long sleeve t-shirt and a chance to win some really righteous draw prizes. Over $15,000 worth for of merchandise will be given away at the awards ceremony following the event.
Prizes will be awarded to the top male and female finishers and those with the best Mardi Gras attire. There is a plethora of fantastic draw prizes from Tabasco, Atlas Snowshoes, Hot Chillys, Goode Ski Technologies, Arborwear, Shred Alert, Outdoor Research, Osprey, Jagermeister, Paul Mitchell, Rudy Project, NiteIze and Keen Footwear.
"The Mother Of All Ascensions is one of my favorite Colorado winter events," said Andrew Bielecki, the uphill organizer. "It's a great way to start off the Mardi Gras festivities in Snowmass Village and the prizes are truly incredible! Almost everyone will receive something at the raffle!"
The pre-registration fee for event is $35 until Sunday February 18 and $40 to register day the of. Race day registration and sign-in begin at 5:30 AM in the ticket pavilion at the end of the Snowmass Village Mall.
Applications are available at Christy Sports in Snowmass Village, the Ute Mountaineer in Aspen and Summit Canyon Mountaineering in Glenwood Springs. For more information or to volunteer call Jacqie Stewart at (970) 618-2225. For discount lodging rates and packages call The Crestwood at 1-800-356-5949.
Posted by jmidthun at 02:02 PM | Comments (0)
February 15, 2007
Check out the Office Cat
14" of new snow on all four mountains in the past 24 hours. It doesn't get much better than that...
One of the snow cat felt like taking a break from all the on-mountain excitment and tour Aspen town this morning
Ever dreamt of seeing a snow cat under your window? Book your vacation now at www.stayaspensnowmass.com
Posted by Dina at 02:44 PM
February 13, 2007
ESPN WINTER X GAMES 11 SETS RECORDS FOR REACH AND EXPOSURE ACROSS MULTIPLE OUTLETS
RECORD TV VIEWERSHIP, ON-LINE ACTIVITY AND MORE
A record number of fans consumed the extensive Winter X Games 11 content featured across the many global ESPN and ABC distribution platforms, including television, Internet, iPods and more. The unprecedented multi-media offerings were designed to provide coverage of the world's leading winter action sports competition, held January 25-28 in Aspen, Colo., to fans everywhere.
"Our goal is to serve action sports fans wherever, whenever and through whatever platform or device they wish," said Rick Alessandri, managing director, X Games franchise.
Following are some of the specifics regarding the global distribution:
- Television: Across ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2, Winter X Games 11 was the most-viewed ever among several key demos, including Men & People 12-24, Men 12-17, Men 12-34, and Men 18-34. In addition, ESPN averaged 734,000 households in prime time - its most-viewed Winter X average ever. Also, Men 18-24 displayed the biggest growth in impressions among all demos from 2006, up 64%.On the final day of Winter X Games 11, the Sunday primetime telecast (1/28/07) was ESPN's most-viewed telecast in Winter X Games history with 925,377 households and the highest-rated Winter X Games telecast since 1997.
- Internet: On ESPN.com, ESPN360 and the newly enhanced EXPN.com fans viewed a record number of Winter X Games videos online, more than two million highlights, interviews, and original features viewed in the week from Wednesday, January 24 through Monday, January 29 - more than doubling 2005. Additionally, fans logged more than three million page views on EXPN.com alone over the same period.
- Live ESPN360 Coverage: ESPN's customizable broadband service offered a showcase channel devoted to the Winter X Games, featuring exclusive live event coverage and on-demand programming including medal-winning runs, event recaps, expanded highlights, athlete commentary and original music videos.
- ESPN.com Podcasts: ESPN's action sports podcast - found at ESPN's PodCenter on ESPN.com - logged thousands of downloads a day during the X Games.
- ESPN International: Winter X Games coverage is being distributed to International networks to more than 121 countries and territories in Latin America, the Pacific Rim, Middle East, Africa and Israel.
- iTunes Store: ESPN, the first major sports content providers to the iTunes Store (www.itunes.com), presented Winter X Games video content including daily highlights and "Winter X Games Classix" content featuring the best of past Winter X Games.
- ESPN On Demand: The service presented daily expanded highlights as part of its content offerings.
- Attendance: The 76,150 spectators was the highest in the event's six-year history in Aspen and a 110 % increase from 2002 (the first Winter X Games in Aspen) where there were 36,300 spectators.
- Merchandise Sales: Fans purchased record amounts of exclusive X Games event apparel both on-site and online at EXPN.com.
Team ESPN: Thousands of fans visited the Team ESPN booth where several initiatives were featured this year including The V Foundation for Cancer Research, Boarding for Breast Cancer (B4BC), The US Forest Service, the Women's Sports Foundation and the Snowboard Outreach Society.
