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Bass Camp, Reggae music festivals seek new home at Lake Tahoe Community College

Claire Cudahy
ccudahy@tahoedailytribune.com
Bass Camp Festival has grown over the years. Originally a one-day event, the party now lasts two days.
Courtesy / Bass Camp Festival |

Bass Camp and Reggae music festivals are hoping for greener pastures this summer.

At the Tuesday, Jan. 17, council meeting, PR Entertainment president and The Loft owner Paul Reder gave a presentation on the success and growth of the Bass Camp and Reggae festivals in hopes of opening up the conversation on moving the events from the parking lot of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino to the community fields at Lake Tahoe Community College.

“Now coming up on its fifth year, we have outgrown our space and for the festivalgoer at the Hard Rock, the asphalt has been less than desirable,” said Reder.



Though this past summer the event organizers brought in 10,000 square feet of sod to the parking lot, it wasn’t a perfect fix for the festivals.

The new community fields at LTCC hosted SnowGlobe Music Festival this year, though they are still under construction and will not be completed until the spring. Real grass — not turf — will make up the fields, and council voiced concerns about the damage a festival might cause to the fields. Damage to the partially completed fields from SnowGlobe cannot be determined until the snow melts.



As with SnowGlobe’s agreement with the college, PR Entertainment would pay for any damages, assured Reder.

“I know there has been some sound concerns with SnowGlobe. Bass Camp is an electronic event, but on a much smaller scale. Our decibels levels are much less,” said Reder, adding that attendance is more like 5,000-7,000 at the two festivals versus SnowGlobe’s 15,000.

The Reggae Festival and the Bluegrass Festival — which Reder hopes to bring back after a brief hiatus — don’t have the same volume levels as an Electronic Dance Music (EDM) festival, he noted.

Reder said that his company is also working to create a week-long itinerary for festivalgoers that will encourage them to stay longer and spend more money on the South Shore.

In the past Bass Camp has been held at MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa and North Tahoe Regional Park. Reder said he wants to keep “heads in beds” on the South Shore, but he does think a grassy location is necessary, even if that’s not on this side of the basin.

Councilmember Brooke Laine spoke up in support of the festival, but didn’t seem eager to see it moved to LTCC.

“There are the types of events that we want to support, and I personally want to support,” said Laine. “I do think the casino area is the best area.”

Conflicts with sporting events were also brought up as a potential issue.

Following the meeting, Reder said it’s “not likely” that the festivals will move from Hard Rock this year.

“I’m going to speak with the college and chat about scheduling to see if these events can fit into their schedule at this time,” explained Reder.

Mayor Austin Sass asked that city staff create a proposed agreement for this move for the council to consider.

Bass Camp Music Festival will take place from July 22-23. The Reggae Festival is scheduled for July 24. A date has not yet been set for the return of the Bluegrass Festival.


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