How To Enjoy Freedom Fest

723 inches of season snowfall this year calls for a party like no other! For the first time in more than a decade Alpine will be open into the summertime, giving you the opportunity to carve unforgettable memories from June 30 through July 4. To best prepare you for this celebration, here is a look ahead…

Event Details

Freedom Fest Dates: July 1st-4th

Skiing & Riding Operations: 8am-2pm, June 30th – July 4th

Parking at Alpine: $10 reserve in advance, paid parking reservation; proceeds will be donated. More below. Book here.

Parking at Palisades: Free. No reservations required. Shuttles will run between the 2 base areas every 15 minutes from 7:30am-5pm.

Live Music: Offered daily from July 1st-4th.

Parking Options for Freedom Fest

In an effort to alleviate potential traffic congestion and ensure a smooth experience for everyone at Freedom Fest, Palisades Tahoe will have a paid reservation-based parking system as well as a free parking option paired with a shuttle service from July 1st – July 4th.

Due to the nature of Alpine’s small upper parking lot and the long access road, we are concerned about traffic building up all the way to or onto Highway 89. If you’d like to secure a spot at Alpine, you can pay to reserve it; otherwise, all parking at The Village at Palisades Tahoe will be free. Frequent shuttles (approximately every 15 minutes) will run between the two base areas. All proceeds from this program will be donated to the non-profit Truckee North Tahoe Transportation Management Association.

Parking at Alpine:

A $10 paid parking reservation will be required. You will not be able to purchase day of, you must buy in advance.

Proceeds from this program will be donated to the Truckee North Tahoe Transportation Management Association, a non-profit membership organization dedicated to innovative solutions for the transportation challenges of the North Lake Tahoe Truckee region.

Parking at The Village at Palisades Tahoe & Shuttle to Alpine

Free Parking at The Village at Palisades Tahoe. No reservations are required.

Shuttle buses will run from 7:30am to 5pm.

Shuttles will run approximately every 15 minutes.

As a reminder, the Base to Base will NOT be running, as per our agreement with the Granite Chief Wilderness Protection League.

Whether you choose to park at The Village at Palisades Tahoe and take the shuttle, or reserve in advance for $10 at Alpine, we highly recommend carpooling to either lot with your friends or family to alleviate the cars on Highway 89 as well as access roads into the valleys.

We’d also like to note that the parking program for Freedom Fest is different from what we expect to offer for the 2023-24 winter season. We will have more information on that program later this summer.

Spring Skiing Conditions

Expect slushy turns for Freedom Fest! It will be super soft but may get slower as the day goes on, so our biggest recommendation is to plan ahead, get your gear waxed with some plant-based wax either before arriving, at our Rental Shop, or out on the Alpine deck. This will help you avoid the stickiness of the snow and keep you gliding and moving forward with minimal drag on your gear. Make sure to wear a fun costume, your helmet, and lots of sunscreen, as the snow will reflect the sunlight.

June 30th

Skiing and riding will be open from 8 am to 2 pm at Alpine. Parking will be free at the Alpine Lot on June 30th, and there is NO shuttle service on June 30th from The Village at Palisades Tahoe.

The Aerial Tram will be open for daily summer operations beginning on June 30 with Kids under 12 riding for FREE! 2023/ 2024 Ikon Passholders also ride free. On top of that, every adult Aerial Tram ticket comes with a $5 off coupon for Rocker, our signature restaurant in The Village at Palisades Tahoe, or Sun Bowl, our refreshing poke & acai bowl spot.

Freedom Fest Begins!

The festivities begin on July 1st! Indulge in the thrill of summer skiing and riding, and let the electrifying beats of our exciting artist lineup set the rhythm of this historic celebration. Be sure to grab our limited-edition event T-shirt, a keepsake of this monumental occasion. This is more than a festival: it’s an experience you can’t miss.

All music events take place on the Alpine Deck unless otherwise noted.

Please note that the following items will not be permitted at Freedom Fest: weapons, outside alcohol, illegal substances and/or paraphernalia, glass of any kind, coolers, flasks, chairs, laser pointers, or drones.

July 1st

Time | Artist
8am-2pm | Skiing & Riding at Alpine
12-1:15pm | Live Music from 220 KID
1:45-3pm | Live Music from Surf Mesa

July 2

Time | Artist
8am-2pm | Skiing & Riding at Alpine
12-1:15pm | Live Music from Nightly Gatherings
1:45-3pm | Live Music from Forester

July 3

Time | Artist
8am-2pm | Skiing & Riding at Alpine
12-3pm | Live Music from Zebuel

July 4

We hope you get here at 8 am as we will be handing out our Freedom Fest T-Shirts to the first 500 guests on the slopes! You will forever have bragging rights to your friends and claim with proof that you “skied on the 4th of July.”

Time | Artist
8am-2pm | Skiing & Riding at Alpine
8am | T-Shirt Giveaway
12:30-2pm | Live Music from Blues Monsters
2:30-4pm | Live Music from Wild Child (The Doors cover band)
3-8:30pm | Bluesdays Concert in The Village at Palisades Tahoe

Wild Child is the Los Angeles-based act that re-recreates the madness and the magic of a live Doors concert. Starting in Southern California the act has been a big draw at major national act clubs and theater venues, fairs, and festivals for years. Wild Child tours internationally, performing many tours in Europe, the UK, Mexico, and Canada. Wild Child successfully recaptures the original sound, feel, mood, dynamics, and delivery of The Doors music. In true Doors fashion, there are no wigs, props, funny costumes, pretending, or phony banter between songs. It’s more about the music and its delivery.

