The October Truckee Turntable

October 2026

Read along monthly as we celebrate creativity, local events, shared stories, opportunities and artist spotlights.

Welcoming Robin Garcia as Our Next Executive Director

Exciting news to share: Nevada County Arts & Culture has named Robin Garcia, Ph.D. as its next Executive Director, stepping into the role on October 5. Robin brings two decades of experience in arts and cultural policy, community engagement, and higher education, most recently at the University of Virginia, and her move here is also a return to California and to family in the north state. As she put it, her first priority will be listening: to artists, residents, businesses, and community partners as she gets to know this place.

We also want to take a moment to thank Eliza Tudor for ten remarkable years of leadership. Eliza's work shaped Culture Forward and strengthened both of our county's Cultural Districts, and she'll stay on through the end of the year to support the transition. We're so grateful for everything she's built here.

Join us in welcoming Robin!

Read the Announcement

A Full October

Truckee is absolutely buzzing with some of the best events of the year all packed into the next few weeks, each embracing art, culture and community at every turn. We’re excited to be a partner in a few of these new happenings, and equally as excited to support the others. Notable additions to the October calendar include the FIRST Keep it Dark Astro Weekend (more on that below), the Truckee Oktoberfest and Taste of Truckee happening all month long.

Congrats to our own Kellie Cutler on her Top of the Town, Truckee Chamber’s 73rd Annual Award nomination for Business Leader of the Year. And to all the nominees who make Truckee tick, we are so fortunate to have such outstanding leaders, businesses and community stewards among us. Congratulations to all the 2026 winners.

Non-Profit of the Month!

Earlier this month Assemblymember Heather Hadwick recognized Nevada County Arts & Culture as her “Non-Profit of the Month”. This acknowledgement follows on the heels of announcing fifteen Fellows under the Individual Artist Fellowship Program, and the first year Northern California is recognized as a distinct service region.

Rural voices deserve equal opportunity and equal representation and we have worked diligently to bring resources to our community and the upstate region alongside local and regional leaders who champion the arts as part of civic infrastructure.

“The Arts bring people together, give our kids opportunities to create and learn, support local businesses and working artists, and help tell the stories of our rural communities." - Assemblymember Hadwick

Here, Nevada County Arts & Culture board and staff gather with Assemblymember Hadwick, including Jon Blinder, Abdul LeBlanc, Catherine Bramkamp, and GVNC Cultural District Program Manager, Diana Arbex.

Truckee is celebrating one of its best natural assets: the night sky. The Keep It Dark Weekend is almost here and the response has already been incredible. Thursday's Cosmic Community Connections event is completely sold out, and the Milky Way Astro Photography Workshop is at capacity. But there's still plenty of weekend left to be part of!

Friday's (Oct 2) photo contest awards reception at the Truckee-Tahoe Airport is free and open to the public, so come celebrate the photographers who captured the magic of Nevada County's night sky.

On Saturday (Oct 3), find the Truckee Cultural District tent at the Wine, Walk & Shop, set up at the Old Lumberyard in front of the new Fifty Fifty. We'll have some of our region's best astro-photographers: Mike Oitzman “Milky Way Mike”, Allison Kalt “Astro Ali”, and Scott Thompson of Scott Shots on hand to talk all things night sky and photography. And if you're looking to close out the weekend with something literary focused, a very limited number of spots remain in Karen Terrey's Writing Workshop “Flights of Imagination in the Night Sky”on Sunday (Oct 4) morning.

Astro Weekend

Call for Truckee Youth Artists for STEAM Show

Call to Youth Artists

This year's theme is color, light, and anything flight! Students within the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District can submit, all mediums welcome, as long as it connects back to a STEM idea seen through an artist's eyes.

Drop off artwork at the Truckee Cultural District office at The Lift, or reach out to Molly Moore to arrange a pickup. Submissions are due Oct 14. Space is limited, so early entries get the best shot at a spot on the wall.

→ Contact: mollyzoekevin@gmail.com

2027 Wild & Scenic Art Exhibition

Now accepting submissions until Nov 30

October Events

Taste of Truckee

October 1-30

Special menus, signature bites and perfectly paired pours from restaurants around town.

