This December, Birds of Prey has seven World Cup races over two back-to-back weekends. That's the most the event has ever held. The men race Thursday, Dec. 3 through Sunday, Dec. 6. The women come back Friday, Dec. 11 through Sunday, Dec. 13, for two downhills and a super-G. The races sit inside a festival that the Vail Valley Foundation, the nonprofit that organizes it, runs from Dec. 3 to Dec. 13.
That changes how a December in Beaver Creek works. The most useful parts for anyone who lives nearby are free grandstand seats on all seven race days and free concerts in the village on nine of the eleven days. With that much on offer, locals can pick the days that suit them.
The Calendar Starts a Week Before the First Race
Beaver Creek plans to open for the season on Wednesday, Nov. 25, the day before Thanksgiving. The resort notes that the date can change with weather and snow conditions. Opening day includes a Chair 6 banner break at the top of Centennial Lift, free hot chocolate and cookies, and DJ Pippen at the base. The Holiday Market follows on Nov. 27 and 28, and the yearly Tree Lighting & Ice Spectacular is on Nov. 28.
The race course is being built that same weekend. The Vail Valley Foundation lists course-build days for its Talon Crew on Nov. 27, 28, 29 and 30, plus Dec. 8 between the two race weekends. So the work on the hill and the holiday events in the village happen on the same days.
There are two volunteer crews:
- Talon Crew works on the course. You need to be 18 or older, an expert skier, and willing to sign up for at least four shifts. New course volunteers work their first shift on one of the course-build days.
- Raptor Crew handles jobs off the course.
The Vail Valley Foundation's volunteer page links to both crews and explains how to register. The Talon Crew page says applications take two to three weeks to review but gives no closing date. Signing up early leaves time for that review before the Nov. 27 build day.
Day by Day, Dec. 3 Through Dec. 13
Here is the published 2026 schedule, combining the races with the free village music and the main ticketed events. The music is from the organizer's event calendar, and the ticketed shows are from Vail Daily's Oct. 7 festival report.
| Date | Race | Free village music | Ticketed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Dec. 3 | Men's downhill | The Hip Snacks | |
| Fri, Dec. 4 | Men's downhill | The Great North Special, The Staples | Warren Miller's "Days Off," Vilar |
| Sat, Dec. 5 | Men's super-G | Parton Me, Future Joy | Beers of Prey; Nathaniel Rateliff, Vilar |
| Sun, Dec. 6 | Men's giant slalom | The Runaway Grooms | Nathaniel Rateliff, Vilar |
| Mon, Dec. 7 | |||
| Tue, Dec. 8 | |||
| Wed, Dec. 9 | The Laughing Bones | ||
| Thu, Dec. 10 | Rumours Colorado | "Mountains of the Moon," Vilar | |
| Fri, Dec. 11 | Women's downhill | Big Richard, Sam Grisman Project | ILLENIUM, Dobson Arena |
| Sat, Dec. 12 | Women's downhill | Rattlesnake Milk, Moonlght | Cheers of Prey |
| Sun, Dec. 13 | Women's super-G | Scott Rednor Band |
The free music schedule skips Dec. 7 and 8, then picks up again on Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 9 and 10, before the women race. On Dec. 10 the Vilar is showing "Mountains of the Moon" as a Bindu Sky Memorial Fund screening, with Grateful Dead music played live. Vail Daily describes the music as covering everything from folk and funk to Fleetwood Mac and Dolly Parton tributes. Vail Daily lists Rumours Colorado at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 10, but the organizer's calendar currently says 4 p.m. Check the calendar again closer to the date.
Some ticketed shows are already full. Both Nathaniel Rateliff nights at the Vilar Performing Arts Center are sold out. ILLENIUM, with St. Mary and Paws, plays Vail's Dobson Arena on Dec. 11. Vail Daily reports it will be one of the first shows there since the town's $55.4 million renovation. Beers of Prey returns on Dec. 5 for its 11th year. Cheers of Prey, a new cocktail and mocktail tasting with drinks from local bartenders, starts Dec. 12. Tickets for both tastings and for the Vilar shows are sold through bcworldcup.com.
Why There Is a Second Weekend at All
Women's World Cup racing at Beaver Creek has a short history. Vail Daily gives the history. Lindsey Vonn won a super-G in 2011 on a slightly modified version of the Birds of Prey course. In 2013, Beaver Creek's Raptor course hosted three World Cup test events ahead of the 2015 World Championships. Women raced the full Birds of Prey course for the first time in 2024. The organizer's women's race page dates those 2024 races to Dec. 14 and 15.
The money behind the women's races is local. In the same Vail Daily article, the Vail Valley Foundation says the 2024 women's races and their 2026 return "were made possible through a transformational $10 million gift from John and Karen Arnold." The finish-area stadium carries their names. Sarah Franke, the foundation's senior vice president of operations, is quoted in the same article saying "the fan response was overwhelming" when the women first raced the course in 2024.
The women's schedule also grew during the year. The January announcement listed two women's race days, Dec. 12 and 13. On May 7 the organizers added a second women's downhill on Friday, Dec. 11, and that addition is what makes seven races. If you saved the dates back in January, check them again.
The Free Seat, and What It Takes to Reach It
Vail Daily reports that grandstand seats are still free and first-come, first-served. It calls Birds of Prey one of the only stops on the World Cup circuit where people can watch at no cost. The free seats are at John and Karen Arnold Red Tail Stadium, at the bottom of the course, and there's also a big screen at the village ice rink. For comparison, the organizer's VIP page lists single-day VIP tickets at $550 to $750 and Birds Eye View VIP at $1,250 to $2,000. It notes that prices may change.
The free seat still takes some planning to reach. Here is the route the organizer describes on its race-day page:
- Park in the Elk or Bear lot. On race days, parking there is free for cars with five or more people. The resort's current guest page lists normal parking in those lots at $13 before 1 p.m. and free after 1 p.m.
- Ride the free race shuttle from the Covered Bridge in Beaver Creek Village to the stadium.
- Walk uphill on snow for about five minutes to the grandstand.
- Allow about an hour from the base of the resort to Red Tail Stadium, as the organizer suggests.
If you're coming by bus, the official FAQ has directions. From the Vail Transportation Center or Avon Station, take the Vail/Beaver Creek Express, which runs every 20 minutes at peak times. From Edwards or the Freedom Park & Ride, take the Valley or Hwy. 6 routes to Avon. From Eagle or Gypsum, take the Valley route to Avon. From Avon, the Express or the Avon Skier Express gets you up to the resort.
The official pages don't agree on whether you can ski to the races. The 2026 race page says access for skiers and snowboarders is still being finalized, but the race-day information page lists ski-in, ski-out access as "NOT AVAILABLE." Plan to arrive by shuttle unless the organizer says otherwise.
What Still Hasn't Been Announced
The schedule isn't final yet. Vail Daily's Oct. 7 report says athlete autograph signings, live bib draws and family activities will be announced soon. No timetable for 2026 road or lot closures had been published as of Oct. 12, 2026. Past years had their own setup, including booths along Birds of Prey Way and a Saturday-night bib draw with fireworks in 2025. Those were 2025 plans and haven't been confirmed for this year. The organizer's events calendar at bcworldcup.com is the place to check as new details come out between opening day on Nov. 25 and the first downhill on Dec. 3.
Birds of Prey has grown up next to the homes in Beaver Creek. If you own a home here and are deciding whether to stay through race weeks, host family, or rent your place out, Team Black Bear can share what we've seen in past seasons. When you're ready, we can also give you a free home valuation.
