Easter outings, electrifying dance, dine with the dogs and more this holiday weekend in the Vail Valley
From Easter brunch and egg hunts to musical offerings spring is not slowing down in the Vail Valley
Easter Happenings
Church Services
It’s a busy time of year with Easter events. If you are a visitor to our valley this weekend and want to join locals in area services, check out the following websites. Many chapels house several different congregations. View the websites for schedules and more. This is just a partial list:
An Easter tradition that’s been going on for over 30 years is the Vail Mountain Easter Sunrise Service bright and early on Sunday morning. This takes place in a very special location on the top of Vail Mountain at Eagle’s Nest, where there are views of the Gore Range and Mount of the Holy Cross. Through partnerships between Vail Resorts and its mountain employees and the town of Vail, this event welcomes everyone to witness the joy of seeing the sun come over the Gore Range from that vantage point.
The Eagle Bahn Gondola (No. 19) will fire up at 6 a.m. for complimentary rides to foot passengers only (no skis or snowboards). The guests will then go up to the Marketplace Restaurant at the top level of the gondola building where everyone will join in a non-denominational service that will go from 6:30-7:30 a.m. The service ends with the crowd going out to the Simonton Deck overlooking Mount of the Holy Cross for a “passing of the peace.”
Easter Egg Hunts
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Vail Village
The Vail Recreation District is once again hosting its annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday from 10-11:30 a.m. This isn’t your typical egg hunt, this is a scavenger hunt where one clue will lead to the next. Head to the Vail Recreation District booth next to the Covered Bridge in Vail Village between 10 and 10:45 a.m. on Saturday to get your Easter Egg Hunt passport filled with clues. From there, you will follow the clues throughout Vail Village, complete your passport and find your way to the last destination where prizes await. Look out for special eggs hidden along the route in Vail Village. Those can be redeemed for extra-special prizes. The Easter Bunny will be there as well, so come out rain, snow or shine for this annual tradition. Learn more by visiting VailRec.com.
Avon
The Avon Egg Hunt gets underway at 10 a.m. and goes until noon at Nottingham Park on Saturday. Kids 9 years old and under are invited to search for 100,000 eggs and prizes. In addition to egg hunting there will be a visit from the Easter Bunny, a jellybean guessing game, coloring contest, a petting zoo and inflatable bouncy features. Find out more at Avon.org/EggHunt.
Eagle
The Eagle Egg Hunt is taking place at the Brush Creek Park on Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. The egg hunt is organized by age group. Remember to bring your reusable egg basket and as the Town of Eagle works towards plastic-free events, they will have a plastic egg recycle station onsite to recycle plastic eggs. More information can be found at EagleOutside.com.
Beaver Creek
Bring the kids up for an Easter Egg Hunt that will be held both indoors and outdoors at Park Hyatt Beaver Creek starting at 10 a.m. on Easter Sunday. Even the adults can get in on the action with a special hunt for golden eggs (only six total!) with special prizes for those 21 years of age and older.
The Easter Bunny will distribute chocolate eggs, followed by an open invitation for everyone to participate in the Easter Egg Toss, located in front of the Ski Valet from noon to 1 p.m. After that, come over to the Overlook at Park Hyatt Beaver Creek to decorate eggs with drawings and dip them in dye for a creative Easter activity from 1 to 2 p.m.
Chasing Rabbits Vail
Chasing Rabbits is hosting its second annual Easter Egg hunt on Easter Sunday afternoon. Families are invited to this free event which will go from 4:00 to 5 p.m. Eggs will be filled with special prizes and gift cards throughout the arcade. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at ChasingRabbitsVail.com.
Easter Brunch
This is a partial list, contact your favorite restaurant to see if they are doing anything special for Easter Brunch.
Stoke & Rye
The decadent Stoke & Rye Easter brunch will be served from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. and the buffet will include herb-roasted prime rib, honey glazed ham, a seafood station, omelets and waffles, biscuits and gravy and a savory dessert bar. Pair those nibbles with bloody marys, mimosas and brunch cocktails. The Easter Bunny will be on site for photo opportunities, too. The brunch buffet is priced at $80 for adults and $30 for kids ages 5 through 12. Reservations are required.