Red, White, and Bluesday

Continue the patriotic party at The Village at Palisades Tahoe for a special Bluesday on July 4. After you finish skiing and riding at Alpine and listening to the World’s best Doors tribute band, come see the unprecedented doubleheader in the Events Plaza in The Village with Mighty Mike Schermer and his band set to play at 3 pm followed by slide guitar master Roy Rogers & The Delta Rhythm Kings feat. Mighty Mike Schermer at 6 pm.

Freedom Fest Parking FAQ

Why are you charging for parking?
Our main goal is to reduce congestion on roadways. This initiative seeks to promote carpooling, encourage the use of public transportation, and ensure accountability by requiring individuals to show up on their designated reservation day.

In addition to reducing traffic congestion, we are aiming to improve the arrival experience as well as provide a parking spot for guests who plan in advance. Paid parking incentivizes the use of carpool 3+, and alternate transportation. Additionally, requiring a fee creates a commitment and commitment reduces no-show parkers, “just in case” reservations, and those who assume they will find a space on arrival.

How much is parking for Freedom Fest?
The cost will be $10 per car from July 1st through July 4th, and the proceeds from this program will be donated to the Truckee North Tahoe Transportation Management Association. Parking at The Village at Palisades Tahoe will be free with no reservation required.

Why can’t you run the Base to Base Gondola for 4th of July?
The Base to Base Gondola has an April 30th closing date as part of our agreement with the Granite Chief Wilderness Protection League. We are not able to operate the gondola beyond April 30th or for any summer dates.

Why are you only charging for the Alpine side?
Due to the nature of Alpine’s smaller upper parking lot (about 1,500 spots) and the long access road, we are concerned about traffic building up all the way to (or onto) Highway 89. If you’d like to ensure a spot at Alpine, you can pay to reserve it; otherwise, all parking on the Palisades side will be free. Frequent shuttles (approximately every 15 minutes) will run between the two base areas. All proceeds from this program will be donated to the Truckee North Tahoe Transportation Management Association.

Will the parking for Freedom Fest be the same parking plan for the 2023/24 Winter Season?
The parking program for Freedom Fest is different from what we expect to offer for the 2023-24 winter seas. We will have more information on that program later this summer.

Will I need a reservation to park at The Village at Palisades Tahoe?
No, parking is free and will be first-come, first-served.

How often will the shuttles between the two mountains run?
The shuttles will run every 15 minutes between The Village at Palisades Tahoe and the Alpine Lodge. The shuttles will be running daily from July 1st through July 4 from 7:30am -5pm. There will be no shuttle service on Friday, June 30th.

How will the reservation system work?
After selecting the date you’d like to park, you will enter your license plate number before checking out. If you need to change your license plate number at any time, you will be able to log back in and edit the number.

I’m a lodging guest during 4th of July. Do I still need to pay for parking?
If you are parking at Alpine, then yes, you will need to pay for parking. However, a convenient free shuttle will be running between Palisades and Alpine every 15 minutes. We recommend using this shuttle.

Do Ikon Pass holders have to pay to park?
Yes. All guests who would like to park in the Alpine lot will be required to reserve their paid spot in advance.

Do Preferred Parking pass holders have to pay to park?
Yes. All guests who would like to park at Alpine will be required to reserve their paid spot in advance.

Will drop-offs be allowed?
Yes, drop-offs will be allowed at Alpine.

I will be using a rental car when visiting your resort and don’t know the license plate number, can I still make a reservation without having one?
You will be asked to enter a license plate upon checkout. If you do not know what your license plate will be, please enter any valid license plate number and you can add the correct license plate number back in once you get your vehicle.

I have an oversize vehicle. Do I need to reserve 2 spots?
No, you can reserve 1 spot.

Will there be parking at Deer Park or Hidden Valley?
No, both of these lots are closed. Deer Park is used for boat inspection and Hidden Valley is owned by a 3rd party and used in their ongoing summer business operations. You are also welcome to use the free park and ride option from The Village at Palisades Tahoe. This convenient shuttle will run between the two mountains every 15 minutes.

How will disabled parking work?
ADA spots are available at the resort with a reserve-in-advance paid reservation on a first-come, first-served basis.

We plan to arrive really early in the morning at Alpine, can we park for free if we are early?
No, all parking at Alpine will be reserve-in-advance paid for the dates of July 1st through 4th.

Can I just park on Alpine Meadows Road or in the neighborhood and walk up?
We encourage you to follow all parking guidelines and be respectful of the people who call Alpine Meadows home. There will be signage related to where you are able to park on public roads. Placer County manages these areas and will ticket vehicles in violation of the signage.

Will the Mountaineer be running?
No, the Mountaineer will not be operating this summer but shuttles from The Village at Palisade Tahoe base area will be operating according to the schedule above.

We’re not sure what day we want to ski/ride, can we book an open-ended reservation that is good on any day?
No. Reservations are date-specific. You are welcome to book as many reservations as you’d like. You are also welcome to use the free park and ride option from The Village at Palisades Tahoe. This convenient shuttle will run between the two base areas every 15 minutes.