Optimistic that the coronavirus pandemic will ease up, elected officials, event organizers hope for fall imbibing
Aspen City Council on Monday gave direction to authorize use of Wagner Park for a postponed 2021 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen from June until September, as event organizers hope the coronavirus pandemic will no longer be a major public health threat nine months from now.
Anticipating that a vaccine will tame the spread of COVID-19 and public health orders limiting gathering sizes will be lifted, organizers of some of Aspen’s marquee events are looking to the fall as the time to get the party going again.
“We are working under the super optimistic premise that things are going to get better and the Calvary is coming and there is light into the tunnel,” said Devin Padgett, producer of special projects for Food & Wine, on Monday during council’s work session.
Following national trends, large format productions are looking to postpone and push, and many events are jockeying for position in the fall, Padgett added.
“We are just trying to get out in front of everybody else,” he said.
The Aspen Chamber Resort Association, which hosts and supports the event, along with the city, has requested the use of Wagner Park from Sept. 1 to 15, with Food & Wine from Sept. 9 to 11.
The annual Ruggerfest is scheduled to be held Sept. 16 to 19, which poses a problem for the city’s parks department to maintain a safe and adequate turf for both events.