Thanksgiving in Aspen is different from Thanksgiving anywhere else. The holiday is also opening day on the slopes; the town starts lighting up for the season, and the week has a relaxed, family-first feel before the December rush. Maybe you want a chef-prepared feast downtown. Maybe you want to roast a turkey in your own condo kitchen, or ride first chair on Aspen Mountain and then eat pie. Here’s what you need to plan Thanksgiving 2026 in Aspen.
Thanksgiving Is Opening Day
In Aspen, Thanksgiving and ski season start on the same day. For 2026, Aspen Mountain and Snowmass are scheduled to open on Thursday, November 26, which is Thanksgiving Day itself. Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk follow on Saturday, December 12.
Opening day has a special energy. Locals reunite in the lift line, everyone takes their first runs of the season, and the whole town feels like it’s waking back up. Opening day traditionally comes with complimentary treats and warm drinks at the base, followed by a slopeside après toast to the new season.
Early-season terrain depends on natural snow and snowmaking, so expect a partial trail map on opening weekend. Check Aspen Snowmass for current conditions. Buying tickets online in advance usually costs less than paying at the window.
Aspen Square sits across from the base of Aspen Mountain, so the Silver Queen Gondola is a short walk from your door. For a preview, our live webcams show how the snow is stacking up.
Where to Eat Thanksgiving Dinner in Aspen
Aspen’s restaurants take Thanksgiving seriously, and the best tables fill fast. Holiday menus are often announced in late October and November, so use the list below as a starting point and book as soon as reservations open. The Aspen Chamber’s Thanksgiving specials page is updated with new details as restaurants confirm them.
A quick note before you plan. Thanksgiving falls at the very start of the winter season, and some Aspen restaurants don’t reopen from their fall break until December. Check hours before you set your heart on a favorite spot, or ask our concierge what’s open during your stay.
Dining Out
Element 47 at The Little Nell
Thanksgiving dinner at this Michelin-recommended restaurant is a longstanding Aspen tradition, and its 2026 Thanksgiving Day dinner is already listed for reservations on Resy. Expect a refined three-course prix fixe built around holiday classics. Learn more about Element 47.
Prospect at Hotel Jerome
Hotel Jerome’s 2026 Thanksgiving Day dinner is also listed on Resy. Last year’s celebration took place in the historic Jerome Ballroom, with traditional and inventive dishes inspired by the Roaring Fork Valley. Visit Prospect.
Ajax Tavern
Right at the base of Aspen Mountain, Ajax Tavern traditionally serves a Thanksgiving plat du jour alongside its regular menu. That means the turkey lovers and the truffle fries fans can share a table. Visit Ajax Tavern.
Wayan
Just across Cooper Avenue from Aspen Square, Wayan blends French and Indonesian flavors. Last Thanksgiving it served a prix fixe Turkey Tumpeng, a creative take on the classic meal. Visit Wayan.
MOLLIE Aspen
Last year’s Thanksgiving dinner here included an appetizer buffet, a carving station, family-style sides, and live acoustic music. Visit MOLLIE Aspen.
West End Social at Aspen Meadows
This spot serves a family-style holiday feast in a dining room with mountain views. Visit Aspen Meadows.
Home Team BBQ
For a smoky, laid-back Thanksgiving, Home Team offers smoked turkey and holiday sides for dine-in or catering. Visit Home Team BBQ.
Toro at the Viceroy Snowmass
If you’re spending opening day at Snowmass, Toro has served a three-course Thanksgiving dinner with a Pan-Latin twist on the holiday classics in years past. Visit Toro.
Thanksgiving To Go
If you’d rather eat in, several local kitchens prepare complete holiday meals you can pick up and reheat.
The Little Nell
The Little Nell offers a pre-cooked Thanksgiving to-go meal each year, with pickup on Thanksgiving morning. Last year’s order deadline was noon two days before the holiday, so plan ahead.
Mawa’s Kitchen
Mawa’s Kitchen makes chef-prepared Thanksgiving packages. You can order a complete dinner or pick à la carte mains, sides, and platters.