Posted by Dina at 07:47 AM | Comments (0)
February 12, 2007
Snowmass celebrates 25 years of Fat Tuesday Revelry in 2007
Snowmass Village, CO. Wintery Colorado may seem like an unusual location for a Mardi Gras celebration, but the resort town of Snowmass Village hosts one of the oldest Mardi Gras festivals in the Rocky Mountains. New Orleans natives have made a pilgrimage to Snowmass, slopes for Mardi Gras since 1980, bringing a hefty dose of purple, green and gold spirit with them. Snowmass locals quickly caught on and created an official event that celebrates 25 years of Fat Tuesday revelry on February 20, 2007.
"We plan to make this quarter-century anniversary one of the best parties of the season for the whole family," says Susan Hamley, Marketing Director for the Town of Snowmass Village. "From mask-making for kids to crawdad boils, king cakes and late-night revelry, Snowmass offers the ultimate Mardi Gras mountain destination."
This dawn-until-wee-hours authentic fete draws over 3,000 visitors annually and includes traditional Mardi Gras elements such as a madcap costumed parade, king cake giveaway, bead throws, crawdad boils, Hurricane drink specials, and celebrations late into the night.
Snowmass kicks off the celebration early this year with the first of the season's Bud Light Big Air Friday competitions on February 16. Regional athletes huck their best moves off a 40-foot jump followed by music, prizes, and fireworks. On February 18, the Snowmass Poker Run takes over the mountain with participants seeking out the best poker hand as they ski all over competing for a $1,000 cash prize. That evening a free 7 p.m. Bud Light Hi-Fi concert takes place on the Snowmass Village Mall with The Samples, while during the weekend and President's Day Lift Ops will be vying for bragging rights in a Crazy Hat Contest.
Fat Tuesday, which this year coincides with President's Week, starts at dawn on February 20 with the Mother of All Ascensions, a costumed uphill snowshoe race that regularly draws over 250 competitors and also celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. The race begins at 8,500 feet in altitude and traverses up an additional 1,741 feet for $15,000 in prizes. Starting around the noon hour, local restaurants such as Zane, The Cirque, and Big Hoss Grille offer Cajun food, hurricane drink specials, and crawdad boils.
The afternoon is filled with festivities including a Kids' Carnival with mask-making, face painters and stilt-walkers, the coronation of a local King and Queen and a bead throw with nearly 29,000 bead necklaces thrown into the crowds. King Cake giveaways include the grand prize of a snowboard, and the Red Cross will be raffling off a snowboard and Jagermeister jacket as well. The annual parade is filled with floats, bagpipers, a marching band, dancers, cheerleaders, stilt walkers, clowns, costumed revelers and more. Cash prizes will be awarded for best costume, best float, and best use of this year's theme "Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler."
After the parade, the parties move indoors to local hot spots such as Zane's Tavern, Mountain Dragon, Big Hoss Grille, and the Cirque, who are celebrating with live music, Mardi Gras giveaways, and Fat Tuesday drink and food specials.
For additional media information, visit www.snowmasspress.com/mardigras.
Book Lodging for Mardi Gras in Snowmass
Posted by jmidthun at 12:08 PM | Comments (0)
February 08, 2007
Aspen Shortsfest Brings the World of Short Film to the Mountains
Here is the latest press release from Aspen Shortsfest:
Save The Date:
Aspen Shortsfest Brings the World of Short Film to the Mountains
Screens light up April 3-8, 2007, at the Wheeler Opera House in Aspen & other locations
February 8, 2007 (Aspen, Colo.) - Marking its 16th year, Aspen Shortsfest will bring filmmakers from around the world for six days of celebration, April 3-8, 2007, at Aspen's historic Wheeler Opera House and other locations. Widely recognized as one of the world's premiere short film and video showcases, Aspen Shortsfest will feature its esteemed Oscar-qualifying International Competition, as well as special presentations, panels and workshops for all who make and appreciate this trend-setting art form: the short.
Shortsfest Program Highlights
While not all special presentations are fully set, two of Aspen Shortsfest's highlights are full steam ahead. This year's highly regarded MasterWorks panel will focus on the art of film editing and include an award-winning who's who of top-drawer talent. With a spotlight on France, this year's Planet Cinema showcase will feature a panorama of recent outstanding French shorts curated by Roger Gonin, program director for the world's largest short film festival, the Festival du Court Metrage Clermont-Ferrand.
Record Setting Entries
Over 2,200 entries from all over the world are currently being considered for Aspen Shortsfest's International Competition, the core of the festival, from which a select jury of industry insiders will award $20,000 in cash and prizes.
