Wheeler Opera House Launches 'Roaring Fork Rising' to Retain Local Talent

The question is whether you can build a cultural heartbeat in a town where the cost of living often pushes people out. The Wheeler Opera House thinks yes, and they’re betting on it with their second annual "Roaring Fork Rising" series.

It starts May 15. The venue is The Vault, the second-floor lobby and bar area, not the main stage. The price point is $18 for general admission, $8 for insiders. It’s designed to be accessible. It’s designed to keep local talent from having to move to Denver or Nashville to make a living.

Mike Harrington, the executive director, puts it plainly.

“We are thrilled to announce the second season of Roaring Fork Rising,” Harrington said in a press release. “The selection committee was pleased with the resulting lineup that is a mix of new artists alongside returning artists from the inaugural season in 2025.”

He’s not just talking about saving a few bucks for the performers. He’s talking about community retention.

“This series is an affordable and accessible way to discover and support local talent; we hope to see a lot of people spending time with us at the Wheeler this May.”

The lineup is specific. It’s not a generic festival. It’s a curated list of people who live here, or have roots here.

Aggie Flores kicks it off on Friday, May 15. She’s mixing South American rhythms with indie folk. Her background spans Buenos Aires, Aspen, and Charleston. You can hear that geography in the music.

Then there’s Rai Omri. He’s a third-generation valley singer. He plays folk-rooted songs shaped by field recordings and open tunings. He’s exploring natural and spiritual themes. He’s joined by Abigail Benning, who sings about river seasons and small-town memories. That’s Americana. That’s the kind of storytelling that doesn’t always make it to the big national stages, but it resonates right here.

Emery Major returns from Nashville on May 22. He’s got a professional folk-pop sound, refined at venues like Carnegie Hall and the Bluebird Café. But he’s Aspen-born. He’s coming home.

The series runs through May 30. It includes comedy, too. Six comics on May 28, including local producer Sarah Sanders and Second City-educated Beth Brandon. It includes the Sopris Sisters on May 29, delivering Rocky Mountain harmonies. It closes with Wild Flight, a roots-rock trio featuring Emily Jurick, Eric Gross, and Bill Ritchen, joined by country songwriter Hugh Phillips.

The economics are simple. Tickets are cheap. The venue is intimate. The goal is to keep money in the valley. When you buy an $18 ticket, that money stays in Aspen. It pays the musicians. It pays the staff. It supports the Wheeler.

It’s a direct counter to the idea that you need to leave the valley to succeed.

“The selection committee was pleased with the resulting lineup,” Harrington noted. That’s the key. They didn’t just pick the biggest names. They picked the local ones.

The series is hosted at The Vault, which is located in the second-floor lobby and bar area of the Wheeler Opera House at 320 E. Hyman Ave. Tickets are available from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays at the box office, by calling 970-920-5770, or at aspenshowtix.com.

It’s not just about the music. It’s about the signal it sends. If you can make a living playing a small room in Aspen, you might stay. If you can’t, you leave.

Harrington’s hope is that people show up. That’s the business model. Engagement drives revenue. Revenue keeps the lights on.

“we hope to see a lot of people spending time with us at the Wheeler this May,” he said.

The Sopris Sisters will close the series on May 30. They’ll deliver the harmonies. They’ll carry the history. They’ll prove that you don’t always have to leave to be heard.