Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 9/22/2026, Staff Report

The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office invites community members to join us for the annual Incline Village and Crystal Bay Ice Cream Social on Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Aspen Grove and Village Green, 960 Lakeshore Blvd. in Incline Village.

Each year, the event brings together more than 500 community members for an afternoon focused on community connection, family activities, public safety and community resources. The Ice Cream Social provides a relaxed, family-friendly setting for residents to connect with local first responders and community partners while learning more about the services and resources available in our community.

Attendees will have the opportunity to visit with members of the Sheriff’s Office and several WCSO special units, including RAVEN, SWAT, Mounted Horses, K9s, Motors, Bomb Squad and Search and Rescue. Community partners will also be on hand throughout the event.

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Submitted by Fall Fest Co-Host: Tahoe’s Connection for Families

For 25 years, Tahoe’s Connection for Families (TCF) has been helping local families feel supported, connected and a little less alone during the earliest, and often most challenging, years of parenthood.

TCF provides welcoming, developmentally appropriate playgroups where babies and young children can explore their senses, build social-emotional skills and enjoy age-appropriate games, crafts and activities. Families also have access to parenting education, infant and toddler programs, literacy resources, community field trips, multilingual learning opportunities and mental health and emotional support, including programs for families experiencing pregnancy loss, infertility and other difficult seasons.

Just as importantly, TCF gives parents and caregivers a place to build friendships, exchange advice and find a true sense of community. For many families, TCF becomes their village.

This year, TCF is bringing the carnival fun to IVCBA’s Fall Fest! Families can look forward to carnival games, face painting, pumpkin decorating and plenty of opportunities to play together while supporting an organization that has served our community for a quarter of a century.

As a small local nonprofit, TCF relies on fundraising, donations and community partnerships to keep its programs welcoming, accessible and affordable. Membership fees cover only a portion of the true cost of providing these services. Every raffle ticket purchased will help TCF continue offering a safe, enriching space where local children can learn through play and parents can find the resources, encouragement and meaningful connections they need.

Come celebrate 25 years of Tahoe’s Connection for Families, make joyful fall memories and play for a cause!

All proceeds from the carnival benefit Tahoe’s Connection for Families and help support local children and families.

IVCBA Fall Fest

Saturday, October 17 | 12–3 PM
Village Center, 797 Southwood Blvd., Incline Village.

Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 9/17/2026, Staff Report

 Nevada State Parks is celebrating the fifth annual Spooky Harbor at Sand Harbor State Park with seven nights of Halloween movies, family activities and seasonal celebrations along the shores of Lake Tahoe.

From Sept. 25 through Nov. 1, visitors can enjoy movies under the stars on the Sand Harbor Stage. Movies begin approximately 30 minutes after sunset. The event is free, with standard park entrance fees applying.

This year’s lineup includes:

• Friday, September 25, 8 p.m. – The Nightmare Before Christmas (rated PG)
• Friday, October 2, 8 p.m. – Get Out (rated R)
• Friday, October 9, 7:30 p.m. – Hocus Pocus (rated PG)
• Friday, October 16, 7:30 p.m. – I Know What You Did Last Summer (rated R)
• Friday, October 23, 7 p.m. – Monster House and Kids Fall Festival (rated PG)
• Friday, October 30, 7 p.m. – Trick ‘r Treat (rated R)
• Sunday, November 1, 6 p.m. – Coco and Día de los Muertos celebration (Rated PG)

The Kids Fall Festival on Oct. 23 begins at 4 p.m., with trick-or-treating starting at 6 p.m. The Día de los Muertos celebration on Nov. 1 begins at 3 p.m., followed by Coco at 6 p.m.

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Originally published by Keep Tahoe Blue, 9/17/2026

Since Keep Tahoe Blue was founded nearly 70 years ago, our victories for the Lake have been the result of combining science, direct engagement with government decision makers, and persistence. It can take years and sometimes decades to shape public policy and secure the sustainable funding needed to protect Tahoe. Our team remains committed to methodically building relationships and support, taking advantage of opportunities when they arise, and making sure Tahoe gets the government support it deserves, just like we have from the start. 

Your generosity supports our multi-year advocacy efforts that are critical to Tahoe’s future. Thanks for your support.

New Tools to Stop the Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species  

What is it?   

“CD3 Outpost Blue” machines are self-service aquatic invasive species (AIS) prevention stations designed specifically for non-motorized watercraft, including paddleboards, kayaks, canoes, rafts, floaties, and fishing equipment. They are a tool to address the growing threat of golden mussels and other aquatic invasive species that can be transported on wet or contaminated gear. Keep Tahoe Blue led the installation of four new Outpost Blue machines in Tahoe this month. Each Outpost Blue provides tools such as a brush, grabber, and compressed air so recreators can Clean, Drain, and Dry their equipment before entering Lake Tahoe and nearby waterbodies. The goal is to make AIS prevention easy and accessible, particularly for users who do not pass through Tahoe’s existing motorized boat inspection stations. 

Keep Tahoe Blue is leading the CD3 Outpost Blue project as a proactive expansion of Tahoe’s AIS prevention system. Keep Tahoe Blue provided funding for the new machines, is working with the CD3 manufacturer and agency partners on future design improvements and placement, developing educational messaging and signage, and helping integrate the stations into broader AIS outreach. The project builds on our previous deployment of a mobile, trailer-mounted CD3 unit and on-the-ground education with our Eyes on the Lake Outreach Team volunteers.

Where is it in the process?

In early September, Keep Tahoe Blue installed four custom, non-motorized CD3 Outpost Blue machines at Baldwin Beach and Fallen Leaf Lake. The units are intended to complement Tahoe’s robust boat inspection program, which requires all motorized watercraft to be inspected and decontaminated before launching at one of Tahoe’s marinas or launch ramps. Nonmotorized watercraft are just as likely to carry AIS, but they can enter the water from anywhere. The new CD3 Outposts are an additional tool to fill the gap in AIS prevention for nonmotorized gear.

What’s next?

The next phase of the project is to build public awareness, so recreators know how and why to use the Outpost Blue machines. Keep Tahoe Blue will also evaluate the machines’ use and effectiveness, identify opportunities for additional locations, and continue advocating for stronger and more consistent non-motorized AIS prevention across Lake Tahoe, California, and Nevada. In the longer term, the Outpost Blue machines can provide a model for other high-use waterbodies to address the threat of golden mussels and other invasive species.

What is Keep Tahoe Blue’s position? SUPPORT 

The Outpost Blue machines advance Keep Tahoe Blue’s position that preventing invasive species from entering Lake Tahoe is far more effective, environmentally responsible, and cost-effective than attempting to control them after they’ve established a new population. The machines also help close an important gap in the current prevention system by giving nonmotorized recreators easy, free, and practical tools to Clean, Drain, and Dry their equipment.

Climate connection: 

Climate change can increase Lake Tahoe’s vulnerability to aquatic invasive species by altering water temperatures, hydrology, and ecosystem conditions in ways that may favor the establishment or spread of some invasive species. At the same time, Tahoe is experiencing high recreational use and increasing movement of watercraft and equipment among California and Nevada waterways. Strengthening AIS prevention increases the Lake’s ecological resilience by reducing an additional stressor on an ecosystem already responding to a changing climate.

More information: 

• About the CD3s 
• Find a CD3 in Tahoe
• Tahoe Boat Inspections
• Tahoe Keepers 
• How to Clean, Drain & Dry

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