ROARING FORK BROADCASTING COMPANY
Aspen’s summer kickoff always includes food and wine, and now … flowers.
The Aspen Chamber Resort Association Luncheon, the annual opening to the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, celebrated the event's 41st year and also the 25 years of service to ACRA from President and Chief Executive Officer Debbie Braun and Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Albright Carney. ACRA’s new summer campaign, “Petal It Forward,” also was unveiled.
Hundreds of local residents and chamber members gathered for lunch at the Hotel Jerome to ring in the unofficial start of Aspen's summer season with laughs over funny photo slides and recognition of those who contribute to community character.
The “Petal it Forward Campaign” was inspired by the late Ramona Markalunas and the Aspen Historical Society, said Eliza Voss, vice president of destination marketing for ACRA. The significance of Markalunas' famous "sweet pea" planting campaign continued with ACRA honoring eight recipients: Aspen Elks Lodge, Pitkin County Library, John Hailey, D.J. Watkins, Denali Barron, Julie Lampton, plus Aspen Daily News columnists Karin Teague and Lo Semple. For their embodiment of ACRA’s core values of “welcome, transparency, relationships, community, collaborate, adapt, engage and celebrate,” each recipient got a bouquet of sweet peas.
ACRA placed packets of sweet pea seeds at each table setting and handed out flowers after the luncheon, encouraging attendees to “petal it forward” by giving the flower to someone in town.
“We want to inspire people with positivity, plus recognition and awareness of ACRA’s work,” Voss said. “And to soften the edges between residents and visitors.”
Teague, who leads the Independence Pass Foundation, and Semple, who owns winter outfitting company Suit Yourself, both attended the luncheon.
“I moved to Aspen 20 years ago. Every day since I have felt like the luckiest person in the world to live in this extraordinary place and with this extraordinary community,” Teague said. “Why wouldn't the rest of the world want to visit and come to this beautiful place? I think what we can do as a community is make sure we're taking care of the landscape and all the amazing folks who make this place work. I think that's what this award is about. And I'm very, very proud to receive it.”
Semple said getting the email from Voss that he’d been chosen to kick off the campaign humbled him.
“I got an email from Eliza and went down to the (ACRA) offices and received a bouquet and I rode home with it down the trail, carrying my flowers and I got some abusing looks on the way home,” said Semple with a laugh. “I came home and put them in water right away and nurtured them. I was really appreciative and grateful for the gift and to live here in a place where you're appreciated.”
Carlin Karr, an advanced sommelier and director of wine and beverage with Frasca Food & Wine, hammered home the singularity of the Classic in Aspen while she guided the hundreds of attendees through the wine selection for the meal.
“Every year I’m invited it’s like my big ‘hoorah’ moment,” Karr said, who is on her fifth Classic. “It’s really because of the community Aspen really shows up to support in this beautiful setting. There’s nothing like it. The Classic is the only Food & Wine event, really.”
Aspen residents and visitors can keep an eye out for a petal cart as the summer continues for opportunities to take a flower and give it away, with the next cart appearance scheduled for June 27 at the Aspen Music Festival and School's Community Pride Celebration.
To find other petal cart dates or to honor a community member with a long-form story, visit aspenchamber.org/petalitforward.