Colorado’s largest ski resort is expanding its on-mountain concert schedule from four performances last winter to seven for the 2026-27 season. Vail Mountain’s Oct. 16 announcement also includes two new music venues and Dobson Arena concerts by ILLENIUM and Ian Asher, part of what the resort calls its biggest music season yet.
The expansion follows a winter that brought SOFI TUKKER, Dillon Francis, Chris Lorenzo and John Summit to the mountain. Last season also included Vail’s first sunrise concert beneath the Back Bowls sign, a setting the resort is building on with more pop-up performances this winter.
ILLENIUM And Ian Asher Headline Dobson Arena
Grammy-nominated electronic artist ILLENIUM will perform at Dobson Arena on Dec. 11, with special guests St. Mary and Paws. Doors open at 6 p.m., and tickets are already on sale for what organizers describe as the first major concert following the arena’s more than $55 million transformation.
Southern California DJ and producer Ian Asher follows on Jan. 16, 2027, with doors opening at 7:30 p.m. His show is also on sale and joins the arena’s reopening-season schedule.
These are indoor concerts, separate from the seven performances planned on the ski mountain. The renovated Dobson Arena has capacity for more than 3,500 concertgoers, with upgraded acoustics, expanded entrances and improved accessibility.
More Pop-Up Performances On The Mountain
Vail has not released the complete lineup for its seven on-mountain performances including pop-up shows on the Eagle’s Nest rooftop, with additional locations and artists to be announced throughout the season. The announcement also confirms the return of the Vail Ice Bar next to the Back Bowls gate. The outdoor gathering spot will combine drinks and music with a revival of a longtime Vail tradition.
Expanded Après At The Base Of Gondola One
The regular après-ski schedule is growing, too. Vail says its Express Lift program will feature more than 50 performing artists, nearly twice last season’s total, through its partnership with Outer Range Brewing.
The Après All Day series at Express Lift Bar brings live DJs to the base of Gondola One from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. on scheduled Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Discover Vail currently lists free performances from Dec. 11 through April 11, giving visitors a recurring music option alongside the separately ticketed arena concerts.
Vail also plans Friday Stoke Sessions during the first month of ski season and additional DJ appearances at Chasing Rabbits. Those lineups, along with the remaining mountain concert details, will be announced as winter approaches and the season gets underway.
