The Lake Arrowhead Village waterfront kicks off summer. The 2026 Summer Concert Series has been relocated to Waterfront Park at the tip of the peninsula, with a new stage, new lights, new sound, and a 50-by-100-foot tent overlooking the lake. The Bob Seger Silver Tribute opens the season Friday May 22 at 7 PM, the first of 35 concerts running every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through Labor Day weekend. The same Friday at 4 PM, the Market at Lake Gregory sets up its first night of vendors of the season under the South Shore Pavilion in Crestline. By Saturday, the Big Bear BBQ Festival is firing pits on Meadow Park's Ski Beach and the final weekends of Maifest are pouring Maibock at the Convention Center. Summer doesn't trickle in up here. It lands all at once.
And then the mountain fills up. The trails get busy. The boats come out. The restaurants run extended summer hours. The 18 becomes the 18 again. Between this Friday and the end of June, every weekend on the ridge carries a tribute band on the lakefront, an outdoor market somewhere on the mountain, and at least one signature event on the calendar. The pattern holds until Labor Day.
Mountain Cribs was made on the mountain, for the mountain. It runs tools the national portals don't have. The Probabilistic Market Analysis runs day by day on every property in the system. It uses closed sales and failed listings to compute what a home is actually worth and the probability it sells at that price. No other agent on this mountain has it. No other platform anywhere on the planet has it. If you're thinking about listing this summer, the PMA is the conversation.
"This is the loudest stretch of the year on the mountain. The events. The traffic. The patios. The lake. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the ridge is wide awake. If you've been waiting for the moment to make a move, you can find me here."
None of this is a hard pitch. The page you're on is a guide to what's actually happening on the ridge between now and Father's Day weekend. Every concert worth driving up for. Every patio worth claiming. Every event worth putting on the calendar. Read on. Take your time. The mountain will wait. And when you're ready to talk about your home, you know where to find me.
In the meantime, here's everything worth knowing on the ridge right now.
What's Happening
Summer Concert Series Opening Night · Brand New Venue
The 2026 Summer Concert Series opens at Lake Arrowhead Village's brand new Waterfront Park venue at the tip of the peninsula. New stage, new lights, new sound, and a 50-by-100-foot tent overlooking the lake. The Bob Seger Silver Tribute takes the inaugural show. Check-in 5:30 PM, band on stage at 7. The first of 35 concerts running every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through Labor Day weekend.
Live Music · LakefrontMarket at Lake Gregory · Season Opener
Crestline's beloved Friday night community market reopens for another season at the South Shore Pavilion. Live music, food, beer and wine, craft vendors, and that view of the lake as the sun drops. Every Friday 4 to 8 PM from this weekend through Labor Day, with occasional extensions into September.
Market · MusicLake Gregory Waterpark Opens for the Season
The inflatable obstacle course, water trampolines, slides, and Splash Island reopen Memorial Day Saturday and run through Labor Day. Daily 10 AM to 5 PM. Must be 48 inches to ride the inflatables. Life jackets required. The 84-acre lake is also open for swimming and beach access.
Family · LakeNew Romantics · Taylor Swift Tribute
Memorial Day weekend Saturday at the new lakefront venue. One of the best-reviewed Taylor Swift tributes in Southern California. Friendship bracelets optional. Check-in 5:30 PM, show at 7.
Live Music · LakefrontBig Bear BBQ Festival · Grill & Chill
Two days of craft beverages, pitmaster pairings, tasting flights from regional breweries, and groovy evening vibes on the shores of Big Bear Lake. High-altitude BBQ done right. Pair it with Maifest down the road for the full Memorial Day weekend tour.
Festival · BBQBig Bear Maifest · Final Three Days
Maifest closes out its 2026 run with three final festival days: Saturday May 23, Sunday May 24, and Saturday May 30. Maibock bier flown in from Germany, the traditional Maypole, Bavarian music, bratwurst, fresh pretzels, and qualifying heats for the National Steinholding Championships. Heroes Weekend includes a tribute to America's Heroes with free general admission for U.S. military, law enforcement, and firefighters.
Festival · CultureThe Morgan Wallen Experience
Country fans, this is your night. A full-production Morgan Wallen tribute on the new lakefront stage. Boots, beer, and the lake as your backdrop. Check-in 5:30 PM, show at 7. Reserved seating available, or stake out a spot on the general-admission lawn.
