Get ready for one last fling in the snow before Spring threatens to close down Vail's famous slopes. The Spring Back to Vail is a celebration of the change of seasons, and the end of yet another great ski season in Vail, Colorado. Besides the free concerts, street parties, and free BBQ, this week is also known for its reduced lodging package and lift ticket rates. This year the event starts on Monday, April 12th, and runs through the following Sunday, April 18th, 2010.

One of the greatest spectacles during Spring Back to Vail, is the signature event known as the World Pond Skimming Championships, kicking off Saturday, April 17th at Golden Peak. If you have never had the pleasure as either a competitor or spectator in this event, it can be summed up as crazy skiers wearing outlandish costumes and attempting to skim across 39 degree water. Suffice to say, gravity usually wins out over this competition and many of the competitors end up sinking more often than skimming, but that's all part of the fun.

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If you are at all a movie buff, the annual Vail Film Festival is a perfect time to head up to the Rocky Mountains for some world-class skiing, top notch independent film viewing, and a chance to hobnob with some of your favorite stars. The Vail Film Festival was born on April 1st, 2004 by the Colorado Film Institute. It's first year drew in 5,000 guests, 60 films (including the premier of Before Sunset, starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delphy), and received positive reviews from all those who attended. The festival continues to grow each year, with now over 1,000 film submissions, 12,000 attendees, 250 filmmakers, and 75 films packed into 4 full days of nothing but film screenings, receptions, parties, and concerts.

Some of the highlights over the previous Vail Film Festivals have include My Date with Drew (Drew Barrymore), Kung Fu Hustle, House of D (David Duchovny, Robin Williams), The Wendell Baker Story (Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Eva Mendes, Will Ferrell), The Oh in Ohio (Danny DeVito, Mischa Barton), American Dreamz (Dennis Quaid, Hugh Grant, Mandy Moore), and The Sasquatch Dumpling Gang (Napoleon Dynamite film-makers). Last years event brought in writer/director Kevin Smith (Dogma, Clerks, Chasing Amy) and actress Michelle Monaghan (Mission Impossible, Eagle Eye, Trucker) as honorary attendees, so you just never know who's going to show up.

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Prepare your palate for an overload of aromas, tastes, and exotic flavors at the Taste of Vail. Each year, local restaurants and the nations top vineyards get together to showcase the best of the best in both food and drink in the Vail Valley.

This year is the 20th Annual Taste of Vail, and the festivities begin on Wednesday, April 7th at 9 AM. Later that afternoon from 3:30 to 6:30 PM, is the Lamb Cook-Off, featuring a sampling of some of the best lamb dishes the valley's chefs can dish out. In addition, there will be a heap of wineries offering the perfect complimentary wines to go along with each dish.

Thursday, April 8th, from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM will be a series of various seminars open to guests. From 3:30 PM to 6:00 PM, is the Apres Ski Tasting Party, featuring wine tasting from all points of the world, including Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Shiraz, Reisling, and Zinfandel.

On Friday, April 9th, a seminar opens the early morning, followed by the Mountain Top Picnic from 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM. Some of Vail's finest restaurants will prepare an assortment of lunch menus served picnic style on top of the scenic 10,350 foot Eagles Nest gondola. Everything is served outdoors, so dress warm. There will also be a variety of wines on hand to wash down the meal and warm the belly.

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The 2010 American Ski Classic, heads back to Vail from March 18th through the 21st. The Ski Classic is the original Pro/AM celebrity ski event, and always includes some of the biggest names in racing history. The way the event works, is Friday, March 19th marks the Volvo Legends of Skiing Giant Slalom, where the old rivalry's between Olympic, World, and World Cup Champions are rekindled in an all out battle.

Last years celebrity/legend guest list included the likes of: Jim "Moose" Barrows (U.S. Ski Team), Brenda Buglione (NCAA All-American Skier, Host of Snow Motion on Fox), Billy Kid (First U.S. male to win an Olympic medal), Franz Klammer (25 World Cup downhill victories), Brigitte Oertli (10-year veteran of Swiss women's team), and Fritz Strobl (2002 Olympic gold medalist).

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Who says that you have to go to New Orleans to enjoy the Mardi Gras? The Mardi Gras can be celebrated anywhere, and that is exactly the attitude Vail had when they decided to host their own Carnivail. Each year, Vail Village opens Bridge Street (their version of Bourbon Street) to some good old fashioned Cajun/Creole cooking, and Mardi Gras type entertainment. It has free entertainment (Fat Tuesday Parade, music), costumes, beads, and plenty of boiled crawfish. This year the celebration will begin on Sunday, February 14th (Valentines Day) and continue through Tuesday the 16th (a.k.a. Fat Tuesday).

For those who like to travel incognito, the masquerade bar crawl allows party goers the chance to party Las Vegas style, meaning, what happens in Carnivail while wearing a mask, stays in Carnivail! The recommended attire is anything purple, green, or gold, and bonus shouts go out to all those that can incorporate all three. The Taste of New Orleans is the local restaurants portion of the event. All throughout Vail Village you will find various food specials, featuring the exotic tastes of authentic Cajun/Creole cooking. Last year, part of the proceeds to this event went to Katrina victims, helping families to recoup their lives.

The last day of the celebration, Tuesday, February 16th, will kick off later in the afternoon with their annual crowning of the King and Queen. This is usually followed by the King Cake Eating Contest, and concluded with the quintessential Fat Tuesday Parade. A $1,000 prize will go to the best parade float, which ensures some pretty steep competition each year from the participants. A free concert will proceed through the remaining evening hours, along with free give-aways, plenty of alcohol spirits, and more boiled crawfish than you could shovel into a 1970's Cadillac.

