When most of the country is either celebrating or lamenting the post-holiday hush — that time of year when all the raucous New Year’s parties give way to the tedious repacking of ornaments — Aspen yanks the covers off steaming hot tubs, pours everyone a glass of bubbly and asks, “Why so serious? We’re just getting started up here!” This month, people from all corners of the earth will flock to our beloved state for Aspen Gay Ski Week 2014. On January 12, the most celebrity-friendly resort town in Colorado plans on rolling out the red carpet for the throng of LGBT revelers who want to ring in 2014 proper — with a full week of slopes, skis and skin. And they’ve had plenty of time for party planning. For nearly four decades, the mountaintop menagerie has kept revelers entertained with schedules packed to the hilt. “It’s like summer camp for gay adults,” says Jim Guttau, AGSW’s public relations rep who also attends each year. “Some of these people you only see [during AGSW] … people from Australia, U.K., Brazil, Germany, and Mexico. It’s an international event.” “We get all ages,” Guttau says. “I’d say the late-20s to 40s age group is the majority, though.” Though the schedule is packed with different kinds of events, many Ski Week–goers stick to daily mainstays. Daily hot tub parties in their 22-person tubs make for a warm way to make acquaintances. The Meatball Shack and Finnbarr’s are recommended for a brew with bros — which is sort of how Ski Week started in the first place. Legend has it that back in the mid-70s, a gaggle of gay men ascended upon Aspen to test the frozen waters of a new stomping ground. They took one look at the locals and determined the water was fiiiiiine. The gents met other gents, and before long, they were making memories in beer-soaked condo parties that were the stuff of legend. Not ones to walk away from a good thing, the group of out-of-staters took turns organizing a week of hedonistic merriment that would take place each January on the very mountain it was conceived, and thus, our magical Aspen Gay Ski Week was given to the world. “It began as a way to meet guys and have fun,” reads a statement on the event’s website. “But at its roots Aspen Gay Ski Week is also about politics and civil rights.” Indeed. In 1992, Colorado passed the infamous Amendment 2 to nullify any and all legal protections for gays and lesbians. National boycotts of Colorado began, slashing the number of Ski Week attendees by more than half. Thankfully, the ruling was overturned by the Supreme Court in 1996, and the number of partygoers for AGSW grew to more than 5,000 annually. What’s more, Colorado gave civil unions the green light last May, so the event planners at AGSW got to work on a great idea for 2014: a group civil union ceremony. Is the event literally a ceremony with legal bindings? “Yes!” Guttau said. “It’s official.” Jim tells us that AGSW isn’t all about skiing. “Skiers come and end up not skiing because they’re too busy partying. [Apart from skiing], there’s shopping, spas, history tours, dog sledding, paragliding, snowmobiling — even hunting and fishing.” How about comedy? Mario Cantone (Anthony from Sex and the City) plans to grab a mic and tickle ribs this year. If Aspen Gay Ski Week is like Pride in the mountains, Friday’s downhill costume event is the parade, where drag performers try to stay upright while performing all the way down the slope. “It’s hilarious and the whole town comes out for it,” Guttau said. “There’s got to be more than a thousand people watching.” There’s also an all-ladies party on Friday for all the lovelies who are ready for more bosom than buddy on the dance floor. Though gay ski weeks are common around the world, only Aspen’s event benefits the community. “The funds from AGSW go to the Roaring Fork Gay and Lesbian Community Fund, who does lots for schools in the area on promoting tolerance and anti-bullying,” Guttau said. “If you can imagine all the money collected, from passes to cocktails, being given to charity — that’s pretty impressive. Last year, Drew Carey performed and donated the funds to charity.” The organization also plans support for The Trevor Project, a toll-free suicide hotline for gay and questioning youth. With an international LGBT party virtually in our backyard, we can don our gay apparel every year even after the holidays are over. You’ve got two weeks to make it happen. Head to ofcnow.co/aspen2014 and check out the schedule.

Favorite Aspen Gay Ski Week Events

Sunday “The opening party at Hotel Jerome is always really fun. It’s kind of like a reunion.” A fresh makeover for the bar and hotel means it’s time to break it in.

Monday “The party at Escobar! The club is like the inside of an airplane cabin. It’s also subterranean, which is cool.”

Tuesday “The Sky Hotel is definitely hopping. It’s a good party scene for the younger apres ski folks. The design is funky and they don’t mind if you use the hot tubs as a non-guest.”

Wednesday “The Caribou Club is legendary and usually only lets members in. For the HRC fundraiser, everyone is invited and it’s a really cool event.”

Thursday “After Mario Cantone, Belly Up is going to be really fun. There’s live music and lots of dancing.”

Friday “In the daytime, the downhill parade; later, the on-mountain apres ski. A gondola ride takes you up 11,000 feet and you dance until 1 A.M., then take the gondola down. It’s something you never get to do.”

Saturday “The pool party is crazy! It’s super high end. It has a lazy river, water slides, an open bar. Picture a thousand people in their swimsuits partying until 1 in the morning.”

“But every day (from 3 – 7 P.M.), I look forward to the apres ski events. They’re super-casual.”