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For the eighth consecutive year, some of the world's best snowboarders, skiers and snowmobilers will converge on Aspen's Buttermilk Mountain beginning Thursday for an event that's one part elite competition, one part party and a definite destination trip -- the Winter X Games.

"This is the largest outdoor snow-sports event of the year," Aspen/Snowmass spokeswoman Meredith McKee said. "It's a great opportunity for people to come up and see all their favorite athletes in person, flying over their heads."

Now in its thirteenth year, the Winter X Games -- which run through Sunday -- have become one of the marquee events for winter action sports.

Before the Winter Olympics and International Ski Federation adopted snowboarding and freestyle skiing events, ESPN's event was Mecca; as these sports have grown, the event has become even bigger, attracting more than 70,000 fans to the mountain to watch a variety of disciplines.

Freestyle, slope-style and half-pipe events for both skiing and snowboarding, along with snowmobile freestyle and racing events, are featured at the Winter X Games.

Since 2002, the games have been based at Aspen's Buttermilk Mountain. McKee said the situation works for both ESPN and Aspen.

"There aren't many resorts where we can say, 'Hey, take over half of one of our mountains,'" McKee said. "They get to do the whole thing right there and we get to stay open for skiing and riding."

Even parts of Buttermilk itself are open to skiers and snowboarders; McKee said that, while areas of the mountain are dedicated to the X Games, many runs would be open and operating.

"You can go up and ski down by the skiercross course and have an awesome view," McKee said, "(Or) you can hike the pipe and stand steps away."

ESPN's event can draw some of the biggest names in freestyle skiing and snowboarding, and the list of invited athletes this year is no different. From Winter X Games staple and Olympic snowboard star Shaun White to men's ski ers such as Simon Dumont and Tanner Hall, and women's snowboarders Gretchen Bleiler and Torah Bright, each event throughout the weekend should be competitive.

Winter X Games is known just as much for the competition as it is the party atmosphere in the town of Aspen for the weekend.

"We do get quite a lot of our customers going there -- it's always a good time," said Bola Ibidunni, and employee of All Boards Sports in Boulder. "They make it that the halfpipe is right at the base, so you can sit in the restaurants and watch the whole thing."

McKee said the town of Aspen is always packed for the X Games weekend.

"The bars are always busy, there's always a party going on somewhere," McKee said. "It's such a fun weekend."

Included in that are two concerts in Aspen that are free to the public: Denver-based hip-hop band Flobots on Friday, and long-running punk-rock band Pennywise on Saturday.

Ibidunni said lots of the younger snowboarding crowd, especially college students and young people just out of school, take the opportunity to head up to Aspen, hit the slopes and party for the weekend.

"The key is, they go out and party, and the guy that hits the bed first has the spot," Ibidunni said with a grin.