Lake Tahoe really comes to life during the hot summer season. Both visitors and locals spend much of their time outdoors, and this includes the evenings and the nights. One nightlife option that can include the entire family is the concert series held every Sunday afternoon at Commons Beach in Tahoe City – right on the shore of Lake Tahoe. This is the largest free live music event in the North Lake Tahoe area all year long, and the entire family can enjoy it.

SambaDa dances during the summer concert series at Commons Beach in Tahoe — Photo courtesy of Concerts at Commons Beach

The best part about the summer concerts at Commons Beach? They are free to the public and sponsored by local businesses and organizations that regularly support the arts. The concerts last from June to September. They start at around 2 p.m. every Sunday and go into the evening. Local bars, restaurants, shops and outlets offer food, drinks and souvenirs, and you can even meet some of the bands and musicians.

In the past, artists like Mumbo Gumbo, Trey Stone, Tumbleweed Wanderers, SambaDa, the Joe Craven Trio, the California Honeydrops, Vinyl and Eddie Roberts West Coast Sound have been featured: the concert series tries to cover as many genres of music as possible.

Audience members are encouraged to dance during the performances, but if you choose to sit down, please bring a low-back chair. Pets and smoking are not allowed. Parking can also be a bit of a hassle, so the park encourages that you either walk or rent a bike to bring to the park.

If you bring the whole family, Commons Beach has a full playground for the smaller children, and older children can splash around in the water at Commons Beach. The water here is shallow and fine for smaller children as well.

Commons Beach comes alive with music in the summer — Photo courtesy of Concerts at Commons Beach

The concerts do appreciate if you are a regular visitor to donate at least $1 for every time you visit. You can also become a sponsor of the summer event by picking various donation levels.

Before and after you visit the various concerts, you can spend some time walking around the businesses and restaurants of Tahoe City, including Fat Cat Café, Gear & Grind, Christy Hill and the shopping areas of Boatworks Mall and the Cobblestone Center.

Also, if your family is into water sports, rent a kayak with Tahoe City Kayak and get a waterside view of Commons Beach before staking out your spot on the grass with the best view of the stage.