Vail Life

Though it's not October yet, Oktoberfest season has begun. What does that mean, exactly? It means OOM-PAH and lederhosen as far as the eye can see.

What would a local Oktoberfest be without our own resident Bavarian, Helmut Fricker.

It's no secret that Vail and Beaver Creek strive to, well, impersonate Europe in many ways, especially regions of Germany and Switzerland. Naturally, one of Germany's most famed fall celebrations is going to fall onto our wannabe map. Not just once, but three times.

Yes, indeed. Oktoberfest will be out in force in separate celebrations on different weekends beginning Aug. 30 - 31 in Beaver Creek, then moving to Lionshead Sept. 5 - 7 and finishing its local tour in Vail Village Sept. 12 - 14.

Before you start knocking back the Bavarian beer at Beaver Creek, you might want to sign up for the Oktoberfest Shuffle at 10 a.m on Aug. 30. Not for the feint-hearted (and advisably, not for the beer-guzzling), the Shuffle is a 5 or 10-kilometer run highlighting the trails of Beaver Creek Mountain. Advance registration is between $20 and $40, while race-day is $25 to $45 (for families) at www.active.com. All proceeds go to the Vail Breast Cancer Awareness Group.

The rest of the Beav's Fest will consist of food booths (bratwurst is a must) and live music by local yodeler Helmut Fricker, Trachtenkappelle and The LA Allstars.

Helmut is likely to move his oom-pah and accompanying instruments over to Vail's Oktoberfests, which will also feature brats, German beer and displays of traditional dancing.

Prost! (that's "cheers" in German ... we think).

Even if you're looking forward to being lazy this Labor Day Weekend, if you don't have your Vail Resorts ski pass ... you'd better pony up soon.

Ian Cropp plows through the pow on his board in Blue Sky Basin.

Labor Day is the last day to purchase a couple different passes for Vail Resorts ski areas at the lowest price. Most noteworthy, the Epic season pass, which offers what could be the best deal in ski pass history, with unlimited, unrestricted access to Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin and even Heavenly (in Tahoe, Calif.) for $579 and $279 for children ages 5-12.

This deal might be done come Sept. 2.

Also, the Summit Pass, which offers unlimited, unrestricted skiing to Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin, is $399 through Labor Day, and the Colorado Pass, which is the same deal plus 10 days at Vail or Beaver Creek, is priced at $439.

Vail Resorts representatives said the prices for the above passes are only guaranteed through Sept. 1. This means that prices could do any one of the following - quadruple, go up slightly, double or stay the same - after Labor Day, so you'd better be safe than sorry and buy one now if you don't have one!

For more information or to buy a Vail Resorts ski pass, go here.

Jazz is like chocolate. Most everybody appreciates and respects it and recognizes its appeal and there are some people who are totally obsessed and can't live without it.

Rick Weingarten attacks the xylophone with the Summit Jazz Consort as part of the 2008 Vail Jazz Festival.

As we're gearing up for the 14th annual Vail Jazz Festival on Labor Day Weekend, jazz hounds can get their fix - for free, no less - at the Vail Farmers Market every Sunday and also on Thursday evenings at Vail Square in Lionshead.

The Thursday shows in Lionshead run from 6 to 8 p.m. and include the Jeff Hamilton Trio on Aug. 14, Chuchito Valdes Quartet on Aug. 21 and Clayton Brothers Quintet with VJF All-Stars on Aug. 28.

For a sample of what's in store, we caught up with modern jazz icon Trombone Shorty on one recent Thursday.

At Sunday's farmers market, look for the Kathy Morrow Trio on Aug. 17 and the Tony Gulizia Trio on Aug. 24.

The Vail Jazz Foundation - the think tank behind the festival - likes to spread its love through the valley and impart the beauty of jazz on young learners all year, as evidenced in programs like Jazz Goes to School. (You should really click on that. It's adorable).

The Jazz Festival itself is Aug. 29 - Sept. 1 at the Vail Cascade Resort & Spa. For prices and more information, visit vailjazz.org.