By Jenn Sheridan
Chris Bartkowski | Northstar
Warm weather, clear skies and a mountain backdrop provide the perfect atmosphere for music and dancing in the outdoors. As festival season approaches, consider the following festivals for an afternoon, a weekend or night of music and fresh air. Don’t forget to get your tickets early.
Free music at the Lake
Kick off the summer with one of Tahoe’s ongoing free summer concert series. Truckee Thursdays starts one June 12 with Steven Roth, with free shows every Thursday in downtown until Aug. 21. Starting June 17, head over to Squaw Valley for Tuesdays Bluesdays featuring the Blues Monsters. The free concerts are offered every Tuesday until Aug. 26 in the Village at Squaw.
Truckee River Regional Park hosts Music in the Park with free concerts every Wednesday beginning June 18 and continuing through mid August. Concerts at the Commons in Tahoe City begin June 22 with Afrolicious during the Solstice Festival. The series continue through Sept. 7 every Sunday on the beach.
Head to Kings Beach on Friday nights for Music on the Beach beginning June 27 with the Blues Monsters and continuing every Friday until Aug. 29.
Get the lowdown on all of lineups for the free, summer concerts in Tahoe and Truckee in an upcoming edition of The Weekly.
Red, White and Tahoe Blue Festival
July 3-5 | Incline Village
Spend three days celebrating Independence Day in Incline Village. From July 3 to 5, the town holds parades, community events and fireworks. The music begins at Incline Beach on July 3 with a Local Band Review including Paul David & The Drivers, Six Pack and Silver Tongue. The Reno Philharmonic celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Star Spangled Banner with classical patriotic favorites choreographed to a stunning fireworks show. The festival concludes with country star Billy Ray Cyrus on July 5 at the Village Green. Visit redwhitetahoeblue.com.
Chris Bartkowski | Northstar
BeerFest and Bluegrass
July 5 | Northstar
Head to Northstar California on July 5 for a day of strings and beer tastings. Dozens of breweries will be on hand serving cold beer throughout the day. Snap Jackson and the Knock on Wood Players, an acoustic quintet from Stockton will open on stage playing an energetic blend of Americana, Bluegrass, Soul and old time. Linsay Lou and the FlatBellys will be showcasing their unique sound of bluegrass that dips into swing jazz and pop styles. Visit northstarcalifornia.com.
Homewood Days
July 11 & 12 | Homewood Mountain Resort
Celebrate the West Shore with two days of mountain biking, paddleboarding, historical talks, food and drinks during Homewood Days. West Shore locals Dead Winter Carpenters headline a sunset concert on July 12 with opening act Peter Joseph Burtt and the King Tide. Visit skihomewood.com.
Monday Night Showcase
July 11-Aug. 18 | Sand Harbor State Park
Every Monday night during the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival is a unique opportunity to catch a diverse line-up of entertainment from plays and show tunes to ballet and blues. The showcase begins on July 11 with a performance of Shakespeare’s classic comedy “As You Like It” featuring gorgeous costumes, stunning sets and fantastic actors. The Reno Philharmonic Orchestra performs “Broadway on the Beach: Bravo Broadway” with Broadway vocalists Anne Runolfsson, Susan Egan and Gary Mauer belting out some favorite show tunes. Step back in time to hear Thomas Edison and Henry Ford discuss the challenges and successes of their careers during “Chautauqua: Thomas Edison and Henry Ford” on July 21. Sierra Nevada Ballet presents “Swan Lake at the Lake” on July 28. Relive the funk and blues of James Brown with the Reno Jazz Orchestra on Aug. 4. The Tahoe Players present “Sweeney Todd” on Aug. 11. Monday Night Showcase concludes with a night of modern soul by Booker T. Jones on Aug. 28. Visit laketahoeshakespeare.com.
