You know the feeling of sunny skies, open slopes, and endless après? Now imagine a ski trip where that feeling never ends—one where the music hits just right and stirs something deep inside. Everyone’s just as stoked about the slopes as they are about the soundtrack, the dance floor is going off and the energy is electric. What’s better than a ski trip? A ski trip and a music festival rolled into one ultimate vacation. From can’t-miss EDM festivals and jam-band blowouts to laid-back bluegrass and intimate acoustic sets, these are the ski resorts that deliver standout winter music lineups (and exactly why they belong on your winter bucket list).
Soak up the sun on the dance floor and the slopes of Alpe d’Huez. l Image: Tomorrowland Winter FestivalTomorrowland is an annual weeklong electronic dance music festival featuring 150+ of the world’s top electronic artists across almost every genre: trance, techno, hardstyle, house and more. Hit the slopes in between daytime sets and dance the night away on the famous heated mainstage. Notable headliners include Steve Aoki (who snowboarded after his set at the last festival), Steve Angello, Lost Frequencies, Charlotte de Witte and more. If you can’t make it to the festival, no worries – Alpe d’Huez has a reputation for its weekly live music events and nightlife.
Best For: EDM fans, festival lovers, après-party crowd
The Ski Vibe: Alpe d’Huez is known for its endless sunny ski days thanks to an average of 300 days of sunshine per year (earning its nickname “The Island in the Sun”), diverse terrain and home to La Sarenne, Europe’s longest black run.
Legendary après ski at Folie Douce during Snowboxx. l Image: Snowboxx FestivalSnowboxx is a full-week festival that combines skiing and snowboarding in the French Alps with world-class DJs, an epic après party, a huge open-air stage and tons of indoor dance venues to keep the party going after the main stage shuts down (plus secret mountain raves revealed throughout the week). This year’s lineup includes names like Fatboy Slim, Wilkinson and Josh Baker, alongside 40-plus artists spinning everything from house and techno to drum & bass. Beyond the music, Snowboxx leans fully into playful festival vibes. Expect pond skims, inflatable tube races (riding unicorns and dragons, of course), bottomless brunches, karaoke and even an indoor water park – all designed to blur the line between ski trip and festival atmosphere.
Best For: Festival lovers, après-party crowd, ravers
The Ski Vibe: As the highest resort on Les Portes du Soleil (and the world’s largest ski area), Avoriaz is known for delivering the best pow days in the Alps.
Electric Mountain Festival returns for its 13th year, bringing world-class electronic dance music to the Austrian Alps. This year's edition spans 6 days across multiple mountain venues, featuring over 15 international acts. The days are stacked with lively après parties scattered throughout the resort, and capped off at the main stage with headliners including R3hab, Lilly Palmer, Timmy Trumpet and Lost Frequencies. Set in Sölden – Austria's only ski area with lift access to three peaks over 3,000 meters (9,840 feet) and home to the iconic 007 ELEMENTS James Bond attraction – the festival serves up prime snow conditions from its two glaciers with the dramatic backdrop of the Ötztal Alps.
Best For: EDM & house music fans, après-party crowd, daytime shows
The Ski Vibe: Great glacier skiing and snow conditions thanks to Sölden’s high elevation, plus extensive terrain for all levels.
One of the many acoustic stages at Zermatt Unplugged. l Image: Zermatt UnpluggedZermatt Unplugged began in 2007 as a singer-songwriter festival set against the scenic backdrop of Zermatt and its famous Matterhorn mountain. Nearly two decades later, it has grown into a five-day celebration of acoustic music, presenting 120 concerts across 17 stages spread throughout the village and mountain slopes. True to its name, Zermatt Unplugged stands as Europe's only festival devoted entirely to unplugged performances, showcasing folk, rock, pop and indie artists in acoustic form. This year's lineup features Placebo, Tom Odell, Mighty Oaks, Starsailor, Kings of Convenience and Valerie June, among others. Families will love the Kids Village, complete with creative workshops, a carousel and popcorn bar, while night owls can keep the momentum going at the nightly After Show Parties.
Best For: indie/folk fans, families, intimate acoustic ambiance
The Ski Vibe: Zermatt is home to year-round glacier skiing, a peaceful car-free village atmosphere and Europe's highest ski lift.
