Aspen Gay Ski Week celebrates 48 years of Pride and inclusivity

What began as an argument over two men dancing with one another in a local Aspen bar circa 1977 has morphed into Aspen Gay Ski Week (ASGW). It all began with informal annual meetups and parties and has turned into the biggest and most influential nonprofit LGBTQ+ ski week in the world. And its 48^th year is shaping up to be the biggest yet, with an estimated 5,000 attendees expected to descend upon the Roaring Fork Valley between Jan. 12-19. The event also happens to be AspenOUT’s biggest fundraiser.

“Aspen Gay Ski Week is the most popular week of the year, hands down,” says Melissa Temple, president of AspenOUT, a nonprofit that supports LGBTQ+ organizations throughout the nation. “No one knows how to have a party like gay people. The town is just happy, restaurants are abuzz and joyful, the mountain is fun, and everyone is welcome to come out and play.”

Since 1996, AspenOUT has supported LGBTQ+ organizations like the Matthew Shepard Foundation, The Trevor Project, and Human Rights Campaign. It also funds hundreds of hours of free mental health counseling in the valley.

---

---

This season, some of the money generated by AGSW’s parties, drag queen bingo, mountaintop dances, high-speed costume contests, and comedy also supports a new scholarship program for Roaring Fork Valley LGBTQIA+ teens.

When Temple was first approached to join the board of AspenOUT and take the helm of Gay Ski Week, she was reluctant because she “didn’t want to take on an organization that was for bearded men, by bearded men.” She ultimately accepted, aiming to make the event more inclusive for “gay, male, female, straight, whatever.”

---

---

She credits the team she enlisted, led by event director and executive producer Kimberly Kuglia, for expertly executing that vision and turning Gay Ski Week into a sexy premium event and brand, where everyone feels welcome.

“One of the big things this year is absolutely inclusivity,” Kuglia says. “Something that’s really important to us, and we’re really pushing, are for women and those who identify as women, as well as the entire LGBTQIA+ spectrum, to come out and ski. And if you are not a skier, we have so many other activities to participate in while here in Aspen.”

This year, guests can expect the same well-produced and beloved experiences, such as daily après ski, friendship dinners, the Caribou Club benefit, and the Top of the Mountain White Party — just kicked up a notch.

The popular Friday afternoon Downhill Costume Competition is a Gay Ski Week tradition. Each year, thousands of fans watch as contestants in wildly creative ensembles zoom on their skis past the judges. San Diego-based drag queen Mariam T leads the panel on Aspen Mountain. Mariam T is self-described as San Diego’s “crankiest drag queen.”

Additionally, AGSW offers many events for womxn including, for the first time, a womxn’s pass.

“Everybody is invited to every party. But if womxn are wanting a more mellow atmosphere where they can meet other womxn, this will be the place to go. And, then, this is the first year we’ve had a woman’s pass where we’re doing a Thursday night event at the W at the Grotto, and then Friday night will be a reception at the rooftop of the MOLLIE.”

Due to the popularity of the week — and to accommodate the influx of more attendees this year — Kuglia and her team have added several new events and reworked some favorites to ensure there is plenty on offer for anyone who cares to participate, including families and those who lead a sober or sober-curious lifestyle.

“We’re also working on wellness events, like fireside chats, an urban hike with Merrill, and some sober events. We’re trying to be kind of like South by Southwest, where there’s something for everybody,” Kuglia says.

While Gay Ski Week is one of the bigger parties of the year, Kevin McManamon, executive director of AspenOUT, wants everyone to remember it’s also a fundraiser, which provides crucial support to the local LGBTQIA+ communityand beyond.

“Our sales for Aspen Gay Ski Week last year were over $1 million, and the event has a huge economic impact on the Aspen/Snowmass community.” McManamon says. “We give money nationally; we give money statewide. And then, of course, we have our own programs that we fund, like mental health, education, scholarship programs, and all of the sponsorships that we give to other organizations that aren’t necessarily Q+ but are doing similar work.

McManamon says that AspenOUT has seen a greater need due to the coming of age and more mainstream acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community. It’s a responsibility that AGSW and AspenOUT strive to execute in bigger and better ways every year while providing a dynamic week of entertainment and events.

“Aspen Gay Ski Week is Aspen Pride. Aspen Pride is in January,” he explains. “It’s so much fun. It’s so beautiful. The whole town gets behind us. The camaraderie is unbelievable.”

For more info and a schedule: gayskiweek.com

This story is from AspenTimes.com.