No place does summer quite like Tahoe. Long days on the mountain trails or on the lake followed by evening views of gorgeous sunsets over Lake Tahoe make for lots to do. But, did you know that North Lake Tahoe has an exciting outdoor music line up all summer long? Here are some of our favorite spots to listen to live music.

Lake Front Tunes

Tahoe City summer events

Photo: Clare Foster via Tahoe City Downtown Association

Lake Tahoe is the perfect setting for live music on a summer night. Make your way to Commons Beach in Tahoe City for the lakeside Sunday music series. A local favorite, Concerts on Commons Beach is a 12-week concert series featuring local, regional and national performers. Bring your beach chairs, blankets and snacks and then sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

White sand and music are the perfect combination to end a summer week in Tahoe. Each Friday night, starting mid-June, the town of Kings Beach hosts the free weekly Music on the Beach series. From the sand on your picnic blanket or from the water on your paddleboard, Music on the Beach is the perfect location to enjoy music while watching the sunset over Lake Tahoe.

Music in the Mountains

Palisades Tahoe Summer Events

Photo: Palisades Tahoe

Not to be outdone by the weekly lakeside music offerings in the region, Palisades Tahoe has some mountainside options of their own. First up is the Bluesdays concert series every Tuesday night in Palisades Tahoe’s Event Plaza. Bring your own low back chair if you want to relax or your dancing shoes if you want to cut a rug. The summer will kick off with The Blues Monsters on June 14th and wrap up August 30th with Roy Rogers & The Delta Rhythm Kings. On your way to the Events Plaza, swing by Uncorked to enjoy a special Bluesday beer or wine with a cheese and charcuterie board.

Newer to the summer schedule at Palisades Tahoe is the SunSets live music series. With alternating locations in the heart of the village, Friday nights just got a lot more exciting. Whether you spent the day hiking Shirley Canyon or are coming to enjoy dinner and some tunes, you’ll be glad you came. Jeff Jones will be kicking off the summer on June 3rd in the Mid Village and wrapping things up on August 26th in the Events Plaza.

Theater with a View

Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival
Photo: Shakespeare on the Lake

Or, for all of you theater buffs out there, help the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival celebrate their 50th year of entertainment on Lake Tahoe! This summer you can choose between Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing or sing along to Mamma Mia! Or, better yet, bring the whole family to the Young Shakespeare program. A night of theater on Lake Tahoe is our idea of summer fun.

Did you know that they don’t just put on theater performances all summer? Their gorgeous venue also hosts other fantastic shows that sell out quickly so head to their website to book your tickets. The 2022 Showcase line up features an evening with the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra, Grammy winning duo Lee Ritenour & Dave Grusin or one of their other fantastic nights of music.