Steamboat Springs' Champagne Powder® is bucketlist-worthy. l Image: Steamboat Springs Resort WinterWonderGrass in Steamboat Springs is where powder, craft brews and bluegrass collide. Now in its 13th year, this bucket-list festival brings daytime shows to the base of the gondola, then cranks things up after dark with on-mountain and downtown performances. The lineup blends bluegrass, jamgrass, Americana and roots, with this year’s acts including The Devil Makes Three, Elephant Revival, Leftover Salmon, The Infamous Stringdusters – plus plenty of new discoveries. WinterWonderGrass is what every music festival strives to be: community-centered, locally focused and sustainability-minded. Feel good about enjoying local food and drinks in reusable dishware, knowing proceeds support local nonprofits and there are no single-use plastics (more than 55% of waste was diverted from landfills last year). It’s also family-friendly, with the Coletrain Music Academy offering kids’ music workshops and a heated Kids Zone with face painting, hula hooping and plenty of activities to burn off that après hot chocolate.
Best For: Bluegrass fans, daytime shows, families
The Ski Vibe: A trip to Steamboat is worth it for the Champagne Powder® snow alone. Add in the town’s historic ranching roots and its laid-back, family-friendly atmosphere both on and off the mountain and it’s easy to see why it wears the title “Ski Town, U.S.A.®.”
Find lodging near Steamboat Springs
The Palm Tree Music Festival is a two-day outdoor celebration that brings top house DJs and electronic dance music to Aspen Snowmass, framed by its iconic alpine peaks. Friday’s headliners are Calvin Harris and Sammy Virji, followed by Kygo and Mau P on Saturday night. Spend your days exploring one of Aspen’s four legendary mountains, then shift into full après mode – doors open at 2:30 p.m. MT. Last year sold out completely, so be sure to lock in tickets and lodging early.
Best For: EDM fans, ravers, festival lovers
The Ski Vibe: Aspen Snowmass offers access to four different ski mountains, covering all types of terrain and ability levels, so there truly is something for everyone (and it’s on the Ikon Pass!).
Find lodging near Aspen Snowmass
Rendezvous Music Festival closes out the ski season at Jackson Hole with a bang, headlined by The Flaming Lips with openers Umphrey’s McGee and DJ Blake Horstmann, all with the Tetons towering overhead. Arrive early to catch the free Friday night show from hip-hop legends Souls of Mischief under the Tram, then spend your days soaking up sweet spring laps before heading slopeside when the lifts close for the main event. And if you can’t make it to the festival, you can still enjoy live music every Saturday in March with the Road to Rendezvous: Time Machine concert series, a free lineup that travels through six decades of themed artists, from the ’60s to the 2000s.
Best For: indie/progressive rock fans, festival lovers, après-party crowd
The Ski Vibe: Jackson Hole has a welcoming wildwest atmosphere and is notorious for its challenging terrain (Corbet’s Couloir is on every thrill-seeker's bucket list), and wildlife sightings.
Find lodging near Jackson Hole
RendezVan Festival is exactly what it sounds like – a celebration of van life, mountain life and live music all in one place. Spend your days chasing soft spring laps and sunshine, then settle in for four days of free slopeside music that kicks off at après hour at the base of Bachelor. The lineup spans everything from indie folk and bluegrass to jam bands and popular local acts, with headliners like The 502s, Kitchen Dwellers, Andy Frasco & The U.N., and Horseshoes & Hand Grenades. RVs, campers and vans are invited to post up all weekend (camping pass required), but don’t worry – there’s no van required for entry. The festival is open and free for everyone, including kids and dogs. At the festival center, you’ll find vendors, pop-up activities and playful competitions (exact events TBA), plus a free shuttle from nearby Bend if you’re not spending the night.
Best For: van lifers, daytime shows, families, après-party crowd
The Ski Vibe: Bachelor pairs wide-open, all-levels terrain with one of the longest seasons in North America (often stretching into late May), plus easy access to Bend, a laid-back mountain town full of great local brews and bites.
Find lodging near Mt. Bachelor
If you’re planning a ski trip around live music, timing is everything. We recommend booking early for festival weeks (lodging fills up fast and some resorts even cap ticket sales) and staying slopeside when you can so late-night shows are just a short walk home.
Not sure where to stay, how to get around, or how to make the most of your time on the mountain? Book with Ski.com and let our Mountain Travel Experts answer your questions and coordinate every detail so your trip is dialed in from first chair to last encore.
TAGGED: Après-ski
Author
Sign up for exclusive offers, news, updates and more.
