KETCHUM, Idaho — There has been a push in the last two decades to make ski towns year-round destinations and that starts with summer fun in the mountains.
Almost every resort from Bogus to Brundage to Sun Valley features a free concert series where people can enjoy local music in a magical mountain setting.
"It’s absolutely amazing with family, friends, the dogs, a bottle of wine, and the mountains," said Codi, a Sun Valley local.
This past Wednesday Sun Valley kicked off its concert series at the River Run base area and it happens every Wednesday from 5:00pm-8:00pm until September 8. Locals love having this event on Wednesdays for a variety of reasons.
"They started this last summer, staying open late on a few Wednesdays throughout the summer," said mountain biker Ben Berge. "It’s great for us. You can work all day and still get up here to get a couple of laps in."
Sun Valley extends the Roadhouse Gondola hours until 7:00pm during this event giving mountain bikers like Ben a chance to rip down the trails at Sun Valley. We also found it was really popular for a scenic ride and hiking as the gondola rides happen at a discounted rate during this event.
"We love this event. It is a Sun Valley event for families," said the grandma of the O'Dell family who lives in Sun Valley and enjoying a visit from her grandchildren, who will partake in a tennis camp and a mountain biking clinic this week. "This is awesome," said one of the boys.
Part of the proceeds for each concert goes to a local non-profit. This week it was for the Idaho Conservation League, as people enjoyed the music of the Kim Stocking Band. For the full lineup click here.
This event also gives locals a chance to unwind as it has been a busy summer so far with tourists visiting this area.
"Actually, this is the busiest summer I’ve ever seen it," said Codi, who works at Overland Sheepskin Company. "I work in downtown Ketchum and our store is so busy. It has been a great summer, even for the merchants and the tourists."
This weekend there are more opportunities to enjoy music in the mountains as Brundage hosts its summer concert series on Friday night, Bogus Basin features live music on Saturdays, as does Tamarack.
