Road to SnowGlobe: Three days of music for concertgoers and neighbors

Thousands of music fans will descend upon South Lake Tahoe this week for what has become the most popular outdoor winter music festivals in the country.

Thousands of people will be on hand December 27 through 31 to experience what is being billed as a fusion between music festival, winter expedition and New Year's Eve celebration.

Also promised is cold, with night time temperatures in the low teens. Appropriate clothing and outerwear is strongly encouraged.

For the list of artists each day, see the photos in this story.

Tuesday's show runs from 2:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Wednesday's show is from 2:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Thursday's show runs from 2:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

The box office located at the college opened Sunday. On Monday, they'll be open from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Tuesday from noon to midnight, Wednesday from noon to 9:00 p.m. and on New Year's Eve from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Over the past few concerts, arrests and issues at the festival site have been mainly centered around drugs and alcohol. Those who live around the Lake Tahoe Community College where the event is held have experienced other issues, including loud music and off-site parking in their neighborhoods.

Officials from the City of South Lake Tahoe has been working closely with the festival planners to keep the resident's issues at a minimum. In a letter mailed to nearby residents, the City Manager's office outlined their sound management plan with the assurance that plans are in place to monitor sound. There will be daily operational meetings to go over plans and results from the previous night's concert. Two staff from the City's IT department will be monitoring sound at nearby O'Malley Street and Pioneer Village.

To keep sound down so that it doesn't reach neighbors, they have done the following:
- The stage has been repositioned 180 degrees away from neighborhoods
- Limitations have been placed on decibel levels
- The bass (sub woofers) are placed near the ground
- The speakers will be positioned downwards towards the field

Due to previous public input there is a hotline for people to phone in complaints and concerns. It will be monitored often. As a reminder, calling 911 is for life threatening emergencies only and not for SnowGlobe noise complaints. The hotline is: (530) 542-6001.

Following the death of a young woman who was at the December 31, 2012 SnowGlobe, organizers and fellow music lovers are more conscious of their surroundings and to dress appropriately for the cold weather. Alyssa Byrne's body was found on Pioneer Trail on January 4, 2013. She hadn't been seen since leaving the concert on her own.

Frustration with overburdened shuttles, and to prevent another incident where people try walking back to hotels in the cold, this year's plan is to allow the musicians in the heated tents at SnowGlobe to play longer, allowing those leaving the venue after the headliner stage closes to get onto buses in small waves instead of a mass exodus. See shuttle schedule here.

A list of what you can, and cannot bring through the gates:

ALLOWED ITEMS:

Small Bags, Single Compartment Purses (Maximum 20" x 20")
Standard Backpacks Under 20" x 20" (If It's Allowed On A Plane, It's Probably Allowed At SnowGlobe)
Fanny Packs
Empty Camelbaks
1 Empty Non Glass / Non Metal Water bottles
Non-Professional Flash / Still Cameras (No Detachable Lenses)
Cell Phones
Sunglasses
Hats
Lighters
Un-Opened Packs Of Cigarettes
Earplugs
Chapstick / Lipgloss
Gum
Sunblock
Totems

PROHIBITED ITEMS:
No Illegal Substances
No Drugs / Drug Paraphernalia
No E-Cigarettes Or Vapes
No Pets (Excluding Service Animals)
No Massagers
No Glass, Cans, Cups Or Coolers
No Outside Food Or Drinks
No Markers, Pens or Spray Paint
No Large Chains / Spiked Jewelry
No Stickers, Flyers, Banners, Posters, etc.
No Balloons, Balls Inflatables, Frisbees, etc.
No Tents, Umbrellas, Chairs Blankets
No Hula Hoops
No Weapons Of Any Kind (Includes Pocket Knives)
No Aerosol Cans
No Laser Pointers
No Drones