Our History
The initial inspiration...
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Madylon Meiling, Ph.D., founded Lake Tahoe SummerFest in 2011 with a passion and commitment for Lake Tahoe to become a summer destination that provides world-class cultural events and innovative, educational programs.
Inspired by living in Lake Tahoe and being surrounded by the majesty of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Dr. Meiling envisioned a festival to celebrate the beauty of this landscape with classical music, visual and performing arts, and educational seminars for locals and visitors from around the world. And in that light, she imagined a festival wrapped with concurring events to enlighten children of all ages.
The dream continues…
The North Lake Tahoe Resort Association hired Webb Management to develop a Cultural Facilities Master Plan for new, proposed and/or renovated cultural facilities in the North Lake Tahoe Region. The results of this feasibility study and business-planning document focused on audience and user demand, existing and proposed facilities, and their benefits and impacts. In conclusion, it suggested a Regional Cultural Center for the Arts be constructed on the campus of Sierra Nevada College, or in the area, to serve the local community and Lake Tahoe Basin through a regional effort.
While this concept and vision continues, Lake Tahoe SummerFest is making a commitment to invest in the creation of cultural activities as an opportunity to further develop a unified sense of ‘regionalism through the arts’.
With this initiative, we strive to light the torch to fuel a creative economy that serves all whom appreciate the wonders that arts and culture can bring to our lives.
The dream is realized...
SummerFest Concerts features renowned soloists from the world's stages and exceptional musicians of the Lake Tahoe SummerFest Orchestra, drawn from the New York Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Seattle Symphony, and other exceptional orchestras throughout the world.