North Tahoe Event Center

Every year Summer passes by and I ask myself why we didn’t spend more time up at the lake. Inevitably it boils down to time, hassle of getting there, and sometimes even the cost of hanging out there is a deterrent. But at the same time, every year I discover something new to love about where I live, and for 2014 it’s all about Friday Free Music on the Beach!
The North Tahoe Business Association, made possible by sponsorships from its members, has been organizing this event for 8 years now, and it is a blast! For $ 5 you can park right at the Kings Beach Recreation area, walk out onto the beautiful shores of Lake Tahoe, set down a blanket and enjoy music for two hours. They’ve even worked closely with California Parks to make it possible to bring alcohol onto the beach for this special event. We packed a little bag with snacks and a few beers, but looking around, we saw people with beautiful picnic baskets filled with wine, cheese, and other treats to enjoy during the concert.
No time to prepare but want to enjoy the show? Don’t worry! Sierra Nevada is a sponsor of the series and they have a great beer tent right behind the stage, and the night we were there, The Souper Wagon was on site to fill your belly! I’m sure they have food vendors each week to feed ya!
If you haven’t gone, you should! The show ends around 8:30, which is perfect time to get dinner by the lake or head back to Reno. And if you want to see the full lineup of music, visit

Correction-​the parking is handled by CA State Parks– not Park and Rec.

I’ve been involved with the North Tahoe Event Center twice now. A few years back I had to do a talk here in one of the smaller rooms and everything was fine — AV, decoration, room set up, etc.
Last week, my company held a fundraiser for our favorite nonprofit. It was a pretty complicated affair with 200+ tickets sold to hear the singer Tom Russell play on the outdoor patio. There was an incredible amount of event planning necessary with a myriad of minute details that involved everything from security, parking, sound checks, a «green room» for the artist, ice /​bar, table set up, entry set up, etc. They even helped promote the event by having their outdoor electric sign give out information.
All the staff at the center were very helpful, particularly Kathy and Mary — they kept in close contact with our event coordinator, and one of the staff even kindly donated to the cause because she was so impressed.
And as you can see from the picture, the event went off without a hitch. Who can forget a sunset on the lake with a sliver of moon adding to the moonglow of Tahoe? I am only sorry I missed the shooting star that fell over the crowd when Tom played his last song!

This is the second time I’ve held an event (an annual conference here), and I have to admit that I was disappointed. The venue itself is in a prime location, on the lake, and has so much potential. Unfortunately the facilities are beginning to show a little wear, and while the staff was helpful, there were issues beyond their direct control that had a negative effect on our event.
The only NTCC approved caterer, Bella Affair, does great food, but the presentation at the event was a bit bare bones, making the buffet look a bit naked and unappealing. The food itself was fine, as were the catering staff, but presentation is definitely something they could improve upon.
Usage rates have doubled in the past two years, and that increase coupled with a lack of investment in the infrastructure has encouraged me to look elsewhere for a venue for future events.