The Aspen Music Festival is well underway, and music-lovers have been treated to some spectacular performances so far this summer. More great music is on tap for the remainder of July and August. Performances by Renée Fleming, Lang Lang, and Vladimir Feltsman are all scheduled, as well as outstanding performances by the Aspen Festival Orchestra every Sunday afternoon. With over 350 musical events over 61 days, there is definite cause for celebration! For more information or a full schedule of events, call 970-925-9042, or go to www.aspenmusicfestival.com.

At the music tent, visitors can hear the greats of classical music. Meanwhile from mid-July to mid-August, the crème de la crème of dance delights audiences at the Aspen District Theatre. Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, the home team, kicks off the Aspen Dance Festival on July 21st & 22nd. Then the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago troupe, known for their exuberant, athletic and innovative repertory, will perform July 27th - 29th. MOMIX, recognized for presenting work of exceptional physical beauty, is slated to perform August 3rd - 5th, and then Aspen Santa Fe Ballet comes back to the stage on August 12th & 13th. If you've never seen them, it's time to have a look and see why they are so acclaimed! For more information, call 970-925-6098 or visit www.aspensantafeballet.com.

Theatre Aspen kicked of its 25th season in late June and will be offering two plays in repertory during the month of July. "Love, Janis," which paints a stunning portrait of the 60's rock icon Janis Joplin through her legendary songs and her poignant and honest letters home to her family, is not to be missed. "Dinner with Friends," a Pulitzer Prize winning comedy, opens July 20th. This play delves into the relationship between a married couple and their best friends, confronting the very nature of friendship itself. The Theatre Aspen tent, located in Rio Grande Park, offers quality theater in an intimate setting. For more information call 970-925-9313, or visit www.TheatreAspen.org.

On Wednesdays beginning June 21st, you can enjoy an evening of real western fun at the Snowmass Rodeo. From 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, there is a full western barbecue (ribs, baked beans, cole slaw, etc.) with musical entertainment, and at 7:00 pm, the rodeo gets underway, complete with bull riding, calf roping, barrel racing and bronco riding. The barbecue is $18 for adults & $10 for kids, and the rodeo is $16 for adults & $10 for kids. Purchase tickets at the rodeo

The NEW Silver Queen Gondola is up and running! In addition to new gear boxes, brand new gondola cars were attached in late June for the July 1st reopening. With huge windows all around, the views from the gondola are even more spectacular, and the ride is a passport to on-mountain adventure and family fun activities including alpine sightseeing, Bluegrass Sundays, the Sundeck Restaurant, disc golf, a climbing wall guided nature walks, yoga hikes, and more! The gondola runs daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

The 35th annual Carbondale Mountain Fair takes place in downtown Carbondale Friday, July 28th through Sunday, July 30th. Drawing over 20,000 people over the course of the weekend, this year's Mountain Fair promises to be as exciting as always! Live music throughout the weekend is complemented by arts & crafts and lots of activities including a wood-splitting contest, a limbo competition, pie and cake making contests, and much, much more! For a complete schedule of events, visit www.carbondalearts.com.

The 15th annual "Ducky Derby" is slated for Saturday, August 12th. Activities start up at 10:00 am in the Rio Grande Park with live music, food for all palates, and youth group booths for kids of all ages. At 2:07 pm, the signature event takes place: 30,000 rubber duckies will be dumped into the Roaring Fork River at "No Problem" bridge and will float to the finish line at the Mill Street Bridge. The first duck to arrive at the finish could reward its owner with $1 million! Ducks are only $5 each, and all proceeds go to the Aspen Rotary Club which dedicates most of its fundraising efforts to youth programs in our valley.