“X Games are absolutely a catalyst for the progression of sports and the athletes who lead them,” notes Olympian Gretchen Bleiler. “When I think back on my competitive career, X Games moments are definitely the highlight where I learned so much about myself.”
Let The X Games Begin!
X is arguably the most rebellious letter in the alphabet—often breaking the rules of phonics, and in the case of X Games, the rules of gravity. Not only a convenient abbreviation for the word “extreme,” X is the mark of danger, of treasure, of the unknown. From Friday, January 27 through Sunday, January 29 for the 22nd consecutive year at Buttermilk, the world’s best snowboarders and skiers will launch themselves into that unknown as 480 million viewers across 198 countries and territories hold their breath.
What to Look Forward to This Year
This year, Buttermilk is thrilled to welcome spectators back for the 2023 Games, where athletes will demonstrate the training, commitment, and passion that is displayed year after year. The event is free to attend and will include Ski and Snowboard Knuckle Huck and Men's and Women's SuperPipe, Slopestyle, and Big Air. Aside from three days of high-octane action, there will also be live DJs and VIP offerings with opportunities to interact with the world’s best snowsports athletes.
There is perhaps no better metaphor for the growth of the Winter X Games than the mighty halfpipe at the base of Buttermilk Mountain. Those swooping curves of adrenaline have come a long way from the abandoned swimming pools of California where skateboarders first discovered the thrills of manmade inclines. Indeed, the Buttermilk halfpipe, dug physically into the side of the mountain, has become something of a monument to extreme sports—its line of white snow lasting well into the summer.
This year, hometown heroes like Hanna Faulhaber and Alex Ferreira as well as longtime stars including Eileen Gu, Queralt Castellet, Alex Hall, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, Birk Ruud, and Mark McMorris will battle for a place on the podium in the heart of the Elk Mountain Range.
2024 X Games Aspen Music Lineup
Musical performances at X Games Aspen will highlight world class acts - to be determined. See artists from 2023 below. As always, X Games Aspen competitions, music performances and X Fest are free to the public.
Kaskade
Yung Gravy
MOD SUN
MADDS
Night Tales
The Continuation Of A Legacy
“When X Games first arrived on the scene here at Aspen Snowmass, we were unsure how long the partnership would last,” explains Deric Gunshor, Aspen Snowmass’s Director of Event Development. “No one really knew how big and long-lasting the event would become.”
Looking back, it all tracks with Aspen’s long history of celebrating the greatest in athletics. From the FIS and the World Cup ski racing and now with the X Games, Aspen continues to inspire the next generation of skiers and boarders by hosting world class athletes to compete in elite ski and snowboard events.
Looking back, it all tracks with Aspen’s long history of celebrating the greatest in athletics. From the FIS and the World Cup ski racing and now with the X Games, Aspen continues to inspire the next generation of skiers and boarders by hosting world class athletes to compete in elite ski and snowboard events.
The Legacy Goes On
X Games Aspen 2021
Aspen local and X Games gold medalist Alex Ferreira was a 6-year-old when the event first came to his hometown. “I remember sneaking out of class in middle school with my fellow competitor Torin Yater-Wallace just to get a glimpse,” Alex recalls. In fact, when the events were still held during the day, so many kids were skipping class to get a sneak peek at their idols throwing down in their backyard, that the Aspen school district decided to turn the X Games into an unofficial holiday and give the students the day off to spectate.
“I grew up skiing at Buttermilk,” says local skier Hanna Faulhaber, who will return to the X Games for her second time this year. “It’s crazy to think about little Hanna standing over here and now she’s going 15 feet out of the halfpipe.” Faulhaber took 4th place finish in the FIS Freeski World Championships at Buttermilk, and in recent seasons has become a steady presence on World Cup Podiums from Copper to Calgary.
“This has been a dream of mine since I was a little kid,” says Faulhaber, who would come to the Games as a kid to support her local idols like Torin Yater-Wallace and her now-teammate for the Beijing Games, Alex Ferreira. “I hope that by competing, I can inspire other little girls to continue to get into the sport. I think it’s going to be crazy to be under the lights with my family, and people from school, and the Valley supporting me.”
“I grew up skiing at Buttermilk,” says local skier Hanna Faulhaber, who will return to the X Games for her second time this year. “It’s crazy to think about little Hanna standing over here and now she’s going 15 feet out of the halfpipe.” Faulhaber took 4th place finish in the FIS Freeski World Championships at Buttermilk, and in recent seasons has become a steady presence on World Cup Podiums from Copper to Calgary.
“This has been a dream of mine since I was a little kid,” says Faulhaber, who would come to the Games as a kid to support her local idols like Torin Yater-Wallace and her now-teammate for the Beijing Games, Alex Ferreira. “I hope that by competing, I can inspire other little girls to continue to get into the sport. I think it’s going to be crazy to be under the lights with my family, and people from school, and the Valley supporting me.”
Let The Games Begin
No one will have to skip school to watch this year. No matter how you choose to interact (ESPN, ABC, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Telegram) the X Games, and in particular the athletes themselves, will be waiting for you and your digital love. Tune in January 27 through 29 to see the action come to life.
While the world continues to change, the X Games embodies much of our collective experience: pushing ourselves, lifting each other up, overcoming our struggles and celebrating our victories, no matter how big or small they might be. When speaking about his gold medal run at the 2019 games, Ferreira notes, "you don't know if you can do something, and then you just do it.”
While the world continues to change, the X Games embodies much of our collective experience: pushing ourselves, lifting each other up, overcoming our struggles and celebrating our victories, no matter how big or small they might be. When speaking about his gold medal run at the 2019 games, Ferreira notes, "you don't know if you can do something, and then you just do it.”
