It’s lively. It’s physical. It’s gritty. It’s dirty. It’s rugby. If you can’t get enough of contact sports, then the Aspen Ruggerfest is for you. Each September, teams of athletes from all over the country and all over the world venture to Aspen for this annual sporting event. Ruggerfest is played on the fields at Wagner Park and Rio Grande Parks during the third weekend of September. September is a splendid month in Aspen, with crisp mountain air, lots of sunshine, and aspen leaves turning a vibrant yellow on the slopes above town. It makes for an unbeatably scenic backdrop for visitors and competitors alike during the tournament weekend.
Aspen Ruggerfest includes five brackets―over 45s, 50s, 55s, Masters, and Men's Open. This year, women's teams will be competing in the master’s division (over 35).
Capture the rugby spirit, and sport a striped rugby scarf (black and red if your favorite team is the Gentlemen of Aspen) to a match. Ask the family and some friends to join you, and bring a thermos or two of hot coffee or tea to sip on as you watch the action unfold on the field. You’ll also meet fellow rugby fanatics at the matches, and can connect while chatting about your favorite teams.
The tournament games take place at Wagner Park and Rio Grande Park, which are four blocks apart. Wagner Park is next to the Rubey Park Transportation Center on Durant Street. From Rubey Park, you can catch the Hunter Creek bus, which has a stop at Rio Grande Park. The Hunter Creek bus leaves Rubey Park every 20 minutes―on the hour, at 20 past the hour, and at 40 minutes past the hour. However, the two parks are walking distance apart, so you can easily trek between the two fields to catch all of the action.
Another way to get between the two rugby fields is to use Aspen’s bicycle sharing program, WE-cycle. There is a WE-cycle station at Rubey Park. You can take out a bike there, ride it over to Rio Grande, and drop it off at another WE-cycle station. The nearest station to Rio Grande Park is at the shopping center and Post Office just across the street.
Between the two parks, there are numerous Aspen restaurants that’ll satisfy your appetite. View a list of restaurants here. Ask the concierge staff at Aspen Square Condominium Hotel for restaurant recommendations.
Our concierge staff can also answer your questions about the Aspen Ruggerfest, and about visiting Aspen in September. Contact the concierge staff today, and they’ll be delighted to help you plan your Aspen vacation. You can reach the Aspen Square Hotel’s concierge at 1-800-862-7736, or by email at concierge@aspensquarehotel.com.