Alma musician Kevin Danzig opens up our fun and free events this week on Wednesday, August 10^th with a free gig at the Sonnonalp’s King’s Club. Kicking off at 8:00pm. Danzig’s tunes are rich in storytelling and imagery and this musician, who plays acoustic guitar, ukulele and harmonica accompanied by a foot-driven bass drum, is known for his atmospheric vocals and diversely textured arrangements. You can give him a listen here.

On Thursday, turn your attention to the artistic – and natural – delights of the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens. The Gardens host a free tour at 10:30am starting at the Garden’s educational with a docent who is well schooled in the flora that make up the gardens, and can also provide insights and tips on how to bring your garden up to snuff using environmentally friendly techniques and native species.

Friday afternoon gives history and skiing buffs the unique opportunity to hear 10^th Mountain Division veteran Sandy Treat speak from 3:00 - 4:00pm about his experiences in World War II as well as his training at Camp Hale. The 10^th, of course, was instrumental in not only liberating Italy from fascism but also in jump-starting the ski industry across the western United States, including Vail and nearby Arapahoe Basin and Ski Cooper. Call 970-476-1876 to learn more about this event.

On Sunday, August 14m get a bit of blues and jazz for brunch at the Vail Jazz @ The Market show. Running from 12:00 – 3:00pm, the event is long-standing summer tradition, and brings sounds from all over the world to the heart of Vail Village in the Jazz Tent on the Solaris Terrace. This week the feature act is BLT featuring Bog Rebholz Brian Loftus and Tony Gulizia, supplying mountains of great jazz for years.  This prolific team focuses on the jazz you know and love, from Duke Ellington to Count Basie, from the Gershwins and Cole Porter to Al Jarreau and Van Morrison.