Two weekends ago I strapped on my cross-country skis and willingly attached myself to my 70-pound Chesapeake Bay retriever. It was a gorgeous sunny day in the mountains, and my coworker Susan and I had decided to challenge ourselves in a sport neither of us had tried before — skijoring. After taking the two-hour class, we were smiles from ear to ear and I immediately started perusing online for the necessary gear.

There is another class coming up Saturday, Feb. 27. Anyone with intermediate cross-country skiing skills and a dog over the age of 1 can try out beginner skijoring at the Frisco Nordic Center. In partnership with the town, professional dog trainer Louisa Morrissey teaches this fun introductory course of skiing while being pulled by your dog. Skijoring is a great activity to bond with your dog while also getting some exercise.

HOLLYWOOD AND WINE

The Breckenridge Film Festival’s annual Hollywood & Wine fundraiser will be Sunday, Feb. 28, in conjunction with the Academy Awards. The event, “A Night on the Red Carpet,” will celebrate the awards with a viewing party in the Speakeasy Movie Theatre at the Breckenridge Grand Vacations Community Center in Breckenridge. The fundraiser includes fine wines and local beers, food and a silent auction featuring items like an in-home dinner for eight by Park & Main chef Kim Nuzum, a trip for two to Napa Valley, seating for four at the April 1 Colorado Avalanche game and a rafting trip down Brown’s Canyon with AVA Rafting. Advance individual tickets and Couples Night Out packages — which features four tickets at a discount — are available for purchase tickets via breckfilmfest.com.

NEW BELGIUM BREWING’S MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE SERIES

New Belgium’s Mountain Adventure Series travels to seven locations this year, with three stops coming to Colorado: Arapahoe Basin, Winter Park and Loveland Ski Area. On Saturday, Feb. 27, the stop will be at A-Basin, with proceeds going to local nonprofit High Country Conservation Center. It’s a day of skiing and riding in costume (not too different than a normal weekend at A-Basin) while scouring the mountain for clues. The festivities end with an awards ceremony for most clues gathered and an after party.

LIVE MUSIC

I’m a little biased because seeing live music is one of my favorite things to do, but there are always fun bands playing throughout the county every weekend. Dead Floyd (surprisingly enough, a Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd tribute band) is playing at The Barkley Ballroom in Frisco on Friday night, with Lucid Vision bringing some electronic music to the venue on Saturday. The Snake River Saloon in Keystone always offers live music on the weekends, with Front Range band Stereo Clone on the docket for Friday and Saturday night.