Eldora brings the snow, Subarus, s'mores and songs
TerraCycle Include USA Subaru
WinterFest 'the biggest live music event' the resort has hosted
By Kalene McCort
Staff Writer
POSTED: 03/21/2019 10:24:47 PM MDT | UPDATED: ABOUT 10 HOURS AGO
Subaru Winterfest is making a tour stop at Eldora today through Sunday, with plenty of swag, music and festival fun in tow.
After a two-month, nine-mountain stop across the United States, the free music festival tour makes its final stop in Boulder County this weekend.
The weekend event, orchestrated in part by ski resort operating company Powdr, will bring live music, outdoor gear demos and eats from a diverse array of vendors. This will be WinterFest's second year stopping at Eldora and the eco-conscious event aims to attract snowboarders, skiers, music fans and winter enthusiasts looking to hit the mountain, catch some tunes and peruse the latest in adventure swag.
"This year's Subaru WinterFest is the biggest live music event that Eldora has ever hosted," said Sam Bass, marketing director at Eldora, "and the lineup fits so well with Eldora's low-key, rootsy vibe. Above all, we're looking forward to showcasing Eldora as an awesome music venue in addition to being Boulder County's backyard ski area. It's always been the easiest place for skiers and riders from the northern Front Range to do what they love and now it's on the map as a fantastic spot to see music in Colorado's great outdoors.”
California country rockers Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Montana bluegrass band The Lil Smokies and Colorado's Trout Steak Revival fill out the music lineup throughout the weekend.
"I'm ready to play outside — sun or snow," said Travis McNamara, banjoist and singer of Denver-based bluegrass band Trout Steak Revival. The band takes the stage at 2:30 p.m. today "It is one of the few things unique to our genre — it's outdoors music."
Performing at Subaru WinterFest is a special thrill for Trout Steak Revival, not only because the venue is practically in the band's backyard, but because of the musicians' ties to the automotive sponsor.
"Three of the five band members drive Subarus," said McNamara. "We are a walking cliché. And yes, we did our first tour to the Midwest many moons ago in two cars, one of which was a Subaru Outback and housed a 90-pound golden retriever named Luna, who would breathe on you for the whole trip."
"Since the show is so close to home, we will all be going back home to sleep in our own beds," added Bevin Foley, fiddler and vocalist for Trout Steak Revival. "We leave next week for a Midwest tour and recharging at home is always something to take advantage of when we can."
In addition to the live music performances courtesy of electronics giant Harman Kardon, SiriusXM Radio will be playing the latest from emerging artists and DJs at various hangout zones throughout the resort. Guests can win with daily drawings featuring $3,000 in prizes — and they can also kick back in one of the numerous hammocks dotted throughout the property.
"I have played a few shows at Timbers [Tap Room and Coffee in Eldora] and it's great to be up in that neck of the woods," said Foley. "I have spent a lot of time in that area of the world. I used to work at Blue Owl Books in Nederland and lived in Ward for a little while, so it is great to get up to Eldora and see some really close friends."
Cars, swag and sustainability
While no test driving will be allowed, attendees can check out the latest Subaru models, including the 2019 Forester Sport and the three-row Subaru Ascent. The Ascent, the largest Subaru yet, features flexible seating for up to eight passengers and all-wheel drive. Subaru owners can take advantage of VIP parking for easy access to the lift and lodge. And locally, in celebration of WinterFest, Boulder's Flatirons Subaru is offering a limited amount of two free Eldora lift tickets to those who visit the retailer at 5995 Arapahoe Ave., for a test drive.
The festival will feature cups of joe from Portland's Stumptown Coffee and gourmet s'mores — courtesy of Boulder's Chocolove and California's Smashmallow — around Solo Stove fire pits. There will also be a chance for people to test out the latest gear from Nordica, Lib Tech, Thule, Klean Kanteen.
"It's an honor and a privilege to get to play music for a living, so we try to bring our positivity and connect with the crowd at every show," said McNamara. "We've also been recording a new album, due out this fall, so we'll be mixing in some new material. Should be fun."
This year's festival puts its emphasis on green living, with demos from nonprofit Leave No Trace — a company that has origins (and an office) in Boulder. Leave No Trace is celebrating its 25th anniversary and will have a booth set up Saturday and Sunday that will feature interactive games and trivia, Bass said.
"[They] will be providing information about how people can enjoy the outdoors responsibly," said Bass, "whether that's attending an outdoor festival, backpacking, enjoying winter sports, river rafting — you name it."
Klean Kanteen will be giving away stainless steel drinking vessels for the duration of the weekend and TerraCycle will provide the recycling stations.
