Tahoe Joy Music Festival

The Tahoe Joy Festival brings back the Dead Winter Carpenters to Tahoe City headlining the annual festival on Sunday, June 9 from 12pm to 6pm at the Commons Beach in Tahoe City.

The Dead Winter Carpenters, who formed their Americana roots/rock band in 2010 on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe, are local fan favorites and the biggest local break-out band from the Tahoe area. They have played with the likes of Jason Isbell and the Infamous Stringdusters and are festival favorites at High Sierra, Hangtown, Strawberry and other large music festivals.

The Tahoe Joy Festival is a family-friendly event showcasing regional bands, youth performers, local artists, makers, and non-profit organizations as well as food trucks and local breweries with wine selections.With support from the Tahoe City Public Utilities District (TCPUD) and partnership with the Tahoe City Downtown Association (TCDA), the Tahoe Joy Festival will be the culmination of the Tahoe City Summer Solstice Festival and kick off a summer of music at Commons Beach. This festival benefits the Tahoe Truckee School of Music (TTSM) and TCDA’s community programming in Tahoe City. Thanks to the generosity of North Tahoe Chamber’s TOT-TBID Dollars At Work, the Tahoe Joy Festival will be a free event for all to enjoy.

"At the heart of a thriving community lies a vibrant arts and culture scene, and we are honored to support an event that not only celebrates the creativity of local artisans, vendors, and makers but also gives back to the community via music, a thread that binds us all together," said Katie Biggers, TCDA executive director.

This year’s lineup also includes Matt Axton, born and raised in Tahoe City, who will have crowds kicking up dancing dust with his mountain-soul, country, rock-and-roll and hits from the Axton musical legacy. In addition, Vice Grip, hailing from the West Shore of Tahoe, will bring a raw, untamed energy to the stage, fusing rock with hints of funk, blues, and country. Tahoe Joy Festival attendees will also experience Truckee-based bands Coburn Station’s blues, folk and psychedelia and familiar covers from Down the Rabbit Hole. Student musicians from TTSM will also perform throughout the day showcasing a variety of musical and vocal talents.

“It warms my heart as a local Tahoe boy to have friend and fellow Tahoe-raised musician Jenny Charles of the Dead Winter Carpenters (DWC) come back to Tahoe to play,” said Matt Axton, founder of the Tahoe Joy Festival and performer. “I can’t wait to play with DWC and all the other great local bands and student musicians.”

The Tahoe Joy Festival, the brainchild of Axton, was inspired by Axton’s father and musician Hoyt Axton’s biggest hit, “Joy to the World” (‘Jeremiah was a bullfrog’) and spreading a little more “Joy” in the Tahoe City community through music. Axton also looked to create a place to showcase local artists and other non-profits while promoting environmentally-sound practices that keep Tahoe one of the most beautiful places in the world.

“Matt and I have been playing music together for years and he has performed at many TTSM benefits,” said Ben Martin, executive director of TTSM. “When he came to me with the idea of the Tahoe Joy Festival and having TTSM be a beneficiary to spread music joy to more students, I jumped at the opportunity.”

If you are interested in sponsoring the event and promoting your business, or would like to be a vendor, volunteer, or support the event through a donation, please visit TahoeMusic.net/ or @TahoeJoyFestival on Facebook and Instagram.

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