Mikey! Mariah! Goldie! Prince Harry! Stars Balled Out for the St. Regis Aspen Snow Polo World Championship

Aspen is the archetypical snow globe of a mountain town. Since its early days, reality is all but suspended. After all, this is where Hunter S. Thompson famously ran for mayor in 1970—and only narrowly lost. In more recent years, the promise of sunny skies and snowy slopes and a healthy dose of luxury have enticed fever dream-worthy celebrity crowds. Case in point: the 2025 St. Regis Aspen Snow Polo World Championship, which drew star attendees both on and off the polo field.

The annual tradition, which has grown over the last 13 years to serve as something of a kickoff for the winter season, began over welcome drinks at the Paradis Suite at the St. Regis Aspen. With a special appearance from the hotel’s beloved Kitty the Bernese Mountain Dog, guests including Olympic snowboarder Shaun White gathered to toast over Hennessy Paradis cocktails.

During the buzzy event at Rio Grande Park, legions of prized ponies outfitted with special horseshoes were once again brought in from Melissa and Marc Ganzi’s nearby Aspen Valley Polo Club, as the local sports field was blanketed in snow and transformed into North America’s premier snow polo stage.

Atop the horses were some of the most lauded figures in the game: Alejandro Novillo Astrada, Nic Roldan, and Nacho Figueras chief among them. This year, a surprise player in the form of Prince Harry joined them. Admittedly, the Duke of Sussex remained largely under the radar during his time in town until the sideline announcers mentioned his arrival onto the pitch, drawing droves of onlookers when they referred to him simply as Harry Wales. “The prince of polo is battling an actual prince,” quipped one commentator as Figueras, widely regarded as the de facto face of the sport in America, bested his longtime friend on the field.

“This my first time watching polo. We’re taking in the views of the mountain range behind all of the horses, and it’s just really been the best time,” Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor told Vogue. “I’m here to root for St. Regis, though I was tempted to root for Harry. Shout out to England!” The actress was joined in the St. Regis cabana by Colman Domingo, supermodels Martha Hunt and Sara Sampaio, and Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, who have been Aspen locals since 1985. The couple, kitted out in their American West best, held court in the chalet-style setup, regaling partygoers with tales of a bygone era—in both Aspen and Hollywood—over Bloody Marys.

“It’s these sort of surreal moments that we love to bring to life here every year,” George Fleck, one of the masterminds behind the yearly event for St. Regis, said. “We create this world that’s less real, and a little bit more fantasy.”

Also looking on from the sidelines and drinking it all in were Mikey Madison, Rebel Wilson, Pom Klementieff, and designer Lindsey Thornburg, sporting her signature larger-than-life fringed and patterned overcoat. And as if the scene could not get any more surreal, a fashionably late Mariah Carey arrived as a DJ serenaded her with All I Want for Christmas Is You. Within no time, the agenda quickly turned from spectating to dancing, with Carey leading a sing-along.

Festivities continued that evening with a pre-dinner disco at Caviar Kaspia at The Snow Lodge. Oscar-winning actress Madison swapped her spectator ensemble for a Western-inspired black corseted gown, while Domingo remained in his après-ski–ready fur coat. There were ice-cold Hennessy ‘X Press O’ shots, a DJ set from Jack Abrams, and—naturally—caviar on just about everything.

For the final day of the competition, a stylish crowd including Shay Mitchell and Phoebe Tonkin turned up in full force to watch as Figueras and his sons Hilario and Artemo emerged victorious, with Hilario taking home MVP of the championship. If the Snow Polo Championships were any indication of what’s to come this season in Aspen, this winter is shaping up to be one for the books.