Connecting Housing, Transportation, and Opportunity in the Tahoe Basin
April 14, 2026 | Member Submitted
Workforce housing and transportation are two of the most pressing challenges in the Tahoe Basin—and they are deeply interconnected. Addressing them requires not just new ideas, but better alignment across sectors, jurisdictions, and solutions.
At the 2026 Tahoe Economic Summit, this session will bring that conversation into focus, starting with the latest regional data and trends presented by Karen Fink, Long Range Planning Director at Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. Grounded in this shared understanding, the discussion will explore three core approaches shaping the path forward: building new housing, better utilizing existing housing through policy innovation, and strengthening regional transportation systems.
A panel of local leaders will then bring these strategies to life through real-world examples:Jessica Wackenhut Lomeli, Housing Manager, City of South Lake Tahoe — highlighting programs like the Long-Term Rental Incentive ProgramJim Marino, Executive Director, Tahoe Transportation District — sharing progress on microtransit, regional connectivity, and infrastructure investmentsJerry Bindel, Forest Suites & Hotel & Lodging Association — offering the employer perspective on workforce housing and transportation solutions.
Together, this session will examine the tradeoffs, costs, and opportunities across each approach—moving beyond the problem to focus on practical, coordinated solutions that support Tahoe’s workforce and economy.
Join us on May 7 at the Tahoe Blue Event Center to be part of the conversation and leave with a clearer understanding of where we’re headed—and how you can be part of the solution. ? Tickets are on sale now. Limited seating – don’t miss out!
Earth Month is here, and it’s one of the best times to get outside and give back to Lake Tahoe.
Join us for an Earth Day Cleanup, stop by a community festival, explore the Spurlock/Evers Environment & Education Center, or head out for an early spring hike. However you spend time here, every action helps protect the Lake.
As Keep Tahoe Blue celebrates 69 years on April 19, we invite you to be part of what comes next. Show up, take care, and leave Tahoe better than you found it.
Tahoe Joy Festival Reveals 2026 Music Lineup for 4th Annual Event
April 14, 2026 | Member Submitted
Free Benefit Music Festival Celebrates Regional Musicians, Artists, and Community at Commons Beach, North Lake Tahoe
The Joy Foundation has announced the 2026 music lineup for the 4th Annual Tahoe Joy Festival, a free benefit music festival featuring an eclectic mix of musicians from the Lake Tahoe and Northern California regions. The festival will take place Sunday, June 7, from 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Commons Beach in Tahoe City. Headlined by Dead Winter Carpenters, the event will bring a full day of high-energy, roots-driven music and connection to Commons Beach.
“This year’s lineup reflects what Tahoe Joy Festival is all about — bringing different sounds, different
influences, and different people together in one place. From Americana and roots to funk, rock, and, for the first time, Latin music, we’re creating a space where everyone can feel connected through music,”
commented Matt Axton, Musician and Founder of the Joy Foundation and Tahoe Joy Festival.
DEAD WINTER CARPENTERS
Headlining this year’s festival, Dead Winter Carpenters are a Tahoe-based Americana band known for rich harmonies, storytelling, and high-energy performances. Their sound reflects the spirit of the mountains and the community, making them a natural anchor for a day of music on the shores of Lake Tahoe.
MATT AXTON & BADMOON
Led by festival founder Matt Axton, Matt Axton & Badmoon blend Americana, country, and rock ’n’ roll with heartfelt songwriting and a strong connection to Tahoe’s musical roots. Their performance brings a personal and authentic energy that lies at the heart of the festival.
LAZWELL
LAZWELL delivers a genre-blending mix of funk, soul, and rock driven by groove and improvisation. Their infectious live energy invites the crowd to move, connect, and share in the moment – a perfect fit for the spirit of Tahoe Joy Festival.
LITTLE HURRICANE
Little Hurricane delivers a raw, “dirty” blues-driven sound rooted in gritty guitar work, driving rhythms, and soulful vocals. Blending garage rock, Americana, and blues, the project brings a stripped-down intensity that resonates in an intimate, open-air setting like Tahoe Joy Festival.
SONIDO SUENO
Sonido Sueño brings a vibrant fusion of Latin rhythms and global influences, creating a lively, danceable sound that invites connection across cultures and generations. Their addition marks an exciting expansion of the festival’s sound, reflecting Tahoe Joy Festival’s commitment to inclusivity and shared experience. “I’m especially excited about this year’s lineup and the experience it creates,” Axton continued.
