Lake Tahoe is full of summer fun

Two outdoor concert venues filled with superstar performers, plus dozens of outdoor competitions and family events, fireworks extravaganzas and the country’s biggest celebrity golf tournament has Tahoe South (tahoesouth.com) positioned as summer’s hot spot for entertainment, outdoor recreation and events.

Rolling bike trails, boat-filled marinas, challenging golf courses and sun-drenched beaches punctuate the wild side of Lake Tahoe summer through September.

 

Mega-stars all summer

Harveys Outdoor Concert Series, an annual South Shore favorite, features a star-studded lineup with Chicago and The Doobie Brothers, July 13; The Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Tour, July 15; Maroon 5, July 21; Journey, Pat Benatar and Loverboy, July 22; Brad Paisley and the Band Perry, July 28; Toby Keith with special guest Brantley Gilbert, Aug. 8; Norah Jones, Aug. 12; Joe Cocker and Huey Lewis and the News, Aug. 17; and Sugarland, Aug. 18; and Sammy Hagar, September 1.

MontBleu Resort Casino and Spa’s inaugural Summer Concert Series will accommodate 4,000 fans in an outdoor amphitheater. The Tahoe Reggae Festival has Sublime with Rome and Cypress Hill taking the stage July 26. Outdoor summer acts are being finalized with performance dates to include, July 7, July 14, July 20, Aug. 4 and Sept. 2.

 

Hot wheels keep on turning

Hot August Nights South Lake Tahoe Experience returns for its third year Aug. 2 to 5 at MontBleu. Car lovers can slide behind the wheel and set cruise control for four straight days and nights of show-n-shines, car exhibits, exclusive car auctions, cruises and an outdoor pavilion with food, beverages and great oldies music.

The inaugural Lake Tahoe Adventure Motorcycle Ride and Rendezvous rolls into Tahoe South Aug. 23 to 26 with hundreds of motorcyclists to explore Tahoe and the surrounding region, some of the finest touring in the country.

 

Athletes at your mark

The Athleta Iron Girl Triathlon returns for its third season, Sept. 16 with a new course consisting of a 400 meter swim, a 26 kilometer bike race and a 5 kilometer run.

Run, walk, swim, paddle, peddle or golf, Sept. 28 to 30, during one of the many Lake Tahoe Marathon events. Both the half and full marathons are along the west shore of Lake Tahoe and feature challenging hills around Emerald Bay.

 

Young at heart

The Valhalla Grand Lawn is the site of the annual Wa She Shu It Deh Native American Arts Festival, July 28 to 29, a cultural gathering that features traditional American Indian dancers and drummers, basket weaving displays, art and great food.

NBC’s Today Show recognizes Tahoe South’s Lights on the Lake fireworks display as one of the country’s top Fourth of July weekend celebrations. If you don’t have your own vessel, the best viewing spots are around South Shore’s sandy beaches or on board M.S. Dixie II or Tahoe Queen Paddlewheelers.

The 11th annual Lake Tahoe Festival of Fine Arts, benefiting the Tahoe Arts Project, will feature 150 booths of children’s art projects, community agency information and entertainment, July 6 to 8, at South Tahoe Middle School.

One of the largest gatherings of unique boats in Northern California is the South Tahoe Wooden Boat Classic, July 27 to 28, at Tahoe Keys Marina and Yacht Club where enthusiasts can get an up close look at the vessels, talk with their owners and hear the powerful roar behind straight V6, V8 and V12 engines.

Return to the 1920s and enjoy the 27th annual Great Gatsby Festival at the Pope Estate at the Tallac Historic Site, Aug. 11 to 12. Visitors will find antiques, Roaring ’20s era costumes, live music, interactive historic house tours, vintage auto rides, ice cream, cotton candy and vintage kid’s games.

The 23rd annual Lake in the Sky Air Show takes flight Aug. 24-26, featuring some of the world’s top aircraft performers, radio-controlled demonstrations and military aircraft.

The Great Lake Tahoe Sternwheeler Race pits South Shore’s two Mississippi paddlewheelers, The Tahoe Queen and M.S. Dixie II, in a four-mile race along the shoreline to determine the winner of the coveted Tahoe Cup and lake supremacy, Sept. 1. The 20th renewal of the spirited “battle of the paddle,” a home-grown tradition for annual bragging rights is sponsored by Korbel California Champagne. The M.S. Dixie II holds an 11-8 edge over The Tahoe Queen.

Labor Day weekend is home to the third annual Sample the Sierra, a farm-to-fork festival, Sept. 2, offering regional products such as honey, jams, olive oil and soaps along with pottery, painting, photography and handmade crafts by regional artists. The festival will offer live entertainment, storytellers and acoustic music as well as tastings of local produce paired with beverages from Sierra Nevada wineries and breweries.

South Shore summer activities will hit a colorful high note with Labor Day Weekend Pyrotechnic Exhibition, Sept. 2. The end-of-summer favorite features simultaneous music set to sky rockets on local radio stations KRLT-FM 93.9 and KOWL-AM 1490.

For real time updates on events, promotions, packages, conditions and events in Tahoe South, The Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority is on Facebook: facebook.com/TahoeSouth, Twitter twitter.com/TahoeSouth, YouTube youtube.com/LTVA.

For information about Tahoe South call 1-800-AT-TAHOE (1-800-288-2463) or visit tahoesouth.com.