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Just one week after wrapping our season-long, six-stop party extravaganza—FREESKIER FEST—we just pulled a proverbial 180, putting a new, welcomed spin on our events. Last night, Denver, Colorado’s Tavern Uptown played host to the first of five swanky soirées that we’ll be organizing over the next two weeks. We put a (temporary) hold on the spraying of champagne, the shot-skis, the head-banging and absurd dancing in favor of a more laid-back, artistic experience; We’re excited to introduce our “pARTy Gallery Tour,” hosted in conjunction with our web-based Photo Shootout contest. The tour consists of 20 blown-up photographs, tasty hors d’oeuvres, DJs, raffles and prizes, and good ol’ fraternization among mountain folk. It’s our way of putting the “art” in party, and with one event now in the books, we’re happy to report the feedback is all positive.

After all, what outdoor enthusiast doesn’t appreciate admiring stunning photography? Hosting the Photo Shootout contest and the accompanying gallery tour is our way of saying “Thanks,” and giving back to the hard-working ski photographers out there. We were thrilled to have 1,126 photographers submit imagery this past fall, and while soaking-in their work on our computer screens wasn’t half bad, it sure didn’t hold a candle to what we (and dozens of event-goers) enjoyed last night: The top-ranked photographs (and many other great shots, too) were printed with infused dyes onto specially coated metal sheets; The metal prints take on a spectacular luminescence, and because the images are infused into the metallic surfaces and not on ’em, the archival qualities of this unique process are top-notch. Think of it like this: Durable, archival prints without glass. In short, the display of imagery was beautiful.

Individuals approached me last night repeatedly, remarking about how special the experience was. We had avid skiers and non-skiers alike, equally intrigued by the arrangement. There’s certainly something transformative about engaging with beautiful artwork. As I wrote last week while introducing this tour, “In the hustle and bustle of our day-to-day schedules, perhaps we should be so lucky as to find an image that makes us stop in our tracks, and just for a moment, forget about everything else.”

For those who missed out on the action in Denver, don’t fret… You’ve got four additional chances to get in on the fun. Here’s where to find us:

• Steamboat Springs, CO
  Saturday, April 9, 2016
  @ The Base Club, 3-6 p.m.
  RSVP now
• Copper Mountain, CO
  Friday, April 15, 2016
  @ Incline, 3-6 p.m.
  RSVP link coming soon
• Portland, OR
  Thursday, April 21, 2016
  @ Basecamp Brewery, 7-10 p.m.
  RSVP link coming soon
• Bend, OR
  Saturday, April 23, 2016
  @ Velvet, 7-10 p.m.
  RSVP link coming soon

Note: All events are 21+

About FREESKIER’s Photo Shootout contest:

FREESKIER introduced its inaugural Photo Shootout this past fall, a web-based photo contest through which photographers could submit imagery for a chance at winning up to $10,000. With more than 4,000 photos submitted (from 1,126 photographers) it’s safe to say the contest was a smashing success. Our readers cast north of 65,000 votes for their favorite photos, helping us to narrow the vast pool of imagery down to a batch of finalists. Our esteemed judging panel then had the tough task of picking winners for categories including action, scenic, lifestyle, abstract and overall. And now, we take things one step further: As outlined above, we’re taking the winning photos on the road.