Oscar Bound and on the Big Screen
A true incubator of talent, every year Aspen Shortsfest screens films that later bid for the big prize: an Academy Award. Torill Kove's The Danish Poet, an SF06 winner, is currently up for Best Short Film – Animated and Borja Cobeaga's Eramos Pocos (also an SF06 winner) is nominated for Best Short Film – Live Action. And that's just the beginning. Aspen Shortsfest also introduces emerging filmmakers that go on to become accomplished directors, screenwriters and animators. A short list of the hot talent who once competed at Aspen Shortsfest includes Todd Field (Little Children), Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking), Ryan Fleck (Half Nelson), John Curran (The Painted Veil), Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Gardner) and Robert Luketic (Legally Blond), just to name a few.
So, save the date! Don't miss the 16th annual Aspen Shortsfest. Tickets go on sale March 27th through the Wheeler Box Office (970.922.5770). The complete Shortsfest program will be available online March 16th at www.aspenfilm.org.
Aspen Shortsfest is a presentation of Aspen Film, one of Colorado's most active film arts organizations presenting festivals, film series and education programs year-round. Aspen Shortsfest is sponsored in part by The Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine Kaye Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado, Colorado Council on the Arts, and City of Aspen. Additional support for education programs comes from the Sheila Fortune Foundation, Robins Foundation, The Thrift Shop, Town of Snowmass Village and Town of Basalt. For more information on Aspen Film and its year-round programs, please contact 970.925.6882 or visit www.aspenfilm.org.
Book Lodging for the Aspen Shortsfest
Posted by jmidthun at 12:39 PM | Comments (0)
February 07, 2007
THE SKI TOUR
Contact:
Kristin Rust
970/300-7021, krust@aspensnowmass.com
Katie Eldridge,
435/640-2554, keldridge@panicbuttonmedia.com
LODGING MEDIA RATES AVAILABLE IN ASPEN/SNOWMASS DURING THE SKI TOUR THROUGH STAY ASPEN SNOWMASS
Aspen/Snowmass, CO. February 7, 2007 ... The Ski Tour hits Aspen/Snowmass February 22-25 and media are encouraged to book lodging as soon as possible as town is filling up.
To inquire about media discounts during the event, contact Stay Aspen Snowmass directly at 800/481-3102.
The on-mountain events will take place on Snowmass and will feature an international field of world-class athletes, each having equal opportunity to win the single largest payout in the sport-$125,000. Athletes confirmed for the tour include Olympians Daron Rahlves, Eric Schlopy, and Reggie Crist and X Games medalists Tanner Hall, CR Johnson, Simon Dumont, and Zach Crist.
For more information on Aspen/Snowmass go to www.aspensnowmass.com. For more information on The Ski Tour, go to www.theskitour.com.
Aspen Skiing Company operates four destination mountains - Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk - and is the home of the ESPN Winter X Games through 2010. Aspen/Snowmass also offers unparalleled nightlife and off-slope activities as well as four award-winning Ski & Snowboard Schools. Aspen/Snowmass is accessible by two of the most convenient airports in the mountains - Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (3 miles from Aspen) and Eagle County Airport (70 miles from Aspen). For more information on Aspen/Snowmass, please call 800/525-6200 or 970/925-1220, or visit the company's website at www.aspensnowmass.com.
The Ski Tour is the vision of co-founders Kipp Nelson and Steve Brown, who share the same passion and excitement for skiing competition. Founded in 2005, The Ski Tour's visionaries have a combined 25 years experience competing professionally and contributing to the ski industry. Nelson, who serves on the board of the USSA, and Steve are joined by a diverse Ski Tour management team that together has executed hundreds of professional alpine ski competitions around North America. To learn more about The Ski Tour visit www.theskitour.com
Check lodging for the Ski Tour at Stay Aspen Snowmass
Check the schedule for the Ski Tour
Posted by jmidthun at 10:21 AM | Comments (0)
February 02, 2007
From X-Games 11 to The Ski Tour: One Short Snowy Break for Aspen-Snowmass
Simon Dumont airing it during the X-Games 11 Slopestyle Event
X-games 11 is on the way out, while the snow is coming in; in the past 24 hours we got another 10" of it on all four mountains and more is underway, so make sure to check out the weather & snow report, before you book one of our last-minute online special.
But this is only a very short break, as Aspen-Snowmmas will soon be back in the game with the Aspen-Snowmass Open (Feb. 8 to 11). Over 200 athletes are expected to compete ski and snowboard in two disciplines - Slopestyle and Superpipe. Then, starting Frebruary 22nd through the 25th the very much anticipated Honda Ski Tour will take over the town and the hill.