Live Music · CountryReel Ale Festival
Two days of craft beer, live music, and mountain culture at Meadow Park. Regional breweries coordinated with the IE Brewers Guild and Highmark, food vendors, outdoor lifestyle exhibitors. Friday 3 to 9 PM, Saturday noon to 8 PM. Runs alongside the Fishin' for $50K Trout Tournament. Anglers get free Friday access with their tournament wristband.
Festival · BeerFishin' for $50K Trout Tournament
Two days of tournament fishing with five tagged trout worth $10,000 each swimming in Big Bear Lake, plus a $2,500 Tournament Champion purse for the largest fish by weight. A Big Bear tradition since 1998. Tournament hours Saturday and Sunday 6 AM to 2 PM. Entries limited to 1,000 anglers. Same-day registration opens Friday May 29 at noon at the Big Bear Visitor Center.
Fishing · CompetitionHolcomb Valley Trail Run
Established in 1997, the Holcomb Valley Trail Run offers three distances along sections of the Pacific Crest Trail: a 33-miler, a 14-miler, and a 7-miler. A fundraiser for the local volunteer search and rescue organization, which staffs aid stations, safety operations, and communications across the course. Online registration runs until midnight Thursday June 11.
Trail RunningBig Bear Lake Village Wine Walk
The annual Wine Walk returns to the heart of Big Bear Village on Father's Day weekend Saturday. Browse, taste, and stroll your way through the Village from 2:30 to 7 PM. Sponsored in part by Big Bear Mountain Resort. Check bigbear.com for tickets and the full participating-merchant list.
Wine · VillageEvery Week on the Mountain
Market at Lake Gregory
Lake Gregory South Shore Pavilion in Crestline. Live music, food, beer and wine, craft vendors, and a lake view. The unofficial weekend kickoff for the Rim.
Twin Peaks Farmers Market
Rim of the World Masonic Lodge #711, 26012 CA-189 in Twin Peaks. 100% local, pesticide-free produce. Cast Away seafood, Bon Jour yogurts, Happy Hawk Farms fresh-squeezed OJ, local cheeses, kombucha and breads from Twin Peaks Trading Post, plus rotating hot food from Buddy's BBQ, Tye Dye Tacos, and Jerk Grill.
Rim of the World Farmers Market
The Sunday market is back from its winter break. Fresh produce, artisanal goods, prepared food, and that mountain community energy. The new Sunday ritual on the Rim.
Running Springs Farmers Market & Artisan Faire
Between the Running Springs Library and First Foundation Bank on Whispering Pines Drive. Fresh produce, baked goods, handmade crafts. The Saturday morning move for Running Springs, Arrowbear, and Green Valley Lake regulars.
Live Music at Black Dog Social Club
33231 Green Valley Lake Road. Live music every weekend. $5 drafts during the Friday Happy Hour from 5 to 7 PM. One of the mountain's best-kept rooms.
"Thirty miles of ridge. A dozen towns. Five lakes. And one season where every patio is open, every event fills the calendar, and every farmers market is humming. This is what summer on the mountain looks like."
Mountain Munches: Where to Eat Right Now
Tiki Republik · Lake Arrowhead Village
28200 CA-189, Ste R-210. (909) 485-1100. The jungle-themed tiki bar inside the Village, owned by Rich and Marina Goodwin, the same family behind the Summer Concert Series and the Lake Arrowhead Oktoberfest. Thursday 4 to 9 PM, Friday 4 PM to midnight, Saturday noon to midnight, Sunday noon to 8 PM. Order the Singapore Sling, a classic Mai Tai, or the Dole Whip with the optional rum float. Friday and Saturday flip to 21-and-over after 8 PM. There's a nine-foot gorilla above the bar.
Sunsets Island Bar & Grill · Lake Arrowhead Village
Same address as Tiki Republik, with separate entrances connected by a jungle hallway and a shared lakefront deck. (909) 485-1100. Voted Best Brunch and Best Cocktail in the Inland Empire by IE Foodies. Weekend brunch starts at 10 AM Saturday and Sunday. The menu runs island: Huli Huli Chicken, Coconut Crusted Shrimp, Mahi Mahi tacos, Lomi Lomi Salmon, poke nachos, and a s'mores French toast that has its own following. Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Black Dog Social Club & Shoppe · Green Valley Lake
33231 Green Valley Lake Road. (909) 707-8333. A live-music venue and boutique with Bergheim Coffee Roasters in-house. Live music Friday and Saturday at 7 PM, Sunday afternoons. Friday Happy Hour from 5 to 7 PM, $5 drafts. The coffee opens at 8 AM Friday through Sunday. The smoked mac-n-cheese is the move. The sourdough is baked in-house by Erin in an industrial oven. Closed Monday through Thursday.