“What sets Tahoe Joy Festival apart is our focus on bringing people together through diverse sounds and shared moments—all rooted in free music and shared joy. Adding a band with Latin influences like Sonido Sueño expands that vision and reflects the inclusive, evolving community we’re building together.”
COMMUNITY STAGE
In addition to the main stage performances, Tahoe Joy Festival features a Community Stage highlighting local talent, including a performance by North Lake Tahoe band Winter Grain, and a showcase of student musicians from Tahoe Truckee School of Music. The Community Stage reflects the Joy Foundation’s commitment to supporting emerging artists and creating opportunities for young musicians to share their voices.The Community Stage is a powerful example of how the festival shows up for the community—creating space for local voices and setting it apart from other summer music experiences in Lake Tahoe.
PARTNERSHIP SUPPORT
The Tahoe Joy Festival is made possible through the generous support of the Tahoe City Public Utility District, which provides access to Commons Beach, and the North Tahoe Chamber. Their support, combined with local business sponsorships, helps ensure the festival is free and accessible to the entire community.
Additional information on the North Tahoe Chamber is included below.
TAHOE JOY FESTIVAL
Sunday, June 7th, 2026
Commons Beach, Tahoe City
12:00 pm – 7:00 pm, Free
ABOUT THE NORTH TAHOE CHAMBER
The North Tahoe Chamber, whose purpose is to cultivate collaborative partnerships, serve as an engaging catalyst, and drive economic impact, has supported a vibrant business community and enhanced the quality of life for North Lake Tahoe residents and visitors since 1954. The Chamber’s priorities, developed in collaboration with the Business and Chamber Advisory Committee, include economic development, advocacy, business services, community vitality, visitor engagement, and workforce development to benefit local businesses and their employees. Using tourism revenues generated by the North Lake Tahoe Business Improvement District (NLT-TBID) these priorities are realized through robust member benefits.
Learn more and become a member at northtahoechamber.com.
ABOUT JOY FOUNDATION
Founded in 2025 by musician Matt Axton, the Joy Foundation supports independent artists and strengthens communities through high-quality music events and educational programs that celebrate music history, performance, and artistry.
ABOUT TAHOE JOY FESTIVAL
The Tahoe Joy Festival is a free, one-day benefit music festival held annually at Commons Beach in Tahoe City. A signature event of the Joy Foundation, the festival amplifies regional and youth musicians, local artists, and nonprofit partners while creating inclusive, family-friendly experiences. Through live music and community connection, Tahoe Joy Festival raises awareness and funds for local nonprofits and celebrates the natural beauty of Lake Tahoe.
The Tahoe Joy Festival, now in its fourth year, was founded by Matt Axton as a tribute to his father, entertainment icon and Tahoe City resident Hoyt Axton, whose most famous hit “Joy to the World”
(“Jeremiah was a bullfrog”) inspired the festival’s spirit. The event reflects Axton’s vision of bringing a little more joy to North Lake Tahoe through music. Learn more at joyfoundations.org/tahoefest.
In The News – Classical Tahoe Celebrates 15th Season; Launches tickets and summer lineup
April 13, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 4/13/2026, Staff Report
Celebrating a major milestone, Classical Tahoe Music Festival will return for its 15th season from July 11 through Aug. 9, featuring four weeks of orchestral, jazz, and chamber music performances by over 70 musicians from across the country. New this year, the festival introduces a chamber music concert at Sugar Bowl Resort, the return of Music in Motion with the Lake Tahoe Dance Collective, and a special night of jazz featuring Brubeck Summit Sextet: Tahoe’s Jazz All-Stars, all part of a season that honors America 250 through its concerts. Performances take place at the Ricardi Pavilion at the University of Nevada, Reno, at Lake Tahoe, as well as at additional venues throughout Incline Village, offering an intimate concert experience set against the Sierra landscape. Tickets are available now HERE.
In this episode of Voices for Housing, we introduce you to Alison. Her work is critical to the environmental protection of Lake Tahoe. Alison explains how difficult it is to hire and retain quality workers simply because they cannot find affordable housing. This impacts not just the workers themselves, but the businesses who want to hire them. Building a thriving local economy is tied directly to having safe, dignified, affordable housing for local workers. This is Part 1 of Alison’s story.Watch for a new episode each month as we introduce you to people from every part of our community.
