Let the parties begin! North Lake Tahoe celebrates its long winter season with SnowFest, a 10-day carnival and one of the region’s most popular annual family celebrations. SnowFest is scheduled for March 2-11, 2012 and will be held at a variety of venues throughout North Lake Tahoe.

North Lake Tahoe celebrates its long winter season with SnowFest, a 10-day carnival and one of the region’s most popular annual family celebrations. SnowFest is scheduled for March 2-11, 2012 and will be held at a variety of venues throughout North Lake Tahoe.

In its 31st year, SnowFest, presented by the North Lake Tahoe Chamber/CVB/ Resort Association and a slew of regional sponsors, is expected to draw tens-of-thousands of attendees, with the majority of events free to spectators. New events have been added to this year’s lineup, including the Snow Fiesta in Kings Beach with mariachi bands and authentic Mexican food served a la carte and piñatas; the Snow “What” Building Contest, where contestants build their most creative snow display; the Truckee River Winery Ice Carving Extravaganza with dynamic ice sculptures and games; as well as the adults-only Paws & Claws Pub Crawl starting in Incline Village and ending at the historic Crystal Bay casino corridor.

The annual favorites are back, along with expanded special events, including the Opening Night Ceremonies, Laser Show, Torchlight Parade and Fireworks at Palisades Tahoe USA (March 2, 2012), which has partnered with World Champion medalist and former alpine ski racer Daron Rahlves. Rahlves and his Olympic buddies will officially kick off SnowFest with the Rahlves’ Banzai Tour at the Opening Night Ceremonies. The tour, scheduled for March 3-4, 2012, is a race that combines mountain freeride action with ski and boarder-cross strategy in a mad-dash race with stops at regional ski resorts with the winner taking home a significant cash prize.

Also scheduled for 2012 is the Mamasake Extreme Food Challenge for those with a strong stomach; 22nd Annual Gar Woods Polar Bear Swim in Tahoe’s frigid waters; SnowFest Parades in Tahoe City and Kings Beach; Sunnyside Luau on the West Shore; the Great Ski Race, a 30-kilometer cross country race from Tahoe City to Truckee; Tahoe City’s Wacky Winter Human Bowling with snow saucers and inflatable pins and “Dog Pull”; the Dummy Downhill at Diamond Peak in Incline Village; the highly creative and 24th Annual Snow Sculpture Contest at Tahoe City’s River Ranch Lodge; Special Olympics Polar Plunge at the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe; and the 4th  Annual Ta-Hoe Nalu Arctic Standup Paddleboard Race in Kings Beach.

For more information about SnowFest and a complete list of events, visit the organization’s website at www.tahoesnowfestival.com. There you can also click to follow the event via Facebook and Twitter.