SolShine Music Festival – Winter Park, CO

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Chris

Winter Park Resort – SolShine Music Fest

The American Music Festival is making a return to Winter Park, Colorado, now called the Winter Park Solshine Music Festival. This may be in name only but it sure does bring back great memories of the American Music Fest held on the slopes of Winter Park Resort from the mid 19190′s to the early 2000′s. The AMF brought to Colorado some of the biggest and best music acts of the day and still some of the best know artists around . Check out the AMF concert poster to the right and see Widespread Panic, Brian Setzer and Ani DiFranco…. Wow, I wish we could get these artists back to Winter Park now!

The new SolShine Music Festival will be held in the Town of Winter Park at the Hideaway Park amphitheater and at Cooper Creek Square. The dates are July 16th and 17th, the weekend before the Winter Park Jazz Festival, another great week here in Winter Park for some live music.

Line-up for Winter Park Solshine Music Festival:

Saturday, July 16, 2011 – at Hideaway Park

The Subdudes – click here to listen
Punch Brothers – click here to listen
Trampled By Turtles – click here to listen
Elizabeth Cook – click here to listen
Blind Pilot – click here to listen

Sunday, July 17, 2011 (Cooper Creek Square)
Gregory Alan Isakov – click here to listen
Johan Wagner – click here to listen
Megan Burtt – click here to listen
Reed Foehl – click here to listen
Ramaya Soskin – click here to listen

Admission is free for general admission and $25 for VIP section in the restricted area at the front of the stage.

If you are looking to come up to the mountains this summer this is a wonderful time. Mountain biking is aplenty and the temperatures are perfect. There are no 100° Denver and Front Range summer days up her in Winter Park. Make your plans now to see some fun music and get up to the Rocky Mountains this summer. Let Winter Park Lodging Company make your trip fun and hassle free.

Winter Park Jazz Festival Lineup 2011

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Chris

jazz festival lineup winter park colorado Winter Park, Colorado Jazz Festival Artist Lineup

The artist lineup has been announced for the 2011 Winter Park Jazz Festival. This is the twenty sixth edition of the WP Jazz Festival and the lineup looks very, very good.

This year the festival is being held July 23rd and 24th and is the highlight of the Winter Park summer concert series. (Check out the poster for the tenth jazz festival to the left)

The 2011 Winter Park Jazz Festival Lineup

Saturday, July 23

OJay’s
Najee
Alex Bugnon with Special Guest Nelson Rangell
Dotsero

Sunday, July 24
Dave Koz
Will Downing
Arturo Sandoval
Hot 8 Brass Band

Tickets go on sale on April 1st at 9am. Call: 888-409-5974 for more information from the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce.

Ticket and Package Pricing

Gold Circle Seating Package $100*

The Closest chair seating to stage available
A private entrance for Gold Circle Members
Lunch in the Private “Stage Left” tent including two beverages of your choice at the “Stage Left” bar
All day access to Stage Left Tent including a private cash bar
*$110 Day of Pricing

Plaza Party Seating Package $100*

Top level chair seating with shade coverage
A private entrance for Plaza Party Members
Lunch in the Private “Stage Left” tent including two beverages of your choice at the “Stage Left” bar or the Plaza Complex Private Bar
Access to Plaza Complex Cash Private Bar
All day access to Stage Left Tent including a private cash bar & access to an additional Private Cash Bar in Plaza Complex
*$110 Day of Pricing

VIP Seating Ticket $45*

Priority Chair seating close to stage
*$50 Day of Pricing

General Admission Ticket $35*

Lawn Seating
*$40 Day of Event

Get your Winter Park Jazz Festival lodging now for the preferred and closest digs. Don’t miss this years hottest summer concert in Winter Park , Colorado.

Children Skiing Winter Park Resort, Colorado

Posted on March 22, 2011 by Chris

Learning to Ski Winter Park, CO

Here is out latest ski video here at Winter Park Resort, Colorado’s Favorite. We are highlighting children and the youngsters learning to swoosh down the hill this segment. The above video is staring WPLCo’s very own and my very own twins, Nicholas & Willem. This is Nicholas & Willem’s second year skiing and they are now able to ski from the very top of Winter Park Resort to the very bottom with only a little help from mom and dad.

The Winter Park Ski School and ski teacher Rosie have done great work with these two little tykes this year. The boys took a a series of four ski lessons with Rosie this January that totally turned around the skiing learning curve. They wen’t from heading straight downhill with no interest in slowing, stopping or turning to being able ski freely downhill stopping on command and turning pretty much anywhere they would like to go.

