PR -- North Lake Tahoe happenings

August 3, 2009Clear, sunny skies in North Lake Tahoe are predicted for this week, with highs in the low 70s.Resorts and Towns’ Update: Only three more weeks left to enjoy the best in Shakespearean performances lakeside at Sand Harbor State Park under Tahoe’s starry nights. Or, catch the festival’s new Urban Village Music Series Monday nights, which features a different artist each week.The Tahoe Biltmore Lodge and Casino in Crystal Bay hosts the Hot Tahoe Cruizin’ Car Show (as well as trucks and motorcycles) Wednesday, August 5 through Sunday, August 9 along with a poker run.The Tahoe Environmental Research Center hosts the 10th Annual Children’s Environmental Science Day Friday, August 7, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., when kids ages 8 and older are invited to spend an interactive day with scientists learning about the unique ecology, function, restoration and preservation of Lake Tahoe.Stargazers unite! Tahoe Adventure Company is offering a sunset kayaking adventure followed by a brilliant tour of the night sky with astronomer Tony Berendsen Saturday, August 8 at the Tahoe Vista Recreation Area.Northstar-at-Tahoe in Truckee is the perfect venue for the tooth rattling, downhill challenge Mountain Bike Race Sunday, August 9, noon to 5 p.m., with more than 20 divisions for men, women and juniors, beginners through open class.As part of its free, outdoor movie nights, Tahoe City hosts “Journey to the Center of the Earth” Wednesday, August 12, 8:30 p.m., at Commons Beach. Bring low back chairs, blankets, sleeping bags and flashlights.Make your reservations now for the popular Thunderbird Lodge Winemaker Dinner Series, which features the Crystal Bay Club and Michael-David’s Wines Sunday, August 16. The historic property is located just outside of Incline Village. Cost is $195 per person.Save the date (the weekend of August 15-16) for the Brews, Jazz & Funk Fest at the Village at Squaw Valley. Dogs are welcome too as the event is an annual fundraiser for the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe.Work on hiking trails and enjoy the Tahoe outdoor lifestyle at the Tahoe Rim Trail Association’s Backcountry Camp scheduled for the weekend of August 15-16. Families are welcome, and children’s camping equipment is available upon request. Food will be provided.James Beard award-winning chef Traci Des Jardins, and owner of San Francisco’s renowned Jardinière, is among the celebrity chefs featured at this year’s Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival, September 11-13 in the Village at Northstar. Free cooking demonstrations, along with ticketed wine tastings and luncheons round out the three-day culinary extravaganza.The North Lake Tahoe Express daily airport shuttle service is available to and from North Lake Tahoe and the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. The shuttle runs from 3:30 a.m. until midnight. Fees are $35 per person, one-way, and $60 round trip. Discounts are available for groups of two or more. Reservations are required and can be made four hours in advance.For a snapshot of upcoming special events, as well as recreational activities of recent scenes, go to www.GoTahoeNorth.com and click on the web video for the North Tahoe Minute.North Lake Tahoe is a 45-minute drive from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, two hours from the Sacramento International Airport and just over three hours from the San Francisco International Airport. For lodging reservations and event details, call North Lake Tahoe at 1-877-949-3286 or visit www.GoTahoeNorth.com. Visitor information centers are located at 380 North Lake Boulevard in Tahoe City and 969 Tahoe Boulevard in Incline Village.The North Lake Tahoe Recreation Update is part of a partnership between the North Lake Tahoe Visitors Bureaus, the Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors Bureau and the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association. The combined efforts of both entities are aimed to further promote North Lake Tahoe as a premier, year-round destination.