Art, Wine and Music Festival
July 12 & 13 | Olympic Valley
The Village at Squaw transforms into an art gallery for two days July 12 and 13. Browse booths by local artists while enjoying wine tastings from regional wineries. Live music will be performed throughout the festival with musicians to be announced. Visit squaw.com.
Lake Tahoe Dance Festival
July 15- 17 | Tahoe City
Enjoy a weekend of movement in the mountains during this weekend at Gatekeeper’s Museum. The festivities kick off with a Gala Opening Night Celebration with dinner, a special performance and a swing dancing lesson with main stage performances on the following nights. Featured performers include modern dance pioneer Erick Hawkins with contemporary choreographers Bryan Arias, Deborah Lohse, and Deborah Wingert. Guest dancers are Constantine Baecher, Bryan Arias, Kristina Berger and Christin Hanna. Visit laketahoedancefestival.org.
Wanderlust
July 17-20 | Olympic Valley
Four days of yoga, great food and fabulous wine mixed with fresh mountain air is sure to leave anyone in a state of bliss and ready to hit the dance floor. In addition to some of the best yoga instructors, top musicians headline the bill including RJD2, Nahko and Medicine for the People, Big Gigantic and MC Yogi. Visit wanderlust.com.
Outdoor Summer Concerts at North Tahoe Regional Park
July 17, July 19, Aug. 13 | Tahoe Vista
North Tahoe Regional Park presents a stellar line up of musicians for three nights of outdoor shows. Enjoy punk rock and reggae grooves on July 17 with Slightly Stoopid, NOFX, Stephen Marley and Fishbone. Prepare for 12 hours of electric dance music during the 2nd Annual Bass Camp Festival featuring Datsik, Infected Mushroom, Candyland, Kill Paris and more. Rebelution, Iration, The Green, Stick Figure and DJ Mackle take over the park on Aug. 13 for a night of reggae and dancing. Visit northtahoeparks.com.
Lake Tahoe Music Festival
July 22-26 | North Lake Tahoe
Join the 20-member Lake Tahoe Academy Orchestra for five nights of wonderful music in five beautiful locations around the North Lake and Truckee. Each evening brings a unique twist so pack a low back lawn chair and a picnic and prepare for a night under the stars. The festival begins on July 22 at Tahoe Tree Company. A preconcert wine tasting event takes place at 5 p.m.
On July 23, the Orchestra heads to Sugar Pine Point State Park for a night nestled between the shores of Lake Tahoe and the Ehrman Mansion. The West Shore Café holds a no-host barbecue with beer specials during a show on July 24. A gala event takes place on July 25 at Schaffer’s Mill Club with dinner and wine included. The festival concludes on July 26 at Skylandia with an intimate evening beneath a Lake Tahoe backdrop. Visit tahoemusic.org.
GuitarFish Music Festival
Aug. 1-3 | Cisco Grove
This three-day family friendly celebration of art, music and community works to raise awareness of overfishing and pollution in the world’s oceans and provides education for stewardship of fresh watersheds, rivers and streams. Headliners include Nicki Blume and the Gramblers, The Pimps of Joytime, California Honeydrops, Mother Hips, SambaDá and more. Visit guitarfishfestival.com.
SummerFest
Aug. 1-17 | Incline Village
Under the direction of Maestro Joe Revzen, the nation’s top musicians converge to play some of the best classical symphonies under the stars. Featured soloists include Metropolitan Opera star tenor Matthew Polenzani and Billboard Classical chart topping pianist Simone Dinnerstein. Each evening offers a different opportunity to enjoy great music from intimate ensembles to rousing symphonies. Check the full schedule at tahoesummerfest.org.
Brews, Jazz & Funk Festival
Aug. 9 & 10 | Squaw Valley
Enjoy two full days of music and cold beer from 35 regional breweries at the annual Brews, Jazz and Funk Festival. Bands include Mark Sexton, Terraplane, Monophonics and Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe. Proceeds from the event benefit the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe. Visit squaw.com.
