Mountainfilm: Putting the “Free” Back in “Free Range”

16 May Mountainfilm: Putting the “Free” Back in “Free Range”

Mountainfilm began as a gathering for climbers and mountaineers in 1979, and last year to honor our outdoor roots we created programs to get guests outside the theaters and into Telluride’s beautiful surroundings. We call these Free Range Programs because these events not only offer an opportunity to roam in the sunlight like a happy chicken, but they are also free to both passholders and the general public.

To participate, sign up at Hospitality  in the Gallery Room of the Sheridan Opera House beginning Thursday, May 21. Free Range Programming has limited space, so sign up early. And rain or shine, be prepared for the elements.

So what can free get you? A group bike ride, yoga classes, standup paddling boarding, a kite-building workshop, dark-sky photography and a concert in the forest. Not bad, huh?

Free Range Schedule:

Critical Mass: Bike Ride to the Brewery
Saturday, 5:30 p.m., meet on Colorado Avenue in front of San Miguel County Courthouse
What better way to celebrate the ingenuity of the two-wheeled cycle than with a group ride? Pedal out to Telluride Brewing Company and back with fellow bike lovers. Bikes of all sizes and shapes are welcome. Because, as John F. Kennedy put it, “nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride.”

Paddleboarding in the Alpine at Trout Lake
Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m., meet at Jagged Edge, 223 E. Colorado Ave.
Join Jagged Edge Mountain Gear and SOL Paddle Boards for a paddle boarding excursion at Trout Lake. No experience necessary. Shuttles will be provided.

Yoga in Elks Park
Saturday and Sunday, 12 p.m., Elks Park
Austrian-born Ashtanga yoga instructor Babsi Glanznig invites all yogis to join her on the lawn of Elks Park for free midday yoga sessions. All levels welcome.

Photographing the Dark Sky/Stargazing
Sunday, 3 to 4 a.m., Colorado Avenue in front of San Miguel County Courthouse
Ben Canales, who specializes in capturing the magic of the night sky with his camera, invites fellow photographers to join him for this one-of-a-kind opportunity to shoot Telluride at night with the town’s lights off. For those who just want to check out the night sky unadulterated by lights, meet up with Mountainfilm’s resident astronomer Mishky at Elks Park for an astronomy lesson in the best classroom possible.

Go Fly a Kite
Sunday, 3 p.m., Ah Haa School
Afghan-born craftsman Basir Beria built the kites for the film The Kite Runner. He will lead a workshop on how to build his precise aerial flyers. Participants can fly their creations Monday at the Closing Picnic.

Music in the Meadow: A Hike-In Concert
Sunday 4 p.m., Location TBA
Experience an intimate concert — complete with a pump organ, string instruments and several musicians — in an unlikely but appropriately Mountainfilm spot: a clearing in the woods. Joel West, who composed the music for the film A Thousand Year Journey, will lead a group of musicians in this special hike-in concert. A discussion with filmmaker Kenny Laubbacher, film subject Jedidiah Jenkins and others will follow the concert. Meet outside of Hospitality.