PHOTOS: Aspen’s community picnic boasts food trucks, talent show winners, and more

Community picnickers gather for a group photo in Wagner Park on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Aspen.
Regan Mertz/The Aspen Times

Aspen hosted its annual Community Picnic Sunday.

It was held from 1-3 p.m. at Wagner Park. The first 750 attendees received free food from local food trucks, like Bumbu Asian Food Truck, Aspen Mini Donuts, Slow Groovin’ BBQ, Domingo Sausage, and Petit Mont-Blanc. And dessert was unlimited from The Dreamery.

A new addition this year was a community talent show beginning at 2 p.m.



“This is the heartbeat of Aspen, these people,” Special Events Assistant Manager Wesy Armour-Cook said.

The picnic also featured a children’s fair, sponsored by Kids First, which included balloon animals and face painting.




The fair will provide resources for families, health screenings, safety information, and a variety of free activities for kids, including Kidtoons, face painting, art tables, lawn games, and more.

The Aspen Police Department, the city of Aspen, Pitkin County Public Health, Aspen Valley Hospital, Aspen Family Connections, and Aspen Parks and Rec, and Mountain Valley Development Services were a couple of the resource tents available at the picnic.

A raffle also gave away RFTA punch cards, Aspen Rec punch cards, a golf course pass, a ski lift ticket.

Aspen Polynesia dancers perform in Wagner Park for a community picnic talent show on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Aspen. The group was founded in 2021 to share Polynesian Culture in the Roaring Fork Valley. They won first place in the talent show.
Regan Mertz/The Aspen Times
Adelaide Door of Aspen performs an original song called “New Moons” in Wagner Park on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Aspen. She performed the song at her eighth grade commencement, and said: “I got some hate for it, so sorry, but you’re going to have to hear it again.” She won second place in the talent show.
Regan Mertz/The Aspen Times
Kendall Vavaco of Glenwood Springs sings and plays the guitar to an original song in Wagner Park on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Aspen. “This is the largest crowd I’ve ever performed in front of,” she said before her performance. She won third place in the talent show.
Regan Mertz/The Aspen Times
Aspen Choir sings two songs at the talent show in Wagner Park on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Aspen.
Regan Mertz/The Aspen Times
Community picnickers gather to watch the talent show portion in Wagner Park on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Aspen.
Regan Mertz/The Aspen Times
A dog and community picnickers sit on the grass of Wagner Park on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Aspen.
Regan Mertz/The Aspen Times
A boy gets his arm painted at the Aspen Community Picnic in Wagner Park on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Aspen.
Regan Mertz/The Aspen Times
The Dreamery hands out one of its last mini ice cream cones in Wagner Park on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Aspen.
Regan Mertz/The Aspen Times
One of the caterers at Domingo Sausage makes a sandwich at the community picnic in Wagner Park on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, in Aspen.
Regan Mertz/The Aspen Times