Discover performance artists and musicians staged in vignettes along local trails using the natural landscape to showcase their talents as part of the annual Trails & Vistas Art Hikes on Sept. 7 and 8.
The three-hour, 3.8-mile hikes will feature 10 live acts with artists strategically placed in the woods, meadows and along Lakeview Trail at Tahoe Cross Country in Tahoe City, ending at a spectacular vista overlooking Lake Tahoe. The performance/art sites will feature music, dance, poetry, forest bathing and visual art.
Trails & Vistas Art Hikes Sept. 7-8 | Tahoe Cross Country | Tahoe City
World Concert Sept. 7 | Sand Harbor State Park | East Shore
“It’s a mixture of all the arts on one trail,” says artistic director Nancy Tieken Lopez.
With the mule ears rustling in the meadow, the birds chirping, the creeks babbling and tall trees swaying, performance artists will play off the natural environment while encouraging attendees to unplug and reconnect with their surroundings.
“It’s about really listening to what the forest has to offer. … The feeling you get overlooking this massive lake of blue and all the hues of it, plus the indigo hues of the mountains — it’s incredible.”
— Nancy Tieken Lopez
“It’s about really listening to what the forest has to offer,” Tieken Lopez says, adding that the view of Lake Tahoe from the top of the trail is well worth the climb. “Every time I come over the crest [on State Route 267] and see the lake, it just brings great inspiration. The feeling you get overlooking this massive lake of blue and all the hues of it, plus the indigo hues of the mountains — it’s incredible.”
The Trails & Vistas event also features a new lineup of artists including: Davon Fleming, a soulful R&B vocalist who appeared on the TV show “The Voice”; local musician Danny Strurtevant, known for combining looping technology and harmonies to classic hits; and Andres Amador, a site-specific artist known for drawing large-scale geometric shapes on beaches using biodegradable, locally sourced materials. His art in nature, “draws attention to the impermanence of things,” Lopez says.
The musicians of note include Maiah Wynne from Oregon, who sings beautifully haunting folk music about the environment, which fits in well with the Blue theme of this year’s event.
“It’s a great collaboration of artists, where the East and the West coasts meet,” says Lopez.
Trails & Vistas also offers a World Concert on Sept. 7 at Sand Harbor; it is an opportunity to see all the art-hike musicians and their full bands on one main stage.
The band Seffarine, a guitarist and flamenco dancer duo, will be sharing music that combines jazz, Persian classical and Spanish flamenco. Fleming will be back on stage and Los Angeles-based band Incendio will be performing a global mix of guitar music. Spoken-word poet Jahan Khalighi will offer stories to the night. After intermission, attendees can dance in the sand to Mumbo Gumbo, a Northern California-based band that blends Cajun, zydeco, folk, country and Americana music.
“This is a journey around the world showcasing all the best of humanity. And it’s another beautiful setting overlooking Lake Tahoe in collaboration with InnerRhythms Dance artists,” says Lopez. “We keep the art hikes accessible with the World Concert. This is a Truckee-Tahoe Peace Project about giving reverence to nature, promoting the celebration of diversity, peace and unity. It’s about making the world a kinder and gentler place through music and art.”
Since Trails & Vistas is an opportunity for people to unplug and reconnect with nature, no cell phones, pets, cameras or strollers are allowed on the art hikes. Space is limited and buying tickets online in advance is highly recommended. | trailsandvistas.org