"We're in the business of delivering memorable experiences in beautiful places and that's why all of us who work at Eldora ended up here," said Bass. "We love seeing smiles on the faces of our guests and knowing that we're helping them spend meaningful time with their loved ones, outdoors, in an amazing local place like Eldora."
Subaru Winterfest is making a tour stop at Eldora today through Sunday, with plenty of swag, music and festival fun in tow.
After a two-month, nine-mountain stop across the United States, the free music festival tour makes its final stop in Boulder County this weekend.
The weekend event, orchestrated in part by ski resort operating company Powdr, will bring live music, outdoor gear demos and eats from a diverse array of vendors. This will be WinterFest's second year stopping at Eldora and the eco-conscious event aims to attract snowboarders, skiers, music fans and winter enthusiasts looking to hit the mountain, catch some tunes and peruse the latest in adventure swag.
"This year's Subaru WinterFest is the biggest live music event that Eldora has ever hosted," said Sam Bass, marketing director at Eldora, "and the lineup fits so well with Eldora's low-key, rootsy vibe. Above all, we're looking forward to showcasing Eldora as an awesome music venue in addition to being Boulder County's backyard ski area. It's always been the easiest place for skiers and riders from the northern Front Range to do what they love and now it's on the map as a fantastic spot to see music in Colorado's great outdoors.”
California country rockers Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Montana bluegrass band The Lil Smokies and Colorado's Trout Steak Revival fill out the music lineup throughout the weekend.
"I'm ready to play outside — sun or snow," said Travis McNamara, banjoist and singer of Denver-based bluegrass band Trout Steak Revival. The band takes the stage at 2:30 p.m. today "It is one of the few things unique to our genre — it's outdoors music."
Performing at Subaru WinterFest is a special thrill for Trout Steak Revival, not only because the venue is practically in the band's backyard, but because of the musicians' ties to the automotive sponsor.
"Three of the five band members drive Subarus," said McNamara. "We are a walking cliché. And yes, we did our first tour to the Midwest many moons ago in two cars, one of which was a Subaru Outback and housed a 90-pound golden retriever named Luna, who would breathe on you for the whole trip."
"Since the show is so close to home, we will all be going back home to sleep in our own beds," added Bevin Foley, fiddler and vocalist for Trout Steak Revival. "We leave next week for a Midwest tour and recharging at home is always something to take advantage of when we can."
In addition to the live music performances courtesy of electronics giant Harman Kardon, SiriusXM Radio will be playing the latest from emerging artists and DJs at various hangout zones throughout the resort. Guests can win with daily drawings featuring $3,000 in prizes — and they can also kick back in one of the numerous hammocks dotted throughout the property.
"I have played a few shows at Timbers [Tap Room and Coffee in Eldora] and it's great to be up in that neck of the woods," said Foley. "I have spent a lot of time in that area of the world. I used to work at Blue Owl Books in Nederland and lived in Ward for a little while, so it is great to get up to Eldora and see some really close friends."
Cars, swag and sustainability
While no test driving will be allowed, attendees can check out the latest Subaru models, including the 2019 Forester Sport and the three-row Subaru Ascent. The Ascent, the largest Subaru yet, features flexible seating for up to eight passengers and all-wheel drive. Subaru owners can take advantage of VIP parking for easy access to the lift and lodge. And locally, in celebration of WinterFest, Boulder's Flatirons Subaru is offering a limited amount of two free Eldora lift tickets to those who visit the retailer at 5995 Arapahoe Ave., for a test drive.
The festival will feature cups of joe from Portland's Stumptown Coffee and gourmet s'mores — courtesy of Boulder's Chocolove and California's Smashmallow — around Solo Stove fire pits. There will also be a chance for people to test out the latest gear from Nordica, Lib Tech, Thule, Klean Kanteen.
"It's an honor and a privilege to get to play music for a living, so we try to bring our positivity and connect with the crowd at every show," said McNamara. "We've also been recording a new album, due out this fall, so we'll be mixing in some new material. Should be fun."
This year's festival puts its emphasis on green living, with demos from nonprofit Leave No Trace — a company that has origins (and an office) in Boulder. Leave No Trace is celebrating its 25th anniversary and will have a booth set up Saturday and Sunday that will feature interactive games and trivia, Bass said.
"[They] will be providing information about how people can enjoy the outdoors responsibly," said Bass, "whether that's attending an outdoor festival, backpacking, enjoying winter sports, river rafting — you name it."
Klean Kanteen will be giving away stainless steel drinking vessels for the duration of the weekend and TerraCycle will provide the recycling stations.
"We're in the business of delivering memorable experiences in beautiful places and that's why all of us who work at Eldora ended up here," said Bass. "We love seeing smiles on the faces of our guests and knowing that we're helping them spend meaningful time with their loved ones, outdoors, in an amazing local place like Eldora."