If you have kids or have someone that is learning to ski, Winter Park Ski School is a great investment of your time and money. A couple of days with group or private lessons will turn your skiing/boarding skills around and get you enjoying being on the slopes. As we learned with our twins trying to teach your kids yourself usually is not a good idea time-wise or for family unity. Going skiing with kids let a professional teach them and parents can have a peace of mind that they are being taken care of and being taught the proper way to ski and board.

Check out Nicholas and Willem skiing Winter Park at 2 years of age and look how far the little boogers have progressed.

Winter Park Restaurant Review – Back Country Grill

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Chris

Back Country Grill – Winter Park, Colorado

We had a chance to hit the town, sans the two rabble rousing twins, this weekend and our dinner plans brought us to The Back Country Grill for a night out with WP locals and some visitors from Nashville, TN. We hadn’t been to BCG for over a year and it was good to see how things have been going for them since the change in ownership before this ski season. Brad and Emily took over from original owner Bob this past October.

We hit BCG about 7PM and it was busy busy as all of Winter Park was jumpin’ with a Saturday night full of Spring breakers. We had a table waiting so we were able to sit down right away and enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail. We had some grilled scallops and a quirky nacho dish for appetizers. Scallops were great but the nachos as I said were a little odd.

For dinner the table ordered a steak salad, mahi fish special, elk medallions, 2 Cowboy Cut Rib-eyes. The steaks were big, juicy and delicious and the other foods looked great and there were only compliments for the food. We enjoyed a couple of bottles of wine with dinner and the wine list was value priced and quality was good. Service was a tad slow, but hey it was one of the busiest nights this ski season in Winter Park.

Back Country Grill did not disappoint and we had a fine evening out on the town. Brad and Emily are opening a wine and tapas bar next door to BCG called Emelie’s, which will be a great addition to bar/restaurant scene here in Winter Park, Colorado. Overall, we had a great night and we would recommend Back Country Grill for a nice night out on the town with a perfect steak and bottle of wine.

78941 US Hwy 40

Winter Park, CO, 80482

Hours

Mon – Sun:

4:30 pm

10:00 pm

About

2 for 1 bottled beer and wine by the glass and 25 % off apps 4:30-6 Daily on the deck or at the chef’s counter!

Price Range	$$ (10-30)
Parking	Street Parking Lot
Public Transit	Winter Park Shuttle
Attire	Casual
Payment Options	Accepts all major credit cards
Services	Takes Reservations Walk-Ins Welcome Good For Kids Waiter Service Outdoor Seating
Specialties	Dinner Drinks

Phone	970-726-5557

April Recipe of the Month from Winter Park, CO

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Valarie

Check out another great recipe from Winter Park Lodging Company. This month we’ve got super healthy, and delicious, AMAZING pancakes that are perfect for a pre-ski breakfast. Fill up the family with these to keep them satisfied and energized all morning long on the mountain.

Mix in a large mixing bowl:

1 C. cornmeal
1/2 C. whole wheat flour
1/2 C. white flour
1/2 C. wheat germ
1/4 C. whole oatmeal
1/4 C.oat bran
2tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. walnuts

In separate bowl mix:

1/4 C. brown sugar
3/8 C.(measurement sounds crazy but that is what was given to me) Canola oil
3 eggs
Blend this then add:
2 C. buttermilk

Preparation:

Add the wet ingredients to dry mix and blend. Let batter rise for 10 minutes. Stir with wooden spoon and let rise another 5 minutes. Cook at 335 degrees on a lightly greased griddle. Cook 4 minutes on first side and 2 to 3 minutes on second side. Serve with fresh fruit and your favorite syrup or other topping. ENJOY!

Spring Splash at Winter Park Resort

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Chris

Spring Skiing Winter Park, Colorado

Spring break time is here and it seems the weather has heard and we are now in full spring skiing swing. We here at WInter Park Lodging Company were able to get out to the slopes and we hit 40°. There is nothing betetr than skiing with a light jacket and sunglasses. Check out the Winter Park mascot, ZB, to the right sporting all his spring skiing duds in celebration of old man winter hitting the road.

Here is what is in store for the next forty days of ski season her in Winter Park, Colorado:

There is a lot of fun things to do besides spring sliing here in Winter Park, CO but lets face it we are here for the skiing! The season ending Winter Park Resort Spring Splash this year will be on April 24th, Easter Sunday funday.