Insider Tips This Month
Lake Gregory Waterpark Reopens Saturday May 23
24171 Lake Drive, Crestline. The inflatable obstacle course, water trampolines, slides, and Splash Island reopen for the season Memorial Day Saturday and run through Labor Day. Daily 10 AM to 5 PM. Must be 48 inches to ride the inflatables. Life jackets required. The 84-acre lake also opens for swimming and beach access, and the walking loop and dog park are open year-round.
SkyPark at Santa's Village Is in Full Summer Mode
Highway 18, Skyforest. (909) 744-9373. Nearly 10 miles of mountain bike trails groomed daily, plus archery, rock climbing, ziplines, hiking, fly fishing, pedal cars, roller skating. Day Pass is general admission to everything in the park. Live music every Friday at the Tunes in the Trees concert series. The Gingerbread House Bakery was voted Best Bakery in the IE by Inland Empire Magazine. Open weekends. Check skyparksantasvillage.com for current hours and summer extensions.
The Heaps Peak Arboretum Sequoia Trail
On Highway 18 between Skyforest and Running Springs. The 0.7-mile loop is the easiest walk on the mountain with the biggest payoff: the largest grove of Giant Sequoias in the San Bernardino range, a natural seep called Horseshoe Springs that wildlife drink from year-round, and numbered posts that explain everything you're looking at. Open dawn to dusk, 365 days a year. Entry is free. Adventure Pass required to park, $5 a day or $30 a year. The information booth is staffed by Rim of the World Interpretive Association volunteers 11 AM to 3 PM on weekends.
Littlebear Bottleshop · Skyforest
28578 Rim of the World Highway. (909) 744-8861. The mountain's specialty wine, beer, and spirits shop, set in the former Skyforest firehouse garage at 5,700 feet elevation. Owner Nathan Hazard curates sustainable wines, natural and Alpine bottles from Europe and Italy, SoCal microbrews, craft spirits, ready-to-drink cocktails to go, snack boards, and glassware. Open daily 11 AM to 6 PM. Grab a bottle, grab a picnic, find a view.
Know Someone Who Deserves the Spotlight?
Mountain Cribs Life exists because of the people who hold these towns together — the ones who organize, volunteer, build, mentor, and show up every single day without fanfare. If you know someone whose quiet work makes this mountain a better place to live, we want to tell their story.
Send us a name. Tell us why. We'll do the rest.
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Time to Launch?
The 35-concert season is on. The lake is open. The marinas are running, the markets are open, the patios are full. If you've been thinking about putting your home on the market this summer, the time to start that conversation is now. The Probabilistic Market Analysis is the place I'd start. Closed sales. Failed listings. What your home is actually worth. The odds it sells at that price. Day by day. No other agent on this mountain has it.
Editorial Note · Mountain Cribs Life
Every event, date, venue, and price listed on this page was cross-checked against official organizer sources at the time of publication. That said, event details change — weather, permitting, organizer decisions, venue adjustments, public safety, and circumstances outside anyone's control can shift a schedule overnight. Mountain Cribs is not responsible for any changes, cancellations, reschedules, venue moves, or pricing adjustments that occur after this page goes live.
Before you drive up for any event listed here, please confirm current details directly with the event organizer or venue. We link and point to official sources where possible. This guide is offered as a free service to the mountain communities and is not a formal endorsement, sponsorship, or promotion of any business, venue, event, or organizer referenced.
Spot something that's changed or incorrect? Email greg@mountaincribs.com and we'll correct it as quickly as we can.
Mountain Cribs Life is authored by Gregory Anderson, licensed California REALTOR® (DRE# 01071792) at Coldwell Banker Sky Ridge Realty. Content is informational in nature and does not constitute a solicitation to buy or sell real estate, a business endorsement, tax or legal guidance, or professional advice of any kind. Readers should consult qualified professionals before acting on anything referenced here.
