Two-year SnowGlobe contract signed; New location to be identified by 2021

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The popular outdoor music festival SnowGlobe will be returning to South Lake Tahoe for at least 2019 after a new two-year contract was received by the City this week. MTV/Viacom, owners of the festival, has signed the contract approved by City Council during their June 18, 2019 meeting.

Organizers originally asked for a ten-year contract starting with their ninth annual event in 2019.

The contract contains several changes from past events after ongoing discussions between Chad Donnelly, the man who started SnowGlobe before selling in 2018, the City and a neighborhood group opposed to the event held on the Community Playfields on Al Tahoe Boulevard.

The SnowGlobe Music Festival promoter has to identify a suitable alternative location for the event held December 29-31 annually no later than June 18, 2021. The new contract is for two years but the City may notify the promoter by March 31 each year of any new conditions.

Opponents questioned the money paid by the City to SnowGlobe and the Lake Tahoe Visitor's Authority stepped in and picked up the $35,000 price tag. The promoter will pay the City up to $75,000 each year for event services including police and fire personnel. They also must pay a $50,000 damage deposit and provide a performance bond in the amount of $250,000. SnowGlobe must also continue to provide field protection including field cover panels, lighting, fencing, sanitary facilities, barricades and concession facilities.

Noise has always been a concern of event opponents and nearby neighbors. SnowGlobe needs to comply with Bijou/Al Tahoe Community Plan and TRPA noise limits and are committed to having professional sound engineers on-site during the event to make sure decibels and A and C weight limits are followed.

Fireworks can be used upon approved by the fire department and bio-degradable confetti can continue to be used as long as cleaned up and removed within 24 hours of the end of the event.

During the July City Council meeting, four councilmembers approved the contract with the lone dissent vote from Tami Wallace.