Vail Valley Foundation scrubs all May, June events due to COVID-19 outbreak

Having already postponed the GoPro Mountain Games until August, the Vail Valley Foundation on Tuesday announced it won’t hold any events in May or June due to the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.

Here’s the official press release from the Vail Valley Foundation:

The Vail Valley Foundation today announced that in light of the latest Eagle County Public Health Order, the organization does not plan to have any events or programming available to the public in May or June of 2020 across all three areas of its mission in arts, athletics, and education.

“This unprecedented time has shown us just how much it means to be able to gather together, and to educate and care for our children and families, and we look forward to the day we can safely and responsibly welcome back portions of our arts, athletics, and education programming, step by step and in line with public health guidance,” said Mike Imhof, President of the Vail Valley Foundation.

Imhof said the organization is still considering the implications of the coronavirus outbreak on its late-summer events and programming, and that additional information on summer 2020 would be forthcoming in May (see more information below).

“This summer will be very different than usual, and there is still a long way to go, but we support the careful steps forward that our community is taking,” Imhof said.

The Vail Valley Foundation is also raising money for the community through the VVF Community Matching Fund. The proceeds go directly to four key areas of critical need in Eagle County, and members of the Vail Valley Foundation Board of Directors are matching each gift, dollar for dollar, donated to the VVF Community Matching Fund up to $450,000.

Explanation of the new public order

Eagle County Public Health recently announced a new order that will transition the community through three phases of recovery from COVID-19. Social distancing will be required throughout the entire process until all health orders are lifted (for more visit http://ecemergency.org).

• Phase 1: Green Circle, gatherings of up to 10 people
• Phase 2: Blue Square, gatherings of up to 25-50 people
• Phase 3: Black Diamond, gatherings of up to 250 people

When these phases are complete and all health benchmarks have been achieved, Eagle County will enter a final phase where all special public health orders and limitations on gathering sizes will be lifted. Eagle County has not guaranteed a specific timeline for achieving all three phases of the order because each new phase is only triggered by the successful completion of the previous phase. However, the county’s “Transition Trail Map” indicates that the general timeline to achieve all three phases is between 12 and 24 weeks from the start of the order, April 27, 2020.

The Vail Valley Foundation said they will operate their summer programming in alignment with these phases.

“We will be unable to gather together in large numbers for some time, but our exceptional staff, in collaboration with community partners, remain deeply engaged in exploring safe and creative new approaches to executing our mission to raise quality of life for everyone in the Vail Valley,” Imhof said.  

Vail Valley Foundation program, venue, and event updates:

EDUCATION

YouthPower365

The Vail Valley Foundation’s YouthPower365 education programming brings year-round education and enrichment to thousands of children and families throughout Eagle County, from pre-school through K-12 to college and career-readiness.

YouthPower365 registration is open now for some programs as the organization anticipates the ability to offer services in concert with Eagle County Schools as early as July 6. YouthPower365 is working closely with county education and youth-serving organization leaders to determine which programs, and when, will be able to open in each phase of the county public health order.

YouthPower365 has been engaging students and families through virtual programming, using video conferencing tools to check in on students and families during this difficult time. Staff members have also been volunteering to help support the continued school lunch program, as well as helping organize in support of local medical professionals and emergency responders.

This spring, deserving students will receive more than $350,000 in scholarships through YouthPower365’s Dollars for Scholars program. Interviews for the scholarships were conducted virtually in 2020.

Looking ahead to summer…

• Specific information about program changes will be forthcoming in May. Summer camp registration for camps starting in July is currently open.  
• Adapted versions of the Magic Bus program and small group PwrHrs may be available during the phase 1 and 2 “Green Circle” or “Blue Square” portions of the public health order.
• Adapted versions of most YouthPower365 programming will come online, in context with social distancing mandates, during the “Black Diamond” phase.
• Complete YouthPower365 programming will come online after all three phases of the public health order are complete.

For more information visit youthpower365.org.

Star Dancing Gala

This annual fundraiser is one of the most entertaining evenings of the year and features guest dance performances from local celebrities to support YouthPower365 programming. Originally scheduled for July 14, the event will not be able to take place until all three phases of the public health order have been completed and has therefore been postponed to Sept. 18. 

For more information visit stardancinggala.com.

ARTS

Vilar Performing Arts Center

The Vilar Performing Arts Center will host the Ghost Light Sessions, bringing quality, livestreaming performances from the venue beginning May 7 and continuing until public health guidance allows doors to re-open. The venue is optimistic it can host small events in the “Black Diamond” phase and can reopen entirely when all three phases of the public health order are complete.

• More information about VPAC’s July schedule forthcoming in early May.
• More information about VPAC’s Aug.-Sept. schedule forthcoming by June 1.

For more information visit vilarpac.org.

Vail Dance Festival

The Vail Dance Festival is engaging dancers and fans from around the world via social media and other forms of virtual interaction. The Festival, originally planned for July 31-Aug. 11 at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater and Vilar Performing Arts Center, will only be possible after the completion of all three phases of the public health plan.

More information about the Vail Dance Festival will be forthcoming in May.

For more information and updates visit vaildance.org.

ShowDown Town

The ShowDown Town free concert series on Thursdays in Eagle are scheduled to begin on July 2. Decisions on this summer concert series will be forthcoming in May.

For more information visit vvf.org/showdown-town.

Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater

The Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater will not be hosting events in June, 2020, and is evaluating the opportunity that the Ford Amphitheater can host live streaming or boutique events during the “Black Diamond” phase three of the public health order.

More information about The Amp’s July-September season schedule will be forthcoming in May.

• Bravo! Vail schedule and information available HERE.
• Colorado Children’s Chorale residency June 8-10: postponed, new dates not confirmed.
• Hot Summer Nights free concert series on Tuesday evenings: canceled through June 30, decisions on the remainder of the season will be forthcoming in May.
• Michael Franti concert June 7 is rescheduled for next summer, June 6, 2021 at the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. Ticket holders can refund their tickets by May 30, 2020. Tickets not requested to be refunded by May 30 will be valid and non-refundable non-exchangeable for the June 6, 2021 concert. Visit grfavail.com for more information.
• GoPro Mountains of Music are three nights of free concerts in association with the GoPro Mountain Games. The event has been rescheduled for Aug. 20-23, and organizers are working closely with public health officials to determine the viability of August dates prior to June 1.

For additional ticketing and schedule information please visit grfavail.com.

ATHLETICS

GoPro Mountain Games

In keeping with a March 30 announcement, the 2020 GoPro Mountain Games have been postponed until Aug. 20-23. The event will not take place until all three phases of the public health order have been completed, and organizers are working closely with public health officials to determine the viability of the August dates prior to June 1.

For more information visit mountaingames.com.