Local columinist, Alison Berkley got to witness the first Ski Tour stop in Sun Valley, ID; for a sneak preview of what is in store (just to name a few; atheltes Tanner Hall, Simont Dumont and Casey Puckett, or even artists George Clinton and Tommy Lee, with more to be announced) for us read her account of the Honda Ski Tour scene in the New-York Times.
Posted by Dina at 12:19 PM | Comments (0)
February 01, 2007
SkyWest Airlines Enhancing Aircraft to Improve Reliability in Aspen
Contact: Corporate Communications
801.258.4556 / 435.634.3548
SkyWest Airlines Enhancing Aircraft to
Improve Reliability in Aspen
For Immediate Release
St. George, UT, January 30, 2007 - SkyWest Airlines, a subsidiary of SkyWest Inc. (NASDAQ: SKYW), and the nation's largest independently owned regional carrier, is pleased to announce that as of Tuesday, January 30, 2007, 51 of SkyWest's 62 CRJ700 aircraft have been updated to allow flights into Aspen when barometric pressure is at abnormally low levels. This represents more than 80 percent of the CRJ700 fleet being upgraded since SkyWest first received approval from the FAA on the evening of Thursday, January 18.
The software change makes it possible for pilots to take precautionary measures in the event of irregular barometric conditions, and should mitigate problems associated with those conditions. Safety continues to be SkyWest's first priority, and this FAA approval allows SkyWest to increase reliability for the Aspen community.
"We know this situation has been especially frustrating for the passengers who have been inconvenienced and had travel plans disrupted," said Steve Black, SkyWest director - stations. "Our customer service personnel worked to identify all available options for affected passengers, including rebooking or refunding tickets and arranging ground transportation options when appropriate. But we know what passengers really want is a solution to the problem - and from all reports we're receiving, we're well on our way."
"We anticipate the entire CRJ700 fleet modifications to be completed by next week," explained Captain Dave Faddis, SkyWest Airlines director - flight training/standards. "These upgrades in the software require approximately five man-hours per plane, and our maintenance personnel at Salt Lake City, Colorado Springs and Chicago have been doing everything they can to get these aircraft modified and back into our system as soon as possible."
Aspen's abnormal barometric pressure is a rare occurrence, but is heightened by the city's high altitude at more than 7,800 feet - among the highest of U.S. commercial airline destinations. In normal operating conditions, SkyWest's CRJ700 service has been comparable or superior to other aircraft flying into Aspen. But this winter's unusual weather patterns have placed significant challenges on SkyWest's operation that has historically had some of the best reliability in the country. (The airline was named the #1 mainland on-time airline by the Department of Transportation in 2003, 2004 and 2005.)
Bill Tomcich, president of central reservations agency, Stay Aspen Snowmass, believes that, despite the recent barometric pressure challenges SkyWest faced in Aspen, overall jet service has improved significantly since the introduction of SkyWest Airlines and the CRJ700s this past April.
"Because of SkyWest's commitment to Aspen, we now have new nonstop flights from Chicago, San Francisco and Salt Lake City," Tomcich explained, "along with expanded nonstop service from Los Angeles in a modern jet aircraft that not only offers greatly improved passenger comfort, but is also a lot faster, quieter, more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly than any aircraft that has ever served Aspen/Snowmass in the past."
SkyWest's recent completion rate in Aspen has not been consistent with the airline's overall performance. While SkyWest's Delta Connection operation in Aspen realized the airport's best reliability during December with just six cancelled flights and an overall completion rate of 90.3%, the SkyWest United Express operation realized some extraordinary challenges this past month. A total of 69 SkyWest operated United Express flights were cancelled in December for an overall completion rate of just 77.7%. While the majority of those flight cancellations in December were directly related to the Denver blizzard, those challenges were compounded by barometric pressure issues, which resulted in the temporary suspension of Aspen operations on a total of four separate occasions since December 28.
"While December's numbers are not typical for SkyWest," said Faddis, "we have every reason to believe that with this change, our operation will return to the level of reliability passengers should expect, and saw last week." From January 21 through January 28, SkyWest was at a 96% completion rate. "We know it will take time to regain passenger confidence from the Aspen community, but we're committed to a safe and reliable operation for Aspen. We will continue to push forward until all of the aircraft are updated."
SkyWest Airlines was named the Number One On-Time Mainland Airline in the United States by the Department of Transportation for 2005, 2004 and 2003, years in which they carried more than 40 million passengers. System-wide, SkyWest has more than 10,000 employees and serves a total of 135 cities in 38 states and five Canadian provinces with more than 1,600 daily departures.
This press release and information on SkyWest Airlines can be accessed at www.skywest.com/skywest/.
More information on Air Transportation into Aspen / Snowmass
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