SnowFest! The Happiest Time at Tahoe

By Katherine E. Hill

SnowFest! has become as synonymous with winter in Tahoe as fresh powder on the mountain. Now in its 29th year as the area’s winter carnival, SnowFest! has grown from its first year when no one showed up for the parade to a rite of passage for locals and an attraction for visitors. And, the annual parades in Kings Beach and Tahoe City draw crowds and participates from across the United States.

West Shore native Bob Everson envisioned the idea of a winter carnival to draw visitors to Tahoe in March – when some of the best snow can be found on Tahoe and Truckee’s ski resorts. Everson gathered a group of like-minded community and business leaders and plans were made for the first carnival in June 1981. Everson was tragically killed in a boating accident over the 4th of July holiday that year, but his vision of a winter carnival was made a reality by those he inspired, with the first SnowFest! held in 1982.

“The first Opening Night, we had the torchlight parade at Squaw and 100 people showed up,” recalls SnowFest! executive director Ruth Schnabel. “We were so happy to have 100 people there.”

They crowned the first Queen – Krissy Gregor – and the first parade looped twice around Squaw Valley USA’s parking lot, past the tram building and around the corner at Squaw Valley Road.

“No one was there but us,” Schnabel says with a laugh. The only spectators were the parents of the preschool group that participated in the parade. The parade moved to Tahoe City the second year, with another parade added in Kings Beach later.

If you haven’t been “Vulcanized,” seen the Precision Snow Shovel Drill Team, watched human bowling bowls, shivered at the Polar Bear Swim or cheered your favorite pooch at the Dress Up Your Dog contest, then you’re in for two weeks of fun and festivities as Tahoe celebrates winter during SnowFest! If you know what I’m talking about, then you know the fun waiting for everyone from fireworks and pancake breakfasts to ice sculptures and the Joe King Poker Tournament.

The festivities kick off in grand style on March 5 with a torchlight parade down Squaw Valley USA, crowning of the SnowFest! Queen, laser light show, fireworks and live music in Squaw Valley (see the Opening Night story on the next page). The first weekend is a jam-packed weekend of fun in Tahoe City, including the parade, Ice Cream Eating Contest, The Great Ski Race (see story), Wacky Winter Bowling and Dog Pull.

Festivities continue throughout the week, with Kings Beach taking center stage over the second weekend with its parade, pancake breakfast, Dress Up Your Dog Contest and Arctic Standup Paddleboard Race.

New events this year include Fat Cat’s Frosty Kitty Snow Party on March 6, the “Are you smarter than a bottle cap” tournament on March 8 in the Village at Squaw, Cornice Cantina’s Sundeck Ski Race on March 9, the first Kings Beach Snowman Building Contest and the North Lake Tahoe Historical Society’s Prohibition Pub Crawl on March 12.

On March 13, there’s the Tahoe City Golf Course’s 8-mile Cross-Country Relay Race, The Food for Thought Tamale Dinner and the Cal Neva’s Snow Ball. The Alaskan Open makes its debut at the Tahoe City Golf Course on March 14, with Tahoe Cross Country hosting the Gourmet Ski Tour that afternoon.

There’s a lot of great events spread over 10 days, so get ready to enjoy all of the family friendly fun that SnowFest! has to offer.

SnowFest! Events