Leonora at The Sebastian
Come hungry between the hours of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for Easter Brunch featuring culinary delights from executive chef Kevin Erving. Look for traditional favorites, specialty menu items like eggs Benedict and wash it down with spicy bloody marys and mimosas. Tickets are $75 for adults, $45 for kids 12 and under and you can make a reservation on Open Table.
Sonnenalp Hotel Vail
The Sonnenalp Hotel in Vail is known for its fantastic brunch, but things get elevated on Easter Sunday. From 11 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. enjoy the raw bar, seafood, carving stations, omelets and cotton candy delights. There will be an Easter Egg Hunt and more fun to be had. Reservations are required and the price is $130 for adults and $75 for kids ages 5 to 12 and those 4 years old and younger are free.
Park Hyatt Beaver Creek
Indulge in a sumptuous Easter brunch buffet that starts at noon and features traditional favorites and seasonal delights like cheese and charcuterie, pancakes and Belgian waffles with all of the toppings and a hearty salad bar. Tickets range from $45 to $95 and you can pay an additional $40 for the unlimited mimosa & bloody mary bar.
Creekside Grill at Gypsum Golf Course
This Easter brunch will go from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. with an Easter egg hunt at 11 a.m. There will also be a surprise visit by the Easter Bunny. Check out deals like $5 bloody marys and mimosas. The space can accommodate large parties and the price ranges from $15 to $29.95 and children 12 and under free.
Vilar Performances
iLuminate
With all the families here on spring break, now is the perfect time to experience the Vilar Performing Arts Center’s family programming with the iconic iLuminate on Friday night. iLuminate, whose tagline is “The Most Fun You’ll Have in the Dark!” is a high-energy dance troupe created by Miral Kotb.
The dancers come from all different types of backgrounds, whether that’s ballet, contemporary, hip hop and more. Pair that talent with the customized LED light dance suits and the possibilities are endless. The incredible physicality is accentuated by the technical element that this dance group brings that makes it so unique.
At press time, limited tickets were available at VilarPAC.org for Friday’s show at 6:30 p.m. but it never hurts to give the box office a call at 970-835-TIXS (8497) to see about wait lists. Tickets are $48 for adults and $38 for kids 12 years old and younger.
Ensemble Mélange
The Vilar Performing Arts Center will also host a classical music performance this weekend, but this isn’t your typical classical music experience. The members of Ensemble Mélange are going to be on stage and so is the audience. This is when it really gets fun because the performers will lead a sort of musician’s party game where each member of the audience will have a menu. That menu lists all the different songs Ensemble Mélange can play that night, ranging from commissioned works to classics. When the band calls on you, you’d better be ready to pick the song. It’s a very interactive way to enjoy classical music.
Ensemble Mélange’s former name is Shuffle Concert and consists of a vocalist, cellist, violinist, clarinetist, pianist and oboist. It’s amazing the amount of sound that can come out of six performers on one stage – and once again, you’ll be on that same stage while they are playing. Another thing that is different about this concert is that the pre-performance reception is part of the ticket price and overall experience. Tickets are $125 and this show is part of the Pick 3/5/8 winter ticket package, where the more you buy, the more you save. Visit VilarPAC.org for more information.
Special music offerings
In addition to the regular night music offerings for après ski and late night (check the Vail Daily Events Calendar for a schedule) there are a couple of special musical offerings this weekend.
Agave concerts
Agave in Avon has ramped up its concert lineup and has two shows this weekend. On Friday night, SunSquabi, a trio from Denver, will get you on your feet with funky beats and electrifying moments on stage. SunSquabi includes Kevin Donohue on guitar and keyboard, Josh Fairman on bass and synthesizer and Chris Anderson on drums. The guys have played Red Rocks Amphitheater many times and have collaborated with Lettuce, String Cheese Incident Griz and more. Doors open at 9 p.m. and the show begins at 10 p.m. Come early and grab a bite to eat.
