Spring is kicking off in a big way with Snowfest, a week-long North Lake Tahoe festival filled with family-friendly activities spreading from Kings Beach to Truckee. Fireworks shows, ice sculpting contests, parades and the 30th Annual Gar Woods Polar Bear Swim are just a few of Snowfest’s best events taking place March 1-11. Here are some other highlights to help conjure up the snow gods:
March 1: Kick-off party at Gar Woods and Selfie Scavenger Hunt in Tahoe City– People who take selfies at Tahoe City businesses may enter to win an ultimate Tahoe City Summer Event Package. Then later, join the Snowfest kick-off party and queen coronation at Gar Woods. A $35 donation includes wine, beer, appetizers and Wet Woodys from 5-8pm and live music with Groove Foundry.
March 3: 2nd Annual Snowball Drop– Following the parade in Tahoe City, head over to the Winter Sports Park/golf course for the Snowball Drop! In this, you can purchase “snowballs” (aka “ping pong balls” for $10 apiece to win against other snowballs. Afterwards, the principals of local schools have a real snowball fight.
March 4: Fat Cat’s 2nd Annual Hot Wing Eating Contest– Think you got what it takes to eat a ton of hot wings dipped in scorching hot sauce? Test your palate at the hot wing contest at Fat Cat at 3pm following the Dog Pull (to be held behind Plumas Bank at 1pm).
March 7: Wine n’ Ice at Truckee River Winery– Once again, watch amazing local artists carve incredible ice sculptures as you sit back with a glass of wine and listen to DJ Chango. The party goes from 11am-7pm. It’s a $10 donation to get in on the fun and all ages are welcome.
March 9: Bridgetender’s Ribfest and Winter Whiteout Party at Alibi Ale Works in Truckee– You may want to go to one or the other since ribs and white clothing don’t really mix, but both of these events are guaranteed to bring loads of fun.
March 11: 14th Annual Dog Race at Tahoe Donner Ski Resort– End your 2018 Snowfest experience by checking out this entertaining dog race at Tahoe Donner, where pups of all shapes and sizes pull covered wagons through a snow-covered track.
For a list of all events including the Kings Beach and Tahoe City parades, fireworks, and details about the Gar Woods Polar Bear Swim, visit tahoesnowfest.org.
Diamond Peak is also keeping the winter spirit alive in Incline Village with all sorts of events up on the mountain. Bust out your neon onesies for Retro Ski Day on March 11, and ski for free on March 23 if your birthday happens to fall outside of the winter ski season any day between April 16 and December 13.
On March 25, the whole community usually comes out for Diamond Peak’s annual Dummy Downhill. To be held for its 18th year, staff builds a huge jump on its Show-Off run in front of the base lodge and then launches dummies built by local teams off of it. Awards are given the most creative dummy, longest distance, and more. You don’t have to be a skier to enjoy this event, and you will see plenty of action.
Ready to boogie? The Crystal Bay Club Casino has a great lineup of live music this month including Truckee Tribe (March 17), Yonder Mountain String Band (March 22), G. Love & Special Sauce (March 29), and Tainted Love on March 31. Get ready to dance a night or two away and perhaps try your hand at the craps table.
Located in Tahoe Vista, Pep’s Place is a great pit stop in central North Tahoe or if you’re headed out of town towards Highway 267, and it’s one of the only cafes open in a 5-mile vicinity from Tahoe Vista to Tahoe City during the winter months. Owned by a former manager from Gar Woods, Pep’s Place serves delicious coffees, breakfast sandwiches, and locally-made muffins and breads. My favorite is the English Muffin sandwich: it’s like a breakfast burger made with avocado, butter lettuce, tomato, Havarti cheese, egg, and sausage or bacon on a decently-sized roll. Mmmm ….
Also, don’t forget to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day if you don’t want to get pinched. If you feel like partying with your fellow Irish on March 17, grab a drink and authentic Irish fare at The Paddlewheel, Crosby’s Pub and Grill, or Brewforia. Located next to the Village Ski Loft in Incline Village, Brewforia will have an entire menu of Irish-inspired dishes along with whiskey tasting, music, and games.
— Kayla Anderson
