The Winter X Games will be returning to Aspen, Colorado for the 19th consecutive year since Buttermilk Ski Area became the official location for the contest back in 2002. The highly anticipated annual 4-day event will last from Thursday, January 23rd to Sunday, January 26th, 2020. There will be more than 200 athletes competing on skis, snowboards, snowbikes, and snowmobiles. If you’re interested in learning more about the event, here’s everything you need to know about the Winter X Games 2020:
The 2020 Winter X Games Will Be Free to Attend
Many people assume that attending the Winter X Games will come with a costly ticket price but it’s a little-known fact that all of the event’s competitions are completely free to attend. Of course, the cost of travel, food, gear, resort expenses, and lift tickets still need to be factored in, so it’s not exactly something you can do on a shoestring budget unless you actually live in the Aspen area. Also, be aware that you’ll need to pay for tickets if you want to attend some of the event’s musical concerts.
There are Optional Tickets and Passes
While anyone can spectate for free, X Games does offer tickets for enhanced entertainment and hospitality experiences. Here’s an overview of some of the passes and tickets you can buy for the 2020 Winter X Games:
- All Music General Admission – This ticket costs $120 and covers admission to all four of the event’s concerts, which will be performed by musical artists Rae Sremmurd, Illenium, Alesso, and Bazzi.
- Diamond Club All Music – This 4-day pass costs $500 and promises an ultimate concert-viewing experience in the luxurious Diamond Club Lounge.
- XIP Pass – Provides access to the XIP Tower, a heated lounge where you’ll be served complimentary food & beverages while soaking up an incredible view of the competition. This pass also gives you athlete meet & greets, exclusive tours, and a special bonus gift items.
- X Lift + Music – The X-Lift pass gives you full 2-day access to ride every lift on any of the ski area’s four mountains – Aspen, Buttermilk, Highlands, and Snowmass. It also covers attendance to all 4 of the event’s musical concerts. The pass costs $340 for adults between the ages of 18-64 or $249 for children between the ages of 7-17 and seniors over the age of 65.
- College X Pass + Music – College students who are younger than 24 may qualify for the College X Pass, which provides the same features as the X-Lift + Music pass but at the discounted price of only $200.
- Athlete Experience Panel – For only $100, you can meet the world’s best winter sport athletes up close and personal.
You can also buy individual tickets to each concert for these times and prices: Rae Sremmurd – Friday Night ($40), Illenium – Saturday Afternoon ($25), Alesso – Saturday Night ($45), Bazzi – Sunday ($30).
2020 Winter X Games Schedule Breakdown
Here’s a complete rundown of what to expect on each day of the 2020 Winter X Games (all times are in MST):
- Thursday, Jan. 23rd – The event kicks off with the Special Olympics Unified Snowboarding and Skiing Big Air competition at 11 AM, followed by the Men’s Snowboard Slope Style Elimination contest at noon, Men’s Big Air Elimination Ski competition at 1:30 PM, Ski Knuckle Huck at 7:30 PM, Men’s Snowboard SuperPipe Finals at 8 PM, and the Women’s Big Air Snowboarding Finals at 9 PM.
- Friday, Jan. 24th – The 2nd day starts with the Men’s Slopestyle Elimination Ski competition at noon, followed by the Men’s Snowboarding Big Air Elimination contest at 1:30 PM, Snowmobile Freestyle Finals at 5 PM, Women’s Big Air Skiing Finals at 6:30 PM, the Men’s SuperPipe Skiing Elimination contest at 7:30 PM, Men’s Big Air Ski Finals at 8:35 PM, and a Men’s Snowboarding Superpipe session to cap off the night at 9:30 PM before the commencement of the Rae Sremmurd contest.
- Saturday, Jan. 25th – Saturday will be the longest day, with 11 items on the schedule: Women’s Slopestyle Snowboarding Finals at 11 AM, Adaptive BikeCross Snowbike competition at noon, Men’s Slopestyle Skiing Finals at 12:30PM, Para BikeCross Snowbike at 1:15 PM, Men’s Slopestyle Snowboard Finals at 1:45 PM, Snowbike Elimination and Finals at 3 PM, the Illenium concert at 4:30 PM, Women’s SuperPipe Skiing Finals at 6:30 PM, Men’s Big Air Snowboarding Finals at 8 PM, Women’s SuperPipe Snowboarding Finals at 8:45 PM, and the Alesso concert at 9:30 PM.
- Sunday, Jan 26th – The closing day will be the shortest, starting with the Women’s Slopestyle Skiing finals at noon followed by the Slope Rail Snowboarding Jam at 1:30 PM, the Bazzi concert at 4:30 PM, Knuckle Huck Snowboarding at 6:30 PM, Men’s SuperPipe Ski Finals at 7 PM, and the Snowbike Best Trick Finals 8:30 PM.
Be sure to create your own schedule to keep up with the specific competitions you’re interested in.
When and Where to Show Up
If you’ve decided to take a trip to the upcoming Winter X Games, the address you’ll need to put in your GPS is: “38700 Hwy 82, Aspen, CO 81611.” That will take you to the base of Buttermilk Mountain, where you’ll find the ticket booths for concert admissions and passes, as well as all of the information you’ll need to get the most enjoyment out of the event, resort, and local accommodations. Generally, it’s best to show up at least 1-3 hours before the first contest of the day to get a good spot before the crowds appear.
