SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Kree Abravanel, founder of the nonprofit SunSnow Event Company, will now be managing Ski Run Farmers Market this summer, along with Meyers Mountain Market and Music in the Park. She hopes to keep the integrity of the long-running event, while also introducing new vendors and bringing the vibes of a real community gathering.

Abravanel said she was approached by the Friends of Ski Run earlier this year, as the previous manager for the Ski Run Farmers Market took a full-time position elsewhere. “I just couldn’t resist,” said Abravanel. She was supported by the previous manager in passing the torch, which she said was “invaluable” for the long-running market. Her experience working in farmers market management stem back to her time in southern California, and she started Meyers Mountain Market from the ground up five summers ago.

“It’s a labor of love, but it’s a win, win, win for the community to be able to gather and have a social event like [a farmers market] on a weekly basis,” Abravanel said. She was inspired to start Meyers Mountain Market because her husband was on the Meyers Advisory Council, which was looking for more community-oriented events.

Abravanel recalls cold-calling vendors and building relationships to get Meyers Mountain Market where it is today. Now, Ski Run Farmers Market will have some vendor overlap, but will also feature new vendors selling honey, pasta, sourdough, olive oil, flowers, and other artisan goods. She also told the Tribune she’s excited to bring two local breweries—South Lake Brewing and Cold Water Brewery—to switch off weekly, along with other businesses like the Baked Bear, Limonada, and Sombreros.

“There’s still going to be a lot of the same beloved vendors,” said Abravanel. “My goal this year is to not ruffle too many feathers… but I’m hoping to bring more farmers to this event.”

Abravanel recognizes the difference between Meyers and Ski Run’s events, with one being more neighborhood-oriented, while the other is in the tourist core. But she thinks the events are great for community building and socializing. “These markets offer a platform to shop sustainably instead of just supporting big box stores. They keep tourism in town, have people come together in a beautiful space, and sustain our mountain community. It’s a meaningful way to support our local economy.”

The Tahoe Chamber recognized SunSnow’s contributions to the community with the Sustainable Tourism Award this May. “I was honestly shocked—we were up against Zephyr Cove, so I was not expecting to win,” Abravanel said. The award is given to a business or organization that “serves visitors while benefiting the community through education, sustainability, environmental stewardship and local practices”, which SunSnow does by creating pop-up events in existing spaces with low environmental impacts.

Along with taking on Ski Run Farmers Market, Abravanel will be managing the Music in the Park event, which will now take place on Sunday afternoons starting June 8. The change was necessary for Abravanel, as the Ski Run Farmers Market is on Fridays and would have overlapped with the previous time. But she also surveyed attendees, who expressed that they’d prefer a Sunday afternoon over busy Friday nights.

With a new addition to her family in March, Abravanel knows she’ll have a lot on her plate. “It’s going to be a busy summer, but it’s going to be a lot of fun,” she said with a smile.

Ski Run Farmers Market starts on Friday, June 6 and runs from 3 to 8 p.m. on Ski Run Boulevard. Meyers Mountain Market starts on Wednesday, June 4 and runs from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Tahoe Paradise Park. Music in the Park starts on Sunday, June 8 and happens monthly, running from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Tahoe Paradise Park.

To keep up with events and for more details, go to https://www.sunsnowevents.org/.

Eli Ramos is a reporter for Tahoe Daily Tribune. They are part of the 2024–26 cohort of California Local News Fellows through UC Berkeley.