Top 5 Summer Events in Lake Tahoe
2026
Summer at Lake Tahoe is the best kind of vacation! Not only is there a variety of activities to take part in, but there are a ton of events that you can attend. We gathered all our favorite events, both free and ticketed, for you to help you plan your next summer Lake Tahoe vacation.
In This Article:
- Truckee Thursdays
- Truckee Brewfeset
- Music in the Park and Music on the Beach
- Truckee Pro Rodeo
- Truckee Air Show and Family Festival
1. Truckee Thursdays
June 18-August 6, 2026, 5 pm to 8:30 pm
This summer street festival is one of the best places to go to see what Truckee is all about. True to its name, Downtown Truckee closes down its streets to welcome locals and visitors every Thursday for this festival. Shop around at all the local vendors' booths, eat at some of the best local restaurants in the food court, check out the beer garden, and enjoy some live music! You can check out the music lineup for each day on Truckee Thursdays' website.
Don't want to deal with the traffic? That's okay! There is a free shuttle from Donner Lake, Tahoe Donner, Sierra Meadows, Brockway Prosser, Glenshire, and Northstar. If you still want to drive down for the festival, you can park at the Trout Creek Recreation Center. The Tahoe Donner Association will be providing a free shuttle service to and from the recreation center.
See what makes Truckee so great! Tickets are not required for this event.
2. Truckee Brewfest
July 11, 2026, 1 pm to 5 pm
Come sample everything from craft brews to home brews and mingle with beer lovers just like you at the annual Truckee Brewfest. Music by Matt Axton, Dead Kampers, and Carnival Dogs will keep the energy up all afternoon as you make your way through the numerous craft samples. In addition to beer tastings, a silent auction will take place, with proceeds benefiting the Truckee Optimist Club, a local organization that supports youth academics, athletics, and the arts.
Participating breweries include:
- Tahoe National Brewing
- Fifty Fifty Brewing
- Truckee Brewing
- Donner Creek Brewing
- Lead Dog Brewing
- The Fox Brewery and Pub
- And many more!
Not into beer? Don't worry. Wine will be available too as well as NA offerings and tasty bites from local food trucks. Advanced sale tickets are $45 and are available until July 10th.
3. Music in the Park and Music on the Beach
Music in the Park: June 17 – August 26, 2023, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, Every Wednesday
Music on the Beach: June 10 - September 4, 2026, 6 pm to 8:30 pm, Every Friday
Music in the Park is every Wednesday at the Truckee River Regional Park. This is a free event for the whole family. Children must be supervised at all times. Dogs and smoking are not allowed. While this is a free event, donations are accepted to help cover event costs. Just look for the blue donation boxes scattered around the park. You may bring a chair to the event. The event organizers ask that you be considerate of the people behind you and not bring a high-back chair. Depending on the day you attend, you can experience rock, cover, jazz, bluegrass, country, or blues.
Music on the Beach is every Friday at the Kings Beach State Recreation Area. This is also a free event open to all ages. They will be serving beer from Alibi Ale Works, wine from Truckee River Winery, and non-alcoholic beverages. There will also be local food vendors at the event, selling food from 6 pm to 9 pm. Any outside alcohol is not permitted. Pets are also not permitted. You can donate to help keep the music alive through the North Tahoe Business Association's website. Regardless of who is playing on the day you attend, you are sure to have a good time with some good music.
View a list of the performer lineup for Music at the Park on the Truckee-Donner Recreation & Park District's website. Visit the Tahoe Events Calendar website for the Music on the Beach performer lineup.
4. Truckee Pro Rodeo
August 27-29, 2026, Times vary by day
For more than 50 years, the Truckee Pro Rodeo has brought days of roping and bucking broncs to gorgeous North Lake Tahoe. Experience live music, great food, vendors, and adrenaline-pumping rides guaranteed to test the grit of every competitor. The schedule of events includes Extreme Bulls and Broncs, Mutton Bustin', barrel races, and traditional rodeo rides where cowboys try to hang on for 8 of the longest seconds of their lives. See who comes out on top! Tickets are available for individual days or events.
5. Truckee Tahoe Air Show & Family Festival
June 20, 2026, 9 am to 4 pm
The Truckee Tahoe Air Show & Family Festival is the perfect family activity! The Truckee Tahoe Airport hosts this free event every year.
This event is full of exciting air shows, rides, and live music. They also have a STEM expo that has hands-on activities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The 2022 event will host 5 air performers in different types of aircraft that will amaze the viewers below. While you are waiting for the performers, you can walk around the tarmac and view some amazing planes staged on the ground. If you plan on going around lunchtime, we highly recommend you check out the Speaker Presentation. The speaker for 2022 is a 100-year-old aviation WWII Triple Ace, fighter pilot.
While this is a family-friendly event, the invitation does not extend to pets. Pets are not allowed to keep them safe. The tarmac can exceed 125 degrees during the summer, and it can burn paws and skin.
Our Truckee Vacation Rentals
All our properties are prepped and ready to welcome you for your amazing Tahoe summer vacation. Now is the time to book! Browse other events in the Truckee Tahoe area and our entire home inventory to find the best place for you.
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