On Saturday, Agave welcomes the Fretliners with the Pickpockets and Wolf Van Elfmand. The Fretliners is a Colorado-based bluegrass and newgrass quartet that is known for its songwriting and great chemistry on stage. This band won band competitions at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and the Rockygrass Festival in 2023. The Pickpockets are a five-piece string band from Salt Lake City and their energy is breathing new life into the bluegrass music they play on stage. Singer-songwriter and guitarist Wolf Van Elfmand will be playing a bit of Americana, country and rock and roll on stage at Agave on Saturday night. It should be a powerful night of music with this lineup of talent. For tickets for shows on either night, visit AgaveAvon.com and get dialed in.
Arrabelle Jazz Lounge
On Saturday night check out the Arrabelle Jazz Lounge at Vail Square. A new offering this year, the luxury hotel is hosting jazz nights throughout the season in its Great Room above the Tavern at Vail Square for those who love jazz music and those who are curious about the genre and just looking for a good time.
Tickets are $60 and that includes two drinks, light appetizers, the live performance and valet parking right at the hotel. There will be two shows, the first is at 6 to 7:30 p.m. and the second show is from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Marion Powers and Drew Zaremba Trio will play both shows. Bring five friends and you get a free ticket. For reservations, call 970-754-7770. Follow Tavern on the Square Unofficial on Facebook to stay up to date on any updates.
Dine with the Dogs
This Sunday, take a break for lunch a little early and head to the top of the Mountaintop Express (No. 4) and Buffalo’s restaurant and check out Dine with the Dogs at Henry’s Hut.
Henry’s Hut is named after Henry, who became the first K9 member of the Vail Ski Patrol in 2008. With Henry, Vail Ski Patrol started the Vail Avalanche Rescue Dog program and these dogs of course have a job to do and are trained to find people in avalanches, but they are also great ambassadors for Vail Ski Patrol and Vail Mountain.
Henry passed away in 2022 but his legacy lives on at Henry’s Hut and he paved the way for many more pooches to follow in his paw prints. Vail Mountain celebrates these dogs and hosts Dine with the Dogs on Sundays throughout the season. This Sunday marks a special event where more dogs will be out doing drills and will be ready for photo ops. Helly Hansen will also provide awesome giveaways like clothing and backpacks. There will be complimentary hot dogs and cookies, also.
Dine with the Dogs happens this Sunday from 10:30 until 11:30 a.m. and ski patrollers will be available to chat with you about the dogs or they can answer other questions, so take some time to learn about these fascinating dogs and get to know the ski patrollers and the interesting tasks they perform to keep the mountain safe for all. For more information go to the events calendar on Vail.com.
Chicago Teen Edition
The Battle Mountain High School Players have been rehearsing since January 10 to get ready for its spring production of “Chicago Teen Edition” and are now ready for the public to view performances from now through Saturday night. 29 students are in the cast with an additional 12 students serving as the crew. The plot follows Roxy Hart, her husband Amos and Velma Kelly and the rest of the cast as they delve into themes of manipulation, fame and the blurred lines between truth and fiction.
“We selected ‘Chicago Teen Edition’ as it challenges both performers and audiences alike. Its satirical commentary on the justice system and media obsession with celebrity status provides ample opportunity for thought-provoking discussions,” said Levi Walker, choir and theater director at Battle Mountain High School. “Despite being set in the 1920s, ‘Chicago Teen Edition’ remains relevant today. Its themes of celebrity culture and media manipulation are still very much prevalent in contemporary society.”
Enjoy the singing and choreographed moves to songs like “All That Jazz,” and “Cell Block Tango” and get transported to a different era through the costumes and set. The entire production is a huge commitment from all parties involved. The students have ramped up both their dedication and their focus in the past few weeks, but it is a labor of love for the students and provides lifelong skills.
“As young artists, they cultivate the essential skills of collaboration, effective communication, and teamwork, all in pursuit of a shared purpose,” Walker said. “Ultimately, theater serves as a powerful teacher, imparting invaluable qualities of confidence and creativity that often elude conventional educational settings.”
Performances are held at the Battle Mountain High School auditorium at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Tickets range from $5.00 to $15.00 and can be purchased at BMHSPlayers.com.