Meadows Café at Aspen Meadows
Meadows Café took preorders for holiday pies last year, which is a great shortcut if baking isn’t your thing.
Cook Your Own Feast
Some traditions are worth bringing with you. Every Aspen Square residence includes a full kitchen, so you can roast your own turkey and keep the family recipes on the table. City Market is a short walk down Cooper Avenue for groceries. Butcher’s Block, Aspen’s local butcher and deli, stays open through the fall off-season and is a go-to for holiday meats and prepared sides.
You can also mix and match: cook the bird yourself and pick up sides and pies from a local kitchen. Our concierge team is happy to help you arrange it all.
For the rest of your stay, browse our Aspen restaurants guide or our local picks for eating well in Aspen on a budget.
Thanksgiving Week Events & Traditions
Turkey Trots
In the Roaring Fork Valley, Thanksgiving morning often starts with a run. Aspen Valley Young Life has hosted a Turkey Trot 5K in Aspen. Down valley, the Basalt Education Foundation Turkey Trot and the Carbondale Turkey Trot are family-friendly 5Ks that raise money for local causes. Details for 2026 are usually posted in November, so check the Aspen Trail Finder race calendar closer to the date.
Family Fun at MOLLIE
On Thanksgiving Day, MOLLIE Aspen hosts a drop-in kids’ craft table from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Little ones can make pinecone turkeys and fall wreaths, with all supplies provided. Earlier in the week, a floral workshop on Tuesday, November 24, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. lets you make your own centerpiece for the holiday table. See MOLLIE’s events calendar for details.
Thanksjibbing at Snowmass
The day after Thanksgiving, Snowmass traditionally hosts Thanksjibbing. Local freeskiers and snowboarders compete in a rail jam for prizes and season-long bragging rights, and it’s free to watch. Last year it took place on Friday afternoon at Low Down Park. Watch the Aspen Snowmass events page for 2026 details.
Free S’mores in Snowmass
If you’re skiing Snowmass, look for the free Snowmass S’mores carts in Base Village and on the Snowmass Mall each afternoon starting at 3:30 p.m. Last year they began on opening day and ran daily throughout the winter season. It’s a sweet way to end a day on the slopes.
Live Music
Arriving early? Bonobo plays Belly Up Aspen, the intimate downtown music venue a few blocks from Aspen Square, on Friday, November 20, the weekend before Thanksgiving. Keep an eye on the calendar for holiday-weekend additions, since popular shows sell out fast.
Early Winter Fun Beyond the Slopes
Not everyone in your group skis, and that’s fine. Late November in Aspen has plenty to do off the mountain.
Ice Skating
The Aspen Recreation Center’s Lewis Ice Arena and the Aspen Ice Garden both offer public skate sessions. Schedules change through the season, so check times before you go.
Nordic Skiing
As the snowpack builds, the valley’s Nordic trails start opening. The Aspen Nordic Center at the Aspen Golf Club offers lessons and rentals.
Aspen Art Museum
About a block from Aspen Square, the Aspen Art Museum is free to visit, Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Its rooftop café has wonderful views of Aspen Mountain.
Holiday Shopping
Thanksgiving weekend is a great time to get a head start on gifts at downtown boutiques and galleries, all within walking distance.
A Soak Back Home
End the day in Aspen Square’s heated outdoor pool or one of our two hot tubs, with the mountain glowing overhead.
For more ideas, see our arts and culture guide and outdoor activities guide.
Looking Ahead: Early December in Aspen
If you can stretch your stay or plan a quick return, the first weeks of December bring some of Aspen’s best-loved traditions.
Wintersköl, December 10 to 13, 2026
Aspen’s “toast to winter” celebrates its 75th year in 2026. Highlights include a free screening of the 1993 ski film Aspen Extreme at the Wheeler Opera House, the KIDSCULPT snow sculpture contest on the Mill Street Mall, and Soupsköl, where local restaurants compete for the best soup. On Saturday, December 12, a bonfire in Wagner Park leads into a torchlight parade and fireworks on Aspen Mountain at 7 p.m. See the full Wintersköl schedule.
Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk Opening Day
Both mountains open on Saturday, December 12, during Wintersköl weekend.
The Little Nell Tree Lighting
This holiday tradition takes place on Sunday, December 13, from 5 to 7 p.m., with the tree lighting at 5:30. Expect photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus and performances by DanceAspen.
Find more dates on our Aspen events page, and get a sense of the full season in our guide to winter in Aspen.
Late November Weather & What to Pack
By the end of November, Aspen’s average highs are in the low-to-mid 30s and nights often drop into the teens or colder. Snow can fall at any time, and the sun at 8,000 feet is strong even on cold days.
Pack warm layers, waterproof boots, a hat and gloves, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Bring a swimsuit too, because the pool and hot tubs are open. Our Aspen packing guide has a full checklist.
Getting Here & Getting Around
Aspen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) is open as usual throughout the 2026 to 2027 winter. Its planned runway closure doesn’t begin until April 2027, so Thanksgiving travel isn’t affected. Thanksgiving is a busy travel week, so book flights early.
Once you arrive, a downtown stay means you can leave the car parked. Aspen Square includes on-site parking. Downtown restaurants, shops, and the gondola are all walkable, and RFTA buses connect Aspen with Snowmass Village and the rest of the valley. See our transportation guide and our local’s guide to parking in Aspen for details.
Spend Thanksgiving at Aspen Square
Aspen Square Condominium Hotel combines the comforts of home with full hotel service in the heart of downtown, across from the base of Aspen Mountain.
Choose from studio suites and one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom residences, each with a full kitchen that has room for a holiday feast. Guest services include a front desk, concierge and bell service, daily housekeeping, a heated outdoor pool and two hot tubs, a fitness center, and included Wi-Fi and parking.
Our concierge team can book your Thanksgiving dinner, arrange lift tickets and rentals, and suggest the best ways to spend the long weekend. Reach them at 970-925-1000 ext. 3515 or concierge@aspensquarehotel.com. Check our current specials, and when you’re ready, book your Thanksgiving stay.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does ski season start in Aspen in 2026?
Aspen Mountain and Snowmass are scheduled to open on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, 2026. Aspen Highlands and Buttermilk follow on December 12. Opening terrain depends on conditions.
Are restaurants open on Thanksgiving in Aspen?
Yes. Many Aspen restaurants serve special Thanksgiving menus, including Element 47 and Ajax Tavern at The Little Nell and Prospect at Hotel Jerome. Several kitchens also offer complete Thanksgiving meals to go.
Are all Aspen restaurants open over Thanksgiving week?
No. Some restaurants are still on their fall break and don’t reopen until December. Check hours ahead of time or ask our concierge what’s open during your stay.
Do I need reservations for Thanksgiving dinner in Aspen?
Yes, and the sooner the better. Popular seatings fill quickly, and to-go orders usually have deadlines a few days before the holiday.
Can I cook Thanksgiving dinner at Aspen Square?
Absolutely. Every residence includes a full kitchen, City Market is a short walk away on Cooper Avenue, and Butcher’s Block stays open through the off-season for holiday meats and sides.
What is there to do in Aspen over Thanksgiving weekend?
You can ski or ride on opening weekend, run a turkey trot, watch Thanksjibbing at Snowmass, and enjoy free s’mores in Snowmass. You can also go ice skating, visit the free Aspen Art Museum, bring the kids to MOLLIE’s Thanksgiving craft table, and get a jump on holiday shopping downtown.
What is the weather like in Aspen at Thanksgiving?
Expect cold, wintry conditions. By late November, average highs are in the low-to-mid 30s, nights often drop into the teens or below, and snow is always possible.
Is Aspen crowded at Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving week is generally more relaxed than the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. Restaurants and opening day still get busy, so plan ahead.
Is the Aspen airport open for Thanksgiving 2026?
Yes. ASE operates normally through the 2026 to 2027 winter. Its runway reconstruction closure begins in April 2027.
Event dates and details are accurate as of publication but can change. We recommend confirming with each official website before finalizing plans.