Spring Back to Vail: Closing Weekend Festivities
Vail's annual Spring Festival featured the Pond Skimming World Championships as well as music from Wyclef Jean and Guster.
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Spring Back to Vail is a massive hit with visitors as funny costumes and pondskimming rule the day.

A contestant in the Pondskimming World Championships at Spring Back to Vail goes for the gold.

Hip-Hop, R&B and Reggae artist Wyclef Jean performs at the 2010 Spring Back to Vail concert in Ford Park.

Tour de France cyclist Tyler Hamilton was in attendance, participating in the World Pondskimming Championships at Spring Back to Vail.

Dressed for success at Spring Back to Vail.

Wipeout!

The costumes are a big part of the overall “let-loose” dynamic at Spring Back to Vail. These pondskimmers are ready to party.

Spring Back to Vail is one of the biggest and best parties of the year. Warm temperatures and great music (and the ever-popular pondskimming) made this year’s festival a success.

The name is Pond. James Pond.This sharply-dressed pondskimmer is ready to hit the slope.

Nothing says “welcome to Spring” like an inner-tube around a statue.

Hip-Hop, R&B and Reggae artist Wyclef Jean performs at a free Spring Back to Vail show for a capacity crowd.

Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars at Spring Back to Vail 2010.

Say hello to Captain NASTAR! Decked out in a homemade pond-skimming outfit, Captain NASTAR always heralds the coming of good times.

Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars!

WyClef and his full band on stage at the Spring Back to Vail festival.

Wyclef on stage at the Spring Back to Vail festival.

Not a single bad place to watch the free concert, as the crowd gets to watch Wyclef up close and personal on the big screens at the Spring Back to Vail festival.

The view from the crowd: Wyclef on stage at the Spring Back to Vail festival.

Watching Wyclef on stage at the Spring Back to Vail festival from the crowd.

Wyclef on stage in front of a packed crowd at the Spring Back to Vail festival.

Wyclef Jean works the crowd at the 2010 Spring Back to Vail festival.

Wyclef Jean performs at Spring Back to Vail.

A pretty sweet panoramic view of the Wyclef concert at Spring Back to Vail from the audience.

Pondskimming or limbo?

The view from the base for the Pondskimming World Championships at Spring Back to Vail. The Pondskimming competition was moved back to the final day of skiing at Vail this year; in previous years, it was held on the eve of closing day.

Thinking of trying your hand at pondskimming? This is the view from the top.

Pondskimming at the 2010 Spring Back to Vail festival. This guy is in for a cold awakening.

A view of the Vail Valley just beyond the crowd at the Pondskimming World Championships.

The costumes are always one of the most-anticipated parts of Spring Back to Vail, and this year didn’t disappoint.


Overheard: “Cool threads, brah.”

And just when things were getting hairy…

Keep those tips up!