Aspen X-Games: Entertainment from the Slopes to the Stage
Taking a look at the Winter X-Games and the other excitement surrounding the games
December 19, 2018
Picture this: surrounded by snow and mountains, you just got through watching people do sick tricks on snowboards and skis. Now, you get to go see your favorite band in one of the most beautiful places imaginable: Aspen, Colorado.
Winter in Colorado opens up a whole new world of activities. Tons of people come here to snowboard, ski, or just enjoy the snowy mountains. However, one of the most underrated activities would be the X-Games in Aspen that take place in late January almost every year.
For winter athletes, this is a very big deal, whether participating or watching. Likewise, it is very exciting for spectators that don’t know the first thing about these winter sports. The X-Games in Aspen essentially turn into a large Winterfest, including everything from small, carnival-like games, to booths with free giveaways, and even concerts.
The X-Games are very well known in the world of extreme sports. Basically, the X-Games is an annual extreme-sport event, taking place in both summer and winter. The winter games consist of events like snowboarding and snowmobile stunts, while the summer games include motor cross, cycling, and skateboarding tricks.
The X-Games work a lot like the Olympics do, just specialized on extreme sports. There are medals given out, from gold to bronze. The top prize in an event can take home $50,000.
Colorado is the proud home of many extreme sport professionals who compete at the X-Games, even some Olympic medalists. Red Gerard, for example, is an 18-year-old snowboarder from Silverthorne, Colorado. Gerard won the gold medal in Men’s Slopestyle at the 2018 Winter Olympics and took the world of snowboarding by storm.
Other athletes who are not from Colorado are more well-known. Of these include Shaun White, a three-time Olympic gold medalist. In addition to this, he holds the record for the most X-Games gold medals and most Olympic gold medals by a snowboarder, and has won 10 ESPY Awards.
Lindsey Vonn is also a name that comes up a lot when talking about winter sports. Vonn is a female alpine ski racer and also an Olympic medalist.
Despite putting on an epic show like backflips on snowmobiles and taking on a half-pipe on a snowboard, the games also put on a good show musically. Bands as big as Twenty One Pilots, Kygo, Deadmau5, and DJ Snake performed in 2016, while 2017 included G-Eazy and the Chainsmokers.
Ashley East, junior, speaks about seeing Twenty One Pilots in 2016.
“Even though it was cold, it was still a lot of fun,” says Ashley. “I made a lot of unforgettable memories, meeting people from all over the midwest region who traveled to X-Games.”
East not only has good things to say about the experience, but also the band and music.
“Twenty One Pilots is easily the best live band I have ever seen. After running literally on ice to the stage, we managed to get a front row spot and it was one for the books.”
This year’s lineup is as follows: The Chainsmokers, Kygo, Louis the Child, and Lil Wayne. The drive up to Aspen is definitely worth it, and a day at the X-Games isn’t too bad either.
Between the display of extreme sports and professional athletes and dancing on ice surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, the X-Games won’t disappoint. Colorado Native or not, everybody should take a trip to Aspen in their lifetime, and maybe even in late January to catch some quality entertainment on the slopes and on stage.