If Y’all haven’t made it up to Splash, as it is known locally, you are missing out. THere is pond skimming and lots of family fun on the WInter Park side of the resort. As for Mary Jane we have the party of the year for locals and all those that want to say goodbye to a close to perfect ski season.

Now that spring has sprung get up to Winter Park for the best skiing of the year. The weather is here wish yo were beautiful, or something like that. Head on up to WP and don’t forget the sunglasses and sunscreen!

Winter Park Resort Closing Day 2011 Ski Season

Posted on March 10, 2011 by Chris

Closing Day Winter Park and Mary Jane

Winter Park’s closing day for this 2010/2011 ski season is a bit later than usual. WP will stay open through most of April, for hopefully some huge spring snow storms, and close on April 24th – Easter Sunday. That is right Winter Park will be open through almost all of April this year.

Best time to ski Winter Park/Mary Jane? That would be late March and April. Really April this year because so many schools spring breaks go into the first week of April. That means there are three weeks of blue sky, fresh powder, slopes to yourself skiing for those coming up to stay in April.

The last few years some of the best snow and best skiing has been on the very last weekend that Winter Park and Mary Jane was open. This year we have a whole extra week to let mother nature dump some fluffy white and give some blue skies for our skiing pleasure. And what a great way to celebrate Easter this year, skiing Mary Jane and heading to C lot for the end of ski season celebration, Winter Park Spring Splash.

The lodging is cheap, the snow is plentiful, and the skies are blue come up and stay with Winter Park Lodging Company and celebrate spring with some great spring skiing. In April of 2008/09 ski season we received 70 inches of snow when WInter Park Resort was open. That is 70 inches in 17 days that year! Lets do a snow dance and hope this year can repeat that snowfall.

Winter Park Jazz Festival 2011

Posted on March 6, 2011 by Chris

Winter Park Jazz Festival lineup Winter Park, Colorado Jazz Festival 2011

It is getting the time of year to start looking forward to the summer music festivals here in Winter Park. This year looks to be a doozy of a year with a couple of new festivals with some great music and musicians.

The biggest and usually the best Colorado summer concert music festival is the Winter Park Jazz Festival. The dates are set for this years festival for Saturday July 24th and Sunday July 25th. There a some rumors as to the jazz festival musician lineup but we promised to keep out tongues tied until there is an official announcement. Last year the lineup was announced April 1st and that should be the same this year.

Check out the jazz festival poster to the left for last years musician lineup. This year again the festival will be held at Hideaway Park in downtown Winter Park, CO. Times for the shows should also be the same going from 11am to 6pm.

The WP Jazz Festival is the premier Winter Park music festival of the year and if you are thinking of attending make sure to reserve your lodging soon. The best lodging books early and you don’t want to be in some bad digs for this show. Check out Winter Park Lodging Company’s Jazz Festival lodging options.

Winter Park, Colorado comes alive in the summer so get here a day or two early and stay and stay a couple of days late and enjoy the Rocky Mountain summer.

Stay tuned for the Winter Park Jazz Festival artist lineup – we will keep you posted. And mark your calendars the 2011 Jazz Festival is July 23rd and 24th.

March Recipe of the Month from Winter Park, CO

Posted on March 2, 2011 by Valarie

Mom’s Homemade Lasagna

For some, there’s nothing better than a hot, cheesy and hearty homemade lasagna fresh out of the oven. This delicious recipe is from the home of Shirley Bradford, mother of Winter Park Lodging Company’s owner Sarah & Chris Bradford (and grandmother of our mascots, Nicholas & Willem). Thanks for sharing, Mom!

Sauce Ingredients:

1 lb. Italian sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. whole basil
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 lb. can tomatoes
1 6oz. can tomato paste

Remaining Ingredients:

10 oz. lasagna noodles
3 cups ricotta cheese or cottage or 1 1/2C. both
1/2 cup parmesan or romano cheese
2 tbsp. parsley
2 beaten eggs
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 lb. Mozzarella Cheese

Preparation:

Brown sausage, add minced garlic, basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, tomatoes and tomato paste. Cook for thirty minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, boil the lasagna noodles until just tender. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, the parmesan cheese, parsley, eggs, 2 teaspoons of salt, and pepper.

In 9 by 12 inch pan. layer noodles, ricotta cheese mixture, meat sauce and mozzarella cheese, ending with mozzarella cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, let cool 10 minutes before serving.