Fun Worldwide Aspen/Snowmass Celebrity Downhill
Fun Worldwide Aspen/Snowmass Celebrity Downhill™ The Fun Worldwide Aspen/Snowmass Celebrity Downhill™ weekend benefiting Aspen Youth Experience will once again take over Aspen with glitz, glamour and excitement from February 27-28, 2009.
The weekend event schedule includes:
Recap of the 2008 Celebrity Downhill Weekend
The 2008 benefit weekend started off with the Patron Party – a cocktail party held in an over-the-top private home in Aspen – for more than 250 VIPs, celebrity guests and sponsors. With a guest list that included Oscar-winning actors Jon Voight and Marcia Gay Harden; Kate Walsh of ABC’s Private Practice; Rob Morrow of CBS’s Numbr3s; Jon Tenney of TNT’s The Closer, Dean Cain; Fisher Stevens and Willie Garson; TV personalities Billy Bush of NBC’s Access Hollywood, Judge Joe Brown of Judge Joe Brown on NBC, Sal Masekela of ESPN’s X-Games and E!’s The Daily 10, and other special guests that included NBC Universal’s Ben Silverman, the Aspen Celebrity Downhill is the most exciting weekend on the Aspen winter social calendar.
After the Patron Party, the guests went on to local nightclub BellyUp Aspen for a special and one-time-only show in Aspen – a unique acoustic performance by Aaron Lewis of Staind, followed by a raucous show by DJ AM.
Despite a late night on Friday, attendees were ready to race in the Aspen Celebrity Downhill™ race on Saturday morning. The weather gods were cooperating – clear-blue skies and 50-degree weather ensured a perfect day of ski and snowboard racing, exquisite food and drink in the VIP tent, and music. Billy Bush was the fastest celebrity racer at 18.09 seconds, beating all other celebrity guests, as well as most sponsors and Aspen Youth Experience youth who also raced.
The Gala on Saturday night was glamorous and moving, as usual. Emceed by CBS sportscaster Beasley Reece, the live auction had plenty of surprises: celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito sold a catered party in a private home by him, which Ben Silverman and his group of friends from NBC bought; and Jon Tenney and Rob Morrow spontaneously offered up walk-on roles on The Closer and Numb3rs. Ed Quinn, of the Sci-Fi Channel’s Eureka and Sal Masekela sold a donated snowboard, autographed by all the celebrity guests.
AYE’s alumni honoree Ayesha Bogart moved the crowd to tears in her acceptance speech in which she recounted a troubled adolescence which could easily have resulted in a life of dysfunctional relationships, failed education and substance abuse, had it not been for her involvement with Aspen Youth Experience. The AYE Philanthropist honoree, Fisher Stevens, opted for an original blues performance on his harmonica, with AYE youth on back-up vocals – a sure-fire hit with the audience. Concluding the weekend was another smooth and emotional performance by Aaron Lewis – a perfect end to an exciting and successful fundraising weekend to support Aspen Youth Experience.
Aspen Youth Experience
In its 17th year, Aspen Youth Experience reaches out to at-risk teens from Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley and across the United States, empowering them to overcome their obstacles, and visualize and achieve their potential. Since 1991, AYE’s professionals, volunteers, mentors and programs have taught youth to be responsible for the choices they make and not be limited by their environment.
AYE’s programs include the Winter and Summer Programs, Latino Youth Camp, Leadership Program, monthly follow-up sessions locally and in all partner cities, and a scholarship program that has awarded over $500,000 in scholarship funds since 1998. Partner cities outside of Colorado’s Roaring Fork Valley include New York City; Washington DC; Chicago; the San Francisco bay area; and Kansas City, Missouri.
Contact Information
Sarah McMahon – Marketing and Events Manager
Email: sarah@ayexp.org
Phone: 970 925 6671 ext. 13
Click to see all the images from the 2008 Aspen Celebrity Downhill! DOWNHILL PHOTOS
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