Overview

BIG DISCOUNTS AND FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHT 21ST COLORADO SKI AND SNOWBOARD EXPO PRESENTED BY JEEP

As Colorado resorts prepare to start opening, the countdown begins for the last, best outdoor sale of the year at the 21st annual Colorado Ski and Snowboard Expo from Nov. 2-4, 2012 in downtown Denver at the Colorado Convention Center in Hall F. This gigantic sale has literally tons of skis, snowboards, boots, outdoor clothing, and essential accessories such as helmets, hats, goggles, and gloves at prices marked down 40-75 percent. New to the Expo’s shopping section is an area dedicated to non-winter outdoor gear and accessories such as hiking boots, camping gear, and summer accessories with discounts up to 50 percent.

In addition to the sale, all 26 Colorado resorts have exhibit space with many of them offering “Expo-only” specials on everything from lodging, lift tickets, and lessons to discounts on dining and mountain resort activities.

The Expo gets extra kid-centric this year with the debut of the Coleman Mountain Activity Center. A star attraction is the Gibbon Slackline where kids can demo on the apparatus and watch competition. Slacklining is the act of balancing along a narrow, flexible piece of webbing that is low to the ground and firmly anchored. The sport and its athletes are currently on Madonna’s current tour where three Gibbon athletes are performing with the Material Girl. The frequently mobbed ELITEAM Training Center presented by Eldora has a timed obstacle course that measures basic fitness and flexibility skills and kids can compete against their own times and each other. Other kid-magnets will be the Keystone Kidtopia bouncy castle where energetic pre-skiers and riders can bounce into the inflatable walls with reckless abandon.  The Winter Park Kid’s Slope for first-time, just-thinking-about-it little skiers offers a gentle introduction to the concept of sliding downhill while for visual entertainment, the aerial trampoline exhibitions by the Skyriders presented by Crested Butte appeals to kids, teens, and their parents.

Adults can visit the Rocky Mountain Brew Fest, back for the second year with a larger selection of beers and ales and more local brewers including AC Golden, Bristol Brewing, Elevation Beer Company, Great Divide Brewing, Left Hand Brewing, and Odell Brewing.

Hours are noon to 10 pm on Friday, Nov. 2; Saturday, Nov. 3 from 10 am to 8 pm; and Sunday, Nov. 4 from 10 am to 6 pm. Admission is $12 for adults or $10 with a discount coupon available in The Denver Post or at any Colorado Ski & Golf or Colorado Ski & Sports store. Discount tickets can also be purchased in advance at http://www.skisnowboardexpo.com Kids .12 and under are free. Admission to the Rocky Mountain Brew Fest requires a Ski & Snowboard Expo ticket.   Combination tickets for both Expo and Brew Fest are $24 in advance and $27 at the door. Combo tickets include one 12-ounce beer of choice plus four 3-ounce samples. Additional sampling tickets can be purchased onsite--3 for $5, 7 for $10, and 15 for $20.

For more details and activity schedules, visit http://www.skisnowboardexpo.com.