The celebration and atmosphere is entirely family friendly, so come one, come all, and enjoy this Carnivail!

This year marks the tenth annual Big Beers, Barleywines Festival in Vail, and will prove to be a ski and beer lovers dream weekend, whether you are a dedicated homebrewer, professional brewer, or glorified brewmaster. Prepare to surround yourself among some of the most breathtaking scenery in the Rocky Mountains, some of the best skiing in the nation, and some of the most innovative beers the world has to offer.

Being its tenth anniversary celebration, this yearly festival promises to top anything it has ever done for previous years. There will be hundreds of fresh tapped brews from all over the world (mostly 7% alcohol and higher), several 10th annual commemorative brews, which will be tapped during the welcome reception, and discounts for all attendees on lodging, food, and ski and snowboard rentals.

Thursday, January 7th, 2010, will mark the opening day for the festival, and it will kick-off with the calibration dinner, with co-hosts, Adam Avery of Avery Brewing Company, and Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Brewing. Friday afternoon, January 8th, will offer up beer seminars, Certified Cicerone exams, and the 10th annual commemorative beer tasting, which will feature various one-of-a-kind brews on tap, which may or may not be released to the general public once the festival is over.

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Vail Snow Daze is the place to be every December for an entire week of skiing, partying, and free entertainment. Traditionally, this event marks the opening of the ski season for the Vail mountains (weather permitting), and is accompanied by the "Beat the Olympian" Ski Race, and Dummy Gelunde World Championships (a.k.a Dummy Demolition Derby).

The Dummy Gelunde is perhaps one of the more outrageous events held each year, consisting of several teams challenged to construct an original dummy (anything from a person to a bathtub), put it on skis or a snowboard, send it off a large jump, and then see what happens. Other popular events for the week include free ski and snowboard demos, a camera phone photography contest, and snowball eating contest.

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There is only one venue in North America where a ski enthusiast can witness a World Cup Men's Downhill race live and in the flesh, and that's the Bird's of Prey World Cup, located in Beaver Creek/Vail, Colorado. A little history behind the event: The racecourse was designed by the Olympic gold medalist, Bernard Russi (Switzerland), built in the summer of 1997, and was put to the test for the 1999 World Alpine Ski Championships. An estimated 20,000 spectators filled the hillside to watch U.S. downhill racing make history that year. Australian, Hermann Maier, walked away with the championship, and will be back again this year to regain the 10th Anniversary of his title.

The Birds of Prey racecourse is one of the top five in the world, and attracts top skiers from all corners of the earth. A few of the popular favorites to keep your eye on for this years competition is three time Birds of Prey winner, Aksel Lund Svindal; Olympic medalist, Bode Miller (also with 3 Birds of Prey wins); 9-time World Cup winner, Didier Cuche; Olympic medalist, Ted Ligety; 4-time Olympic medalist, Benjamin Raich; 14-time World Cup winner, Michael Walchhofer; and 4-time Olympic medalist, Hermann Maier (also with 6 Birds of Prey wins).
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It’s time to strap on your snowshoes and head out to one of Colorado’s finest at the Opening Day at Vail for the 2009 season. Vail Mountain is scheduled to open up shop on November 20th, 2009, and so far the weather looks primo for this goal. The artsy suites at Vail make for an enticing getaway in the summer or winter seasons, and hold incredible views of the Vail Mountain. Visitors come from far and wide to witness the natural beauty of Vail and to take part in the festivities of the Opening Day at Vail.

This gorgeous resort is for the athletically inclined and has great programs and promotions during the beginning of the season for their sports center as well as ski instructions from their revered team of teachers. Opening Day at Vail Mountain will feature great packages for lodging and of course the ever famous spa at Vail. After a long day of skin damaging winter conditions, it’s important to take care of yourself. That’s why Opening Day at Vail will be chock full of great spa experiences for you and the whole crew. You can’t attend the Opening Day at Vail without trying the ever impressive Terrace Bistro. This mixed culture dining location always tantalizes their guest’s taste buds with great creations from the area’s best chefs and pastry masters.

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Even the pickiest eaters can find something desirable in Vail restaurants. Basic cuisines to special mountain treats are conveniently located throughout Vail.

Here are some laid-back Vail restaurants on the cheap:

1.  Bagali’s Italian Restaurant
     2161 N Frontage Road W
     Vail, CO 81657
     970-479-9242

     Enjoy casual dining and all of your Italian favorites at Bagali’s. From margarita pizza to lasagna to tiramisu for dessert, you’ll be sure to get a comforting meal after your workout in the snow. Feel like keeping it light? Try one of their salads.

2.  Big Bear Bistro
     304 Hanson Ranch Road
     Vail, CO 81657
     970-476-1755

     Big Bear Bistro—or B-cubed, as the locals call it—is a great breakfast and lunch spot. It boasts the best gourmet sandwiches in town, as well as premium coffee and tea. B-cubed offers daily specials and a local-vibe to make your meal experience tasty and relaxing.

3.  Billy’s Island Grill
     610 W. Lionshead Circle
     Vail, CO 81657
     970-476-8811

     Sometimes you just need a steak, right? How about a steak at a reasonable price? Even better! Billy’s Island Grill is the only Vail restaurant that features hand-carved steaks, along with prime rib, seafood, pasta, and chicken specialties. Billy’s is also the home of the largest salad bar in Vail.

Fancy up your dining experience with these Vail restaurants:

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