The Telluride Film Festival part of the best mountain events of 2015

The 2015 summer festivals and events at mountain resorts in North America promises to bring lots of fun for people including the Telluride Film Festival and GoPro Mountain Games. Now that the snow is gone in North America and riders have put their snowboards and skis in storage, mountain resorts put on their summer events and you will find a wide variety of events including: mountain races, concerts, festivals, brew-fests, and much more making going to the mountain enjoyable even if there is no snow. Here is a short list of some of our favorite summer events at North American resorts.

Vail GoPro Mountain Games

Where: Vail

When: June 4-7, 2015

The GoPro Mountain Games is a multi-day event combining adventure sports such as kayaking, x-cross mountain biking, bouldering, and slacklining with live music and adventure films. Professional athletes compete for more than $110,000 in prize money and amateurs can compete as well.

Telluride MountainFilm Festival

Where: Telluride

When: May 22-25, 2015

The Telluride MountainFilm festival is one of America's longest-running film festivals. It is a four-day festival that covers art, adventure, and culture attracting filmmakers, photographers, artists, and others from around the world. It features over 100 films that are sure to inspire on "issues that matter, cultures worth exploring, environments worth preserving, adventures worth pursuing and conversations worth sustaining." Movies are screened in both historical and state-of-the-art theaters in Telluride and Mountain Village.

USA Pro Challenge

Where: Various Colorado resorts and cities including: Steamboat Springs, Copper Mountain, Aspen, Breckenridge, Loveland, Fort Collins, and Golden

When: Aug. 17–23, 2015.

In it’s 5th year, the USA Pro Challenge in Colorado is a terrific event for cycling lovers and it’s popularity has made it one of the largest cycling events in the country. This is a multi-day race that starts in Steamboat Springs and goes to various mountains each day. Each host city puts on special events that celebrate cycling and their beautiful Rocky Mountain towns with activities that both cyclists and non-cyclists will enjoy including race festivals, concerts, expos and more.

The Rut 50K

Where: Big Sky

When: September 4-6, 2015

The Rut 50K is one of the most challenging mountain races in the country. Participants run through various types of terrain including jeep roads, track trails, alpine ridge lines and summits. This is an extremely steep and difficult race that requires highly trained and skilled participants. There is a $5000 prize purse for the top 3 overall Men and Women in the 50K. First place receives $1500. The Rut also has shorter races including 25K, 11K, and a “VK” (Vertical Kilometer).

Tough Mudder New England

Where: Mount Snow

When: June 6 and 7

Tough Mudder events are difficult 10-12 mile obstacle courses that will test your physical and mental strength and stamina. The Tough Mudder races are designed by British Special Forces and has been raising money for the Wounded Warrior Project. Not only is this a challenging and fun event, but it is all for a great cause.

Tough Mudder New England 2014 at Mount Snow from Mount Snow on Vimeo.

Subaru IRONMAN 5150 Mont-Tremblant

Where: Mont Tremblant

When: June 20-21, 2015

Over 4,000 competitors and supporters come to the rustic village of Mont-Tremblant, Quebec for this long IRONMAN triathlon weekend. Athletes will start the 2.4-mile (3.8 km) swim in Lac Tremblant. The 112-mile (180 km) bike course runs through Mont-Tremblant’s forests and low lying mountains and this is followed by a 26.2-mile (42.2 km) run course.

Aspen Food & Wine Classic in Aspen

Where: Aspen

When: June 19-21, 2015

A foodie’s paradise in a beautiful setting. This is the 30th year of the event sponsored by Food & Wine magazine. Sip wine, sample food and indulge in the high-mountain scenery surrounding Aspen’s chic downtown.

Mont Tremblant International Blues Festival

Where: Mont Tremblant

When: July 3 – 12, 2015

More than 100 concerts, mostly free, on several indoor and outdoor stages. Ten days of blues, from its purest roots to its influence on R&B, soul, funk, country, folk and rock. A more varied program than ever presented in an intimate setting up close and personal with the artists.

Telluride Blues Festival

Where: Telluride

When: September 18-20, 2015

This June, music lovers from around the globe will come together at the world-renowned bluegrass festival in Telluride for four days of toe-tapping, carefree-dancing and music-loving fun. This year’s performers include John Butler Trio, Telluride House Band, Trampled by Turbles, Kacey Musgraves and Yonder Mountain String Band, just to name a few.

Loon New Hampshire Highland Games & Festival

Where: Loon Mountain

When: September 18-20, 2015

This is the 40th Annual New Hampshire Highland Games & Festival and it is one of the largest of its kind in the country. It features more than 30 Scottish bands, classic Highlander cuisine, Scottish heavy athletics, and other attractions. There are seminars on whisky & beer tasting as well as demonstrations and workshops on the harp, fiddle and Scottish country dancing. You can also witness various competitions in Highland dance, piping and drumming, pipe bands, fiddle, and harp.

Other notable events/festivals:

• Deer Valley Outdoor Amphitheater Concert Series at Deer Valley - This is a summer long outdoor concert series that features some big names including: Toad the Wet Sprocket, Smash Mouth, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Smokey Robinson, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, Diana Krall, Aloe Blacc, and many others.
• Canyon’s Summer Concert Series at Canyons
• Snowbird Brewfest at Snowbird - Eighteen local and national breweries gather to the festival allowing you to sample some fine brews topped off with free live music.
• Winter Park Chocolate Fest at Winter Park - The 6th annual Chocolate Festival celebrating CHOCOLATE! Enjoy the mountains with live music, entertainment, and demonstrations.
• Winter Park Village UnCorked at Winter Park - A Wine, Art, & Cheese Festival. You can about and buy regional wines and cheeses along with one-of-a-kind pieces of art.
• Tough Mudder at Aspen
• Holiday Valley Mudslide at Holiday Valley
• Red Bull Rise at Aspen - This is the first year of a 12 hour endurance running race where participants compete in solo, duo and team divisions running up the Vertical K course taking you up 3,000 vertical feet of elevation gain in 3 miles.
• The North Face Endurance Challenge at Park City - This is the 2nd year of various running events through the trails of Park City including a 50 Mile, 50k, Marathon and Marathon Relay races on Saturday, and Half Marathon, 10k, 5k and Kids' Races on Sunday.
• Audi Power of Four Mountain Bike Race at Aspen - Race combining four local ski areas traversing from Snowmass to Aspen into one challenging course including a final descent down Aspen Mountain. There is also a running version of the same type of race.
• Snowmass Mammoth Fest at Snowmass