Guitar Strings and Chicken Wing
Sept. 5 | Olympic Valle
Battle of the bands meets battle of the wings in this unique event that raises money for Tahoe Institute of Natural Sciences. Participants pay $5 or $10 for voting tokens and wander the Village experiencing some of the region’s bands while sampling Squaw Valley’s hot wing recipes. At the end of the evening only one band and one wing will reign supreme. Visit squaw.com.
Trails & Vistas
Sept. 6 & 7 | Spooner Lake, Nev.
Enjoy live performances and art installations while taking in the beautiful surroundings during a guided hike at Spooner Lake. Following the hike on Saturday is a World Music Concert featuring a 30-piece orchestra, aerial dance and Americana and Celtic music. SambaDá, a Brazilian funk band based out of Santa Cruz, headlines the event. Visit trailsandvistas.org.
Reno & Beyond
Street Vibrations Spring Rally
June 6-8 | Reno
Ride-in competitions, slow drag races and poker runs highlight this motorcycle rally in the heart of downtown Reno with live music throughout the day. Bands include Adrenaline, Blues Monsters, Buddy Emmer and more. Bike enthusiasts should keep Sept. 25 to 29 clear for the Fall Rally. The event is free to spectators. Visit roadshowreno.com/sv_spring.php
The Great Eldorado BBQ, Brews & Blues Festival
June 20 & 21 | Reno
Part block party, part beer tasting and part festival, this event kicks off summer in the best way. Headliners include John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band with friends Alex Ligertwood and Wally Palmer, Tommy Castro & the Painkillers, along with local favorites such as the Carolyn Dolan Blues Band and more. Visit eldorado.com.
Jazz & Beyond!
Aug. 1-17 | Carson City, Nev.
Hosted by the Mile High Jazz Band, this inaugural event brings more than 100 musicians including the Reno Jazz Orchestra, The St. Christopher Project, Jazz Guys, Me and Bobby McGee and more to Carson City for 17 days celebrating jazz and improv music. Highlights include the opening Garden Party on Aug. 1 at the Governor’s Mansion with the Corky Bennett Trio, History of the Beatles with John Shipley on Aug. 5 at the Brewery Arts Center and a Speakeasy Dance Party with Scot Marshell’s Brass Knuckles Band on Aug. 9. Visit jazzcarsoncity.com.
Lost Sierra Hoedown
Sept. 18-21 | Johnsville Ski Bowl, Plumas County
Get ready to stomp your feet and dosey doe during this event, which raises money for the Ski Johnsville Fund. Headliners include Willie Watson, formerly of Old Crow Medicine Show, Miner, Possessed by Paul James and Good Luck Thrift Store Outfit. Get ready to camp under the stars and make new friends while enjoying a blend of Americana music, and don’t forget … it’s a hoedown not a festival.
For those willing to travel
Reggae in the Hills | June 13-15
Calaveras County Fairgrounds | reggaeinthehills.com
Sierra Nevada World Music Festival | June 20-22
Mendocino County Fairgrounds | snwmf.com
High Sierra Music Festival |July 3-6
Quincy | highsierramusic.com
Fillmore Jazz Festival | July 5 & 6
San Francisco | fillmorejazzfestival.com
California WorldFest | July 10-13
Nevada County Fairgrounds | worldfest.net
Reggae on the River | July 31-Aug. 1
French’s Camp, Peircy | reggaeontheriver.com
Outside Lands | Aug. 8-10
Golden Gate Park, San Francisco | sfoutsidelands.com
Burning Man | Aug. 25-Sept 1
Black Rock Desert, Nev. | burningman.com
American River Music Festival | Sept. 12-14
Coloma | americanrivermusic.org
Aftershock | Sept 13 & 14
Sacramento | aftershockconcert.com
Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival | Oct. 3-5
San Francisco | hardlystrictlybluegrass.com