→ Get the Scoop

Butterfly in a Blizzard

October 8 / Alibi Ale Works

KidZone Museum & Tahoe Sports Hub invite you to a screening of Butterfly in a Blizzard, an evening With Kimmy Fasani. Movie at 7:30pm.

→ Film Screening Info

The Ascent

October 9 / Downtown Park Stage at the Community Arts Center

Bristlecone Film Collective and Tahoe Art Haus present THE ASCENT, sponsored by Visit Truckee-Tahoe, a free outdoor film screening.

→ Film Screening Info

Tahoe Literary Festival

October 9-11 / Tahoe City

Bringing together authors, poets, publishers, and readers for a weekend of workshops, panels, and community events.

→ Lit Fest Tickets

Truckee Oktoberfest

Oct 9-11

Truckee Oktoberfest is the last hurrah before the snow flies, a weekend where German festival tradition meets mountain-town autumn with a full weekend of beer, bites, live music and outdoor activities.

→ Prost! Full Weekend Schedule

Made in Tahoe Festival

Oct 10-11 / Palisades Tahoe

A vibrant celebration of all things local, showcasing the best that the Lake Tahoe Basin and Truckee areas have to offer with artisan vendors, businesses, music and more.

→ Event Details

Donner Lake Witch Paddle

Oct 10 / Dog Beach

A Truckee tradition! Witches, warlocks, werewolves, and their friendly familiars are invited to a free community costume paddle on Donner Lake.

→ Costumed Paddle Info

Big Truck Day

Oct 17 / Town Corporation Yard

A hands-on day with heavy equipment, Smokey the Bear and all the big trucks on display for a family fall outing.

→ More Info

31st Annual Truckee River Day & Fair

Oct 18

Get ready to get your hands in the water and boots in the mud to help with restoration projects throughout the watershed.

→ Register

Truckee Pride Presents: Kinkenstein III

Oct 31 / Community Arts Center

A dance party peppered with community performances. Expect dark sultry beats, dance moves, costumes and solid positive community vibes for this fall fundraiser for Truckee Pride.

→ Kinkenstein III

Truckee Pride Presents: Kinkenstein Halloween Party

Halloween in the Park

Oct 30 / Community Arts Center

Trick-Or-Treat through the Downtown Park for candy and fun Halloween themed tables and tents starts at 4PM.

→ Halloween Party

Stay connected with local event calendars and community boards for the latest updates on gallery shows, performances, and gatherings. Our favorite resources include: Truckee.com, Visit Truckee-Tahoe, 101.5 KTKE and the Nevada County Arts Council.

Each month I host a free creative writing workshop “Moments for Memoirs” at the Truckee Library on the first Friday from 10:30 am – Noon. This month on October 2 our theme is Joy and Tenderness. All ages and levels of experience. Join us!

Sunday morning October 4 caps the Keep it Dark Astro Weekend in Truckee with a free creative writing workshop “Flights of Imagination in the Night Sky: a writing workshop & brunch” from 10 am – Noon. For all writers and night sky admirers! Sign up here at Eventbrite

This month at the Tangled Roots Open Mic & Reading Series on October 8 from 6 – 7:15 pm at Alibi Ale Works in downtown Truckee our featured author is the magnificent Chris Olander, author and poet performer. The community open mic follows his performance.

At the Tahoe Literary Festival October 9 – 11, we have many opportunities for writers and readers and everyone in between to participate in the arts and literary community in Tahoe. Friday night opens the weekend festival with a reading and open mic at Tahoe Wine Collective at the Boatworks Mall. Saturday I’ll be hosting a conversation with CA Poet Laureate Lee Herrick and Nevada Poet Laureate Shaun Griffin 1:45 – 2:45 pm. If you are a memoir writer, join us at 3-4 pm for an author conversation on writing, relationship, and climate grief with Cara Benson. Now is the time to sign up for special (limited space) workshop sessions Sunday morning October 11, 9 am – Noon, with Poet Lee Herrick, Nonfiction writers Suzanne Roberts, and Fiction writer Grant Faulkner. Sign up and buy tickets

Copyright © 2026 Truckee Cultural District, All rights reserved.
You've received this email because you are interested in the arts, culture and people of Truckee Cultural District. You can unsubscribe at any time.