SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. — As summer begins giving way to fall in the Sierra Nevada, one of South Lake Tahoe’s signature culinary celebrations is returning.
Sample the Sierra will take over Bijou Community Park on Saturday, Sept. 19, bringing together regional chefs, restaurants, wineries, breweries, distilleries, specialty beverage producers and local artisans for an afternoon built around food, drink and community.
The Tahoe Chamber, which organizes the festival, has scheduled the 2026 event from 1 to 4 p.m. at the park on Al Tahoe Boulevard.
The festival is designed to be more than a conventional food-and-wine tasting. One of its defining features is the pairing of participating restaurants with craft beverage producers. Organizers say those collaborations allow chefs, brewers, winemakers and distillers to create combinations designed to complement each other while showcasing the character of the Sierra Nevada region.
“Sample the Sierra is a true celebration of the people and businesses that make our region so unique,” said Jessica Grime, CEO of the Tahoe Chamber.
More Than Food and Drink
For visitors arriving from El Dorado County and elsewhere in Northern California, the festival offers an opportunity to experience the South Shore through its local businesses and creative community.
Alongside the food and beverage tastings, the event will feature an artisan marketplace with handcrafted goods, fine art, jewelry, home décor and other products. Live music is also scheduled, with The Residents Tahoe and Mic Smith listed among this year’s performers.
Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or picnic blankets and enjoy the afternoon beneath Bijou Community Park’s mature pines.
Organizers are also promoting alternatives to driving. Complimentary bike valet service and the Lake Link transit service are expected to be available, giving attendees options for getting to and from the festival.
A Growing Tourism and Business Event
The festival has become an important intersection between South Lake Tahoe’s visitor economy and its local business community.
The Tahoe Chamber reported that the 2025 edition attracted more than 1,300 attendees, with 65% coming from outside the South Lake Tahoe market. More than 40 food and beverage vendors participated, while more than 30 local makers were represented in the artisan market.
That out-of-market attendance is significant for a community where tourism remains a central part of the local economy. Sample the Sierra gives restaurants, beverage producers and artists an opportunity to introduce their products to visitors while also putting local businesses directly in front of South Shore residents.
The Tahoe Chamber has described Sample the Sierra as one of its signature events and calls it Lake Tahoe’s largest food and wine festival, featuring regional restaurants, wineries, breweries, distilleries and artisan makers.
What El Dorado County Residents Should Know
For residents of El Dorado County, particularly those who regularly travel Highway 50 to South Lake Tahoe, the festival provides another reason to make the trip during the transition from summer to fall.
Bijou Community Park is located at 1201 Al Tahoe Blvd. in South Lake Tahoe. The 2026 festival is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 19, from 1 to 4 p.m.
Tickets are currently on sale, with admission including food and beverage tastings. Children ages 8 and under are admitted free, making the event accessible to families as well as adults looking for an afternoon centered on regional food and craft beverages.
The official event website also encourages visitors to consider staying in South Lake Tahoe and promotes local lodging options, underscoring the festival’s broader role as a tourism event rather than simply a single afternoon of tastings.
For those coming from Placerville, El Dorado Hills and other communities along the Highway 50 corridor, September’s cooler mountain weather can make the trip particularly appealing.
And for anyone who believes the best way to understand a place is through its food, drink and people, Sample the Sierra offers exactly that — a literal taste of what makes the Tahoe region distinctive.
Event: Sample the Sierra Food & Wine Festival
Date: Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026
Time: 1-4 p.m.
Location: Bijou Community Park, 1201 Al Tahoe Blvd., South Lake Tahoe
Admission: Tickets required; children 8 and under free
Information: Official Sample the Sierra website