In The News – Kitchen of Kindness: A local nonprofit in Northern Nevada aims to feed those in need
April 10, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 4/10/2026, Written by Victoria Mastrocola
Kitchen of Kindness is on a mission to give back to the community. The nonprofit is a volunteer-driven program through Chabad Cares Nevada and aims to assist those in need including seniors, hospitalized individuals and families by providing meals, support, and connection.
When asked how the idea for the program first came to fruition, Executive Director of Chabad Cares Nevada, Rabbi Moshe Cunin, said “The inspiration for the idea was from my wife and her family. Unfortunately, her dad died from cancer, but he had been helped for many years by members of their community bringing food to them.”
After receiving kindness and support from others, Cunin’s wife Doba, and Doba’s mother, decided it was time to give back. Thus, Kitchen of Kindness was created last June and has been picking up the pace ever since.
In The News – Intimate Incline Village event aims to raise money for global fresh water solutions
April 9, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Sierra Sun, 4/9/2026, Written by Robert Galloway
Something unexpected will be happening this May at Bowl Incline: music is becoming a vehicle for compassion, and stories are turning into something far more tangible – clean water.
The event, called “Words to Water,” is not a typical concert. Now in its second year, it is an intimate gathering rooted in love, storytelling and a shared belief that small acts can ripple outward in life-changing ways.
At the heart of it are friendships formed years ago in unlikely places. One began at a charity event in Texas, where musician Josh Jenkins and WaterHope co-founder Steve Tomkovicz (who also owns Bowl Incline with his wife Tracy) met by chance when seated at the same table. What started as small talk grew into a lasting brotherhood – one grounded in faith, mentorship and a shared desire to serve others.
Originally published in Moonshine Ink, 04/09/2026, Written by Megan Ramsey
Editor’s Note April 9: Corrected depths in the pilot project and clarified amounts of litter collected.
On a clear and calm Thursday morning, a group of six meets on a pontoon boat at the Tahoe City Marina for a dive. Though everyone there is a return volunteer, Clean Up the Lake Operations Manager Klemen Robnik reviews the plans, everyone’s tasks, and boat and high-altitude-dive safety. After the safety debrief, volunteer Roman Versch, who serves as the group’s boat captain, navigates the boat to the last marked GPS location in Hurricane Bay where the previous divers left off.
Most of the lake’s litter and debris is never seen by people who recreate here, but it is quietly collected by Clean Up the Lake, a volunteer-based (1,300 strong) nonprofit organization. CUTL is on its second circumnavigation of Lake Tahoe’s 72-mile shoreline — this time at a greater depth.
Photo: NITROX and diver propulsion vehicles allow scuba divers to more efficiently search for debris between 35 and 55 feet deep, a more taxing depth than the 25 feet of the first circumnavigation cleanup. Photos courtesy Clean Up the Lake
In The News – Building Tahoe housing from local wood: Workshop demonstrates path from forest restoration to workforce housing
April 9, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Sierra Sun, 4/9/2026, Staff Report
As Tahoe continues to face a growing housing shortage alongside escalating wildfire risk, a hands-on workshop is bringing these two challenges together – offering a practical, local solution.
On Friday, April 24, in the “Building Tahoe Housing From Local Wood: Hands-On Panel Workshop,” regional partners will demonstrate how thinned trees from forest restoration projects can be transformed into structural mass timber building materials for housing in the Tahoe region.
In The News – Pet Network Lake Tahoe launches ‘Tahoe Tailblazers’ Summer Camp
April 7, 2026 | Member Submitted
Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 04/07/2026, Staff Report
Pet Network Humane Society is turning summer into a movement with the launch of its Tahoe Tailblazers Summer Camp, an immersive, high-energy program designed to empower youth, strengthen community connection, and bring its mission of “radical good” to life.
Held July 20–24 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Pet Network’s campus (401 Village Blvd., Incline Village), Tahoe Tailblazers is designed specifically for children ages 6–8, offering a unique, age-appropriate opportunity to engage, learn, and give back.
At a time when families are seeking meaningful, enriching summer experiences, Tahoe Tailblazers fills an important community need, creating space for young children to connect with animals, build empathy, and understand the power of helping others. Through hands-on shelter experiences, crafts, games, and interactive learning, campers won’t just hear about animal rescue, they’ll actively participate in it.
