Six of the best: End of season ski parties
End of ski season parties have become an annual tradition for ski resorts - but which ones are topping the charts for fun and uniqueness? We've picked our favourite six...
1. Mayrhofen, Austria: Snowbombing 2011
From the 4 to 9 April 2011, the Austrian ski resort of the Mayrhofen Valley is once again laying the gauntlet down for 'the greatest show on snow' with its Snowbombing 2011 event. Top skiing and snowboarding combined with incredible line-ups with live artists like The Prodigy, Fat Boy Slim, Pendulum and Example, from a sky high igloo rave, to an open-air forest gathering, from a secret backcountry bash, to Austria's biggest fancy dress street party. Quite simply, Snowbombing tears up the rulebook and dares to dance somewhere different.
2. Meribel, France: The 2011 Altitude Festival
The French ski resort of Meribel boasts one of the most unique winter parties: the annual Altitude Festival. Held across a variety of different venues and offering live stand up comedy (with a line up still to be confirmed), live music and DJs, slope style events, big air competitions, snowball fights, giant slalom races and even three legged races, it's a ski-finishing party to be reckoned with! From 26 March to 1 April 2011.
3. Tignes, France: 2011 European X-Games Competition
From 16 March to 18 March 2011, the French ski resort of Tignes will be hosting the second annual European Winter X-Games snowboard and ski competition. The event comes right off the heels of the January 2011 Winter X-Games in Aspen, Colorado, which was broadcast live in 8 countries and distributed to over 160 countries and territories. The Tignes European X-Games is the first version of the world renowned X-Games competition to be held outside of the US, and with more than 125 athletes from all over the world ready to compete in Snowboard and Skiing, the event has the capacity to be a big one.
4. Arinsal, Andorra: The Big Snow Festival 2011
From 13 to 20 March 2011, the Andorran ski resort of Arinsal will be buzzing with the end of season party atmosphere as it hosts its annual Big Snow Festival; featuring some of the biggest UK DJs including Westwood, Fearne Cotton and Scott Mills, Example and DJ Wire and many more. Don't Stay In have dubbed The Big Snow Festival as 'the week long rollercoaster of skiing, snowboarding and big nights out'.
5. Ischgl, Austria: The 2011 Top of the Mountain Concert
The ski-closing Top of the Mountain Concert in the Tyrolean resort of Ischgl, Austria, has comfortably reached legendary status when considering end of season ski parties, with globally renowned artists such as Kylie Minogue, Alicia Keys and even Elton John gracing the stage. The next ski-closing concert in Ischgl in Tyrol is set for April 30 2011, and whoever's been chosen to entertain the crowds at the next celebration, is still a strongly guarded secret. However, you can be sure that you'll be in for a great surprise and a great week of skiing.
6. Avoriaz, France: Jazz Festival 2011
If big end of season parties and colossal live music concerts isn't your cup of tea, then the Jazz Up Festival in France's Avoriaz resort might just be for you. Taking place from the 18 - 25 March and now in its 4th year, the Jazz Up Festival will hold over 40 dinner concerts during the week, 4 larger concerts taking place in the festival hall, as well as numerous jazz-themed events throughout the week with a whole host of jazz performers from around the world.
For great deals to any of the above, visit directski.com
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