Where to Ski And Snowboard -

It’s festival time!

17th February 2012, by Chris Gill

Rock on... (c) Portes du Soleil Tourism

The second half of the season means longer days on the slopes and warmer (generally!) weather; it’s also festival time, whether it’s music to guide you around, comedy to have you in stitches or simply one big party to liven up the holiday. If that does not appeal, then you’ll not want to read this – unless you are planning a trip and want to avoid the following!

Mountain and Valley Festival – Aviemore, Scotland

24-26 February 2012

Closer to home, the home of Cairngorm mountain will be filled with a weekend of laughter and music, raising money for charity – including Disability Snowsport UK. There will be plenty of action on the slopes too, with competitions, music and freestyle events (snow permitting)

The venue: Aviemore is home town base to Cairngorm Mountain, one of the most snow sure ski areas in Scotland. A bustling town, a short bus ride or car drive from the ski centre, Aviemore is where most people base themselves. You can arrive by train too. The slopes have a lot to offer in good snow conditions; but even in a poor snow year, there is normally something open for hardy intermediates and experienced skiers.

Entrance to the music festival costs £20, and £15 for the comedy night.

Links: www.cairngormmountain.org

Rock the Pistes – Portes du Soleil, France

24-28 March 2012

Back for its second year, this festival brings together great music that you can access on your area lift pass. Free concerts are held throughout the Portes du Soleil resorts, each appealing to different tastes. Festival-goers are sent a text message the day prior to a concert, so that they can ski over to the stage if they wish. All you need is your lift pass.

The venue: The extensive Portes du Soleil offers a wealth of skiing and a choice of resorts, from purpose-built and high altitude Avoriaz, to quaint, family-friendly Les Gets. The cross-border slopes are shared with several pretty Swiss resorts too, so you can ski one or both countries during your stay.

Links: Rockthepistes.com

Cover Ski Festival – Val di Sole, Italy

18-23 March 2012

Are you a 70’s rock chick? Or like shaking your tail feather to some uptempo blues? Well, this could be a stroll down memory lane if you are skiing Marilleva and neighbours at the end of March. Three top tribute bands will be punching out the tunes of legendary rock artists, with Queen, the Blues Brothers and ZZ Top … and more. The gigs take place after lunch and in the evenings at local pubs.

The main ones are:

*Sunday 18 March in PEIO at 13:30
 ZZ LOCOS (Tribute to ZZ TOP) *Wednesday 21 March in FOLGARIDA-MARILLEVA at 13:30 
BROTHERS IN BLACK (Tribute to BLUES BROTHERS) *Friday 23 March in PASSO TONALE at 13:30 
THE VIPERS (Tribute to QUEEN)

The venue: Not quite the area you would expect for a rock festival on the snow, but Marilleva and its Brenta Dolomite area, Passo Tonale and tiny Peio will host the gigs. These resorts offer good intermediate skiing beneath stunning scenery.

Links: www.thebigsnowfestival.com

Altitude Comedy Festival – Mayrhofen, Austria

26-31 March 2012

The Altitude Festival is buzzing with comedy talent, DJs, and musicians. The festival brings together the biggest stars in comedy, such as Jimmy Carr, Frankie Boyle. Ed Byrne and Al Murray to Mayrhofen this year. It’s good evening entertainment after a day on the slopes.

The venue: Mayrhofen in the Zillertal has plenty of action to occupy all ages. There’s around 160km of relatively snow sure local slopes, plus the rest of the valley to explore, including the Hintetux glacier, and a choice of quiet villages or centrally lively town.

Links: www.altitudefestival.com

Big Snow Festival – Sauze d’Oulx, Italy

25 March – 1 April 2012

From Andorra to Italy, the new venue for Europe’s newest party on the snow, the Big Snow Festival, is Sauze d’Oulx. The festival combines music, dance and snow-themed events, with a long line-up of DJ’s to spin the latest tunes.

The venue: Sauze d’Oulx is part of the vast Milky Way region sharing lots of skiing with Sestriere over the hill. Recently more investment has helped to improve lift infrastructure in the area. Dedicated high mileage skiers can get over to Montgenèvre in France.

Links: www.bigsnowfestival.com

The Electric Mountain Festival – Sölden, Austria

9-21 April 2012

Sölden will host a fantastic mix of music, mountains, snow and skiing over several weekends in April. Already a popular après-ski party town, this resort will showcase the world’s highest turntables at 2670m with the Rettenbach Glacier providing the unique backdrop. On 19 April, Dj Dany S, featuring Brit Tara McDonald performs at the Bierhimml.  The ‘In Bed with Space Tour’ with DJ Kid Chris and Sua Amoa brings a bit of Ibiza to the Alps on 20 April – if you like that sort of thing..

The venue: Sölden, although a bit on the British radar, is alongside St Anton and Ischgl for deep-rooted après-ski fun. The place is lively but should be wider known for its long intermediate runs, two snow sure glacier areas and some big terrain; not to mention fast lifts and a delightful smattering of good huts.

Staying there: 5 nights’ accommodation on B&B, including 4 day ski pass and admission to David Guetta starts from €448 per person. Innsbruck is served daily by Easyjet (www.easyjet.com) from Gatwick, Liverpool and Bristol and by British Airways (www.ba.com) from Gatwick.

Links: www.electric-mountain-festival.com

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