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Celebrating 44 years of community events and philanthropy, SnowFest returns to the North Lake Tahoe region with an exciting 10-day lineup of beloved events. Coming up are dazzling fireworks displays, winter sport competitions, contests, family-friendly street fairs, pet events, a polar swim, ice sculptures and so much more to support and raise awareness for local nonprofits.
North Lake Tahoe SnowFest, one of the largest volunteer-run winter festivals on the West Coast, will officially begin at the February 26 kick-off party at Gar Woods with scholarship introductions and live music. From there, the fun runs through March 8. During these 10 days, locals and visitors will gather to celebrate everything they love about Tahoe through classic and new events and adventures in Tahoe City, Kings Beach, Incline Village, Truckee, Olympic Valley and Homewood. Proceeds from these events will benefit local nonprofits, including Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue, Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe and North Tahoe Firefighters Association.
This year, more than 50 events are in the lineup, a testament to the success and growth of this local festival. Last year, approximately 20,000 people attended, and 5,000 of them participated in events. This year is predicted to be even larger, showing the steady growth of SnowFest over the years. Last year's events raised approximately $180,000 for local nonprofits, and $5,000 was awarded to scholarship recipients. The Tahoe community is a shining example of how we truly can make a positive difference and have fun in the process.
I had the incredible opportunity of speaking with Todd Smith, North Lake Tahoe SnowFest board member and founder and president of AdventureSmith Explorations, about the successful evolution of SnowFest, this year's events, the festival's philanthropy goals and how locals and visitors can get involved. Continue below to read the interview.
The fireworks display in Tahoe City is a family-favorite event.
How has North Lake Tahoe SnowFest evolved in the past 44 years?
SnowFest is more than a winter festival, it’s an important philanthropic effort to raise money and awareness for local nonprofits and help the local economy.
In the spring of 1981, when the main core of the ski season was over, the region saw a lot of tourism decline. Bob Everson, marketing director at Alpine Meadows, had a vision to host a winter festival to boost tourism into spring skiing and celebrate the season and everything wonderful about North Lake Tahoe. Bob passed away in a boating accident that summer, and shortly after, SnowFest was created in his honor.
Over the years, it became a wildly successful event, with attendees coming from local ski resorts, businesses and lodgings. Since our latest president Doug Hartline took over, we’ve been leaning into being a more philanthropic event. Everything is volunteer-run, and we are an independent 501(c)(3) public benefit nonprofit organization. Each year, we see a tremendous amount of growth in our event lineup, fundraising and attendees.
Fundraising is fun with unique events like the Alaskan Open Snow Golf Tournament.
What are your philanthropic goals?
Each event and organizer has its own philanthropy that they raise money for, and we like to ensure that they are based in the region and benefit the local economy and community.
The events that tend to raise the most money are paid events, such as The Great Ski Race, which benefits Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue. These events come with an entry cost, and then athletes and spectators are encouraged to raise money to benefit the cause.
Some of the other paid events include the North Tahoe Firefighters Association Pancake Breakfast, Frozen Pickleball Tournament benefitting the Boys and Girls Club of Kings Beach, Milk Jug Curling benefitting the Lake Tahoe Ski Club Foundation and TCPUD, and the Alaskan Open Snow Golf Tournament benefitting Adventure Risk Challenge.
Just simply coming out to the events and having fun makes a huge contribution. For those who just want to make contributions, they also accept private donations from organizations and individuals.
Some of the other notable nonprofits we fundraise for include the Shane McConkey Foundation, Palisades Avalanche Dogs and Sierra State Parks Foundations.
Milk Jug Curling is a locally loved competition.
What are some of the classic SnowFest Events?
We have quite a few events that attendees have enjoyed throughout the years. The fireworks display at the Tahoe City Winter Sports Park is a family favorite and also includes live music, food and drinks.
The Tahoe City SnowFest Street Faire is another one. This event used to be a parade but changed to a more interactive and walkable event. Here, participants can showcase their floats, displays and vendor booths and have a chance to really interact with the public. This year’s theme is Mardi Gras.
The Kings Beach SnowFest Parade is another family favorite, and spectators can watch floats, listen to live music and support local businesses, nonprofits and various organizations.
Some of the local favorites are the Great Ski Race, Gar Woods Annual Polar Bear Swim, Alaskan Open Snow Golf Tournament, River Ranch Annual SnowFest Snow Sculpture Competition and Milk Jug Curling.
Are you brave enough to swim in the lake in winter? Try the Gar Woods Annual Polar Bear Swim!
What are some of your newer events?
The Frozen Pickleball Tournament, benefitting the Boys and Girls Club of Kings Beach, was introduced in 2025 and is back this year with a lot of anticipation from attendees.
Nordic Nights is another one. Here, participants meet at North Tahoe Regional Park in Tahoe Donner for an evening of cross-country skiing, fun races, demos, dancing and hot cocoa. All ages and abilities are welcome.
We’re always adding new events, so stay tuned!
Pets love SnowFest, too!
Are there any pet-friendly events?
There are many opportunities to get your pets involved and benefit animal-related nonprofits, including the Palisades Avalanche Dogs and humane societies.
We have the Tahoe City Dog Pull, Tahoe Donner Ididarun Sled Dog Race and Paint Your Pet, a fun event where you can create art, drink wine and enjoy music.
Watch local artisans create ice sculptures at the River Ranch SnowFest Snow Sculpture Competition.
How can people get involved in events or fundraisers?
We’re always grateful to have volunteers sign up, and they can do so by visiting the website. On our website, you can also sign up to participate in an event, become a sponsor or vendor, or donate.
Here are the SnowFest links you need:
All photos courtesy of North Lake Tahoe SnowFest
About the Author Kirsten Alexis
Kirsten is an outdoor adventure enthusiast, writer and photographer. You can typically find her hiking, paddleboarding, cross-country skiing and checking out new spots to share in the Tahoe Donner region. She has been lucky to call Tahoe her second home since she was a child and aims to inspire people to experience Tahoe and fall in love with the beauty and adventurous spirit of the region through her blogs and content. 
