The North Lake Tahoe SnowFest was started in 1982 as a way to lure visitors to Tahoe. Since Mother Nature hasn’t been doing the job this year, we need SnowFest more than ever. Next Thursday marks the start of the annual winter carnival. With so many events going on over the course of 10 days and nights, we turned to SnowFest icon and Tahoe City Parade emcee Ed Miller, who has been involved with the festival since its inception over 30 years ago, for a rundown of his favorite, not-to-be-missed activities.
Tahoe City Parade
Saturday March 3, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
EM: I like that small town, funky, sort of humorous parade where no one takes themselves too seriously. The Kiwanis Precision Snow Shovel Drill Team is always the highlight of the parade. It’s such fun to see guys you see everyday in spandex tights. The UC Davis Cal Aggie Marching Band is always a riot when they come. I like to see the Railroad Regulators and the jail yard break. To see kids and cub scouts and brownies and nonprofits in one place at one time is to see the richness of our community. All of the things that make our community so wonderful, you get to see them at once. It’s such fun to see people out with their dogs and children. After the parade, there are so many people in town, they form their own parade. People have smudge marks on their faces from the [St. Paul] Vulcans who come from halfway across the country [in Minnesota].
Gar Woods Polar Bear Swim
Saturday March 3, 2:30 to 5 p.m.
EM: See people taking their chances by going into Tahoe, which is not always a swimming lake even in summer … It’s a riot to see the color of people’s skin when they come out. They are all red and then they jump in the hot tubs.
Wacky Winter Bowling
Sunday March 4, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Tahoe City Golf Course
EM: It’s just silly. People (bowling balls) ride in saucers to knock over inflatable clowns (pins). A lot of things about SnowFest give adults a chance to act the way they did as kids, which is always a good thing.
River Ranch Annual Snow Sculpture Contest
Sunday March 11, 12 to 4 p.m.
EM: You see a lot of creativity at this event. SnowFest was designed at the beginning to be a locals party and encourage people to come up in the shoulder season. It really is a locals party. You go to River Ranch and it’s like going to a concert at Commons Beach in the summer, you see so many people you know.
Events Ed Has Never Gone to But Would Like To Try
EM: I’ve never been to the Dress Up Your Dog Contest and the Tahoe City Golf Course Dog Pull. My dogs are not into dressing up. They are Alaskan Malamutes and they already come with their own fur coat. I’d also like to go to the Mamasake Extreme Food Challenge because I love trying new and unusual food of all types.
Dress Up Your Dog Contest
Saturday, March 10, 10 to 11:30 a.m.
North Tahoe Events Center, Kings Beach
Tahoe City Golf Course Dog Pull
Sunday, March 4, 12 to 2 p.m.
Mamasake Extreme Food Challenge
Saturday, March 2, 4 to 6 p.m.
Squaw Valley
