El Dorado County prepares to remember 9/11
Twenty-five years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, communities across El Dorado County are preparing to mark the anniversary with ceremonies, service projects and tributes honoring those who died and the first responders who ran toward danger.
The 2026 observances span the county from Shingle Springs to South Lake Tahoe, with several events scheduled Friday, Sept. 11, and one continuing into Saturday.
For local residents, the anniversary offers an opportunity not only to remember the nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks, but also to recognize the firefighters, law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel, military members and other public servants who responded in the aftermath.
Shingle Springs: Memorial Stair Climb at Red Hawk
The morning observance begins at Red Hawk Resort + Casino in Shingle Springs with the annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb.
Registration is scheduled for 8 a.m. Friday, with the climb beginning at 9 a.m. in the resort’s parking structure. Firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMTs and other first responders are expected to participate.
The event uses a physical challenge to symbolize the climb faced by firefighters and other emergency personnel responding to the World Trade Center attacks.
According to an announcement about the 2026 event, the stair climb represents the courage, camaraderie and resilience of the first responder community. The event also carries particular significance this year because 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of the attacks.
The event is open to first responder personnel. Registration information is available through El Dorado County Fire Protection District contacts listed by organizers.
Shingle Springs: ‘El Dorado Remembers’
The day’s observances continue Friday evening at Ponderosa High School, where organizers will hold El Dorado Remembers — A 9/11 Tribute and Service Project.
The event is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. at the school’s varsity baseball field, 3661 Ponderosa Road in Shingle Springs.
Organizers describe the gathering as a JustServe service project and tribute honoring the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001, while recognizing El Dorado County’s first responders.
The event also includes an interfaith choir component, with the singing portion scheduled to begin at approximately 6:30 p.m.
The emphasis on service gives the event a distinctly local dimension: remembrance is paired with an opportunity for residents to contribute to their own community.
Placerville: 9/11 tribute and Veterans Stand Down
In Placerville, remembrance will be paired with direct assistance to veterans during the 9/11 Tribute & Veteran Stand Down at the Veterans Memorial Building, 130 Placerville Drive.
The event is scheduled Friday, Sept. 11, and Saturday, Sept. 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.
The Military Family Support Group’s event combines a 9/11 tribute with services for area veterans, including medical, dental and vision assistance as well as clothing and salon services.
The combination of remembrance and service reflects a continuing connection between the sacrifices remembered on Sept. 11 and the veterans who have served the nation in the years since.
South Lake Tahoe: American Legion remembrance ceremony
In South Lake Tahoe, American Legion Post 795 will host a public September 11 Remembrance Ceremony beginning at 11 a.m. Friday.
The ceremony will be held at American Legion Post 795, 2748 Lake Tahoe Blvd.
Organizers say the community will gather to remember those who died, the heroes who answered the call and families whose lives were permanently changed by the attacks. Light refreshments will be provided following the ceremony.
The South Lake Tahoe observance also continues a longstanding tradition at Post 795. The American Legion has previously documented the South Lake Tahoe post’s participation in 9/11 remembrance ceremonies honoring victims and first responders.
A countywide day of remembrance
Although the events differ in format, they share a common purpose.
At Red Hawk, first responders will use a physical challenge to remember colleagues who climbed the World Trade Center towers. At Ponderosa High School, residents will combine remembrance with community service. In Placerville, the anniversary will be tied directly to assistance for local veterans. In South Lake Tahoe, residents will gather at the American Legion for a traditional public ceremony.
For El Dorado County, the 25th anniversary provides a reminder that Sept. 11 is not merely a date in history books.
It is a day remembered through the people who served, the families who lost loved ones and the communities that continue to honor their sacrifices.
As American Legion organizers put it in announcing the South Lake Tahoe ceremony: “We will never forget.”
2026 El Dorado County 9/11 Remembrance Schedule
Friday, Sept. 11
- 8 a.m. — Registration for the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb, Red Hawk Resort + Casino, Shingle Springs.
- 9 a.m. — Memorial Stair Climb begins.
- 11 a.m. — September 11 Remembrance Ceremony, American Legion Post 795, South Lake Tahoe.
- 5-8 p.m. — El Dorado Remembers tribute and service project, Ponderosa High School, Shingle Springs.
- 6:30 p.m. — Interfaith choir portion of the Ponderosa High School tribute.
Friday and Saturday, Sept. 11-12
- 9 a.m.-3 p.m. — 9/11 Tribute & Veteran Stand Down, Veterans Memorial Building, Placerville.
Residents planning to attend should verify event details with organizers before traveling, particularly because schedules, access requirements and participation rules can change.
Public event sources: El Dorado Stake — El Dorado Remembers · South Tahoe Now — September 11 Remembrance Ceremony · Folsom Times — Red Hawk Memorial Stair Climb
Cris Alarcon, InEDC Writer
