Aprés Ski is defined as "the social activities and entertainment following a day of skiing." That's still somewhat a thing as people hook up for food and brew somewhere warm and talk about their day, but the act of aprés ski used to be much more of an event. David Marchi, the curator of Crow's Feet Commons, has teamed up with Mt. Bachelor, Deschutes Brewery, Subaru of Bend and 92.9 to make it an event once again.
"The creation of the Aprés Ski Bash was a collaboration between the Downtown Business Association and Mt. Bachelor," says Marchi. "The courtyard was an obvious location to host the events, especially when we opened a ski shop here in 2012. Deschutes Brewery is a great partner because they understand and fully support the community as a whole and are great advocates to the outdoor lifestyle."
Wilderness, Corner Gospel Explosion and HELGA team up this Friday for the first of the Aprés Ski monthly series. If you want to know who's coming for the rest of the winter though, you'll just have to wait. Marchi says, "We don't have all the new bands confirmed. I know that The Thermals will be returning. With regards to this event in particular, I really have to say that these local bands are extremely talented in my eyes. Since the inception of Wilderness, it has been awesome to see their music morph and improve over the years. HELGA just plain rocks and I am excited to see Corner Gospel as a two-piece after a tragic event this summer."
There's been so much publicity about the area in front of Crow's Feet Common's (both positive and negative) that an event like the Aprés Ski Bash also gives people a chance to view that area in a better light. "I am a firm believer that good energy will overpower bad energy," says Marchi. "For decades, the 'circle' was a rough place, and still is to some extent. But my belief is that if we fill it with positive energy and positive people on a regular basis, it will change. It already has in many ways and its pretty obvious that these kinds of events create an inviting environment and people will soon forget the bad attitudes from the past."
Yet, more than it just being an excuse to have a party, Marchi looks at the Bash as something more long term when it comes to solidifying the community of Bend. "I am really just trying to create a connection between Mt. Bachelor and downtown Bend," says Marchi. "I have been skiing Mt. Bachelor and hanging out in Bend since I was a child, and with the growth of town and relative distance between town and the mountain, the culture of a ski town has been diluted in Bend."
Bend used to feel like a little ski town with Bachelor feeling like it was in our backyard. That feeling has seemed to change over the years, so finding that little bit of small town flavor might be just what the locals ordered.
Aprés Ski Bash
Friday, Dec. 16, 6pm
Crow's Feet Commons, 869 NW Wall St. Suite 4
No cover
