SAMPLE THE SIERRA MOVES ONLINE FOR 2020 EVENT

July 17, 2020 (South Lake Tahoe, CA/NV) – The Sample the Sierra farm-to-fork festival in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., is going digital for the 11th annual event, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. (www.samplethesierra.com)

On the Sample the Sierra website, Facebook and Instagram, the festival will present a variety of food-related entertainment typically found at the event, including cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, musical performances, giveaways, and shopping. Virtual events will occur throughout August and September with a more detailed schedule to be announced.

Sample the Sierra will continue to support the bounty and heritage of the area with the Farm-to-Fork  Restaurant Week, Sept. 10-20. Special menus curated for the ten-day event will be available for take-out and outdoor dining throughout the region. In keeping with the theme of the festival, participating restaurants will create a dish with a local ingredient provided by regional producers, and pair their dishes with a complementary beverage, including beer, wine, or distilled spirits.

On Sept. 12, the original date of the event, Sample the Sierra will stream a live Sierra Chef Challenge featuring local talent working with mystery ingredients to earn the coveted title, currently held by Chef Lonny Huot, Executive Chef at Edgewood Tahoe in Stateline, NV. The event will be accessible with a small fee, with a portion of proceeds going directly to the South Tahoe Restaurant Association to support businesses impacted by the pandemic.

“While we can’t be together to celebrate the Sierra Nevada and all of its delicious food and drink, the virtual format of this festival will help highlight and support the local businesses we love so much,” said Emily Abernathy, director of operations at the Lake Tahoe South Shore Chamber of Commerce (Tahoe Chamber).

Restaurants, wineries/breweries/distilleries, producers/farmers, and artists/artisans are encouraged to sign up to participate by Aug. 14 to be included in online events, including Elevate Your Palate Restaurant Week: https://www.samplethesierra.com/participate/.

Sample the Sierra is produced by the Tahoe Chamber in partnership with El Dorado County, the Tahoe Douglas Visitors Authority, the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, and the City of South Lake Tahoe.  The event is supported by ADVANCE and the Tahoe CulinaryAcademy, as well South Tahoe Alliance of Resorts and Bentley Heritage Estate Distillery.

Additional information about Sample the Sierra can be found at www.samplethesierra.com.

Shannon Graves, snegraves@gmail.com