Truckee Cultural District & Partners Celebrate Third Night Sky Photo Contest and Expand Dark Skies Initiative
Nevada County photographers invited to capture the region's dark skies through August 12; regional astro photographer Allison Kalt to appear at Truckee Thursdays on July 30; star-filled weekend events planned for October
TRUCKEE, Calif. — The Truckee Cultural District, in partnership with the Town of Truckee, Visit Truckee-Tahoe, Nevada County Arts & Culture, and the City of Nevada City, is celebrating the third annual photo contest, open for submissions through August 12, 2026. Beyond the contest, partners are expanding the Keep It Dark initiative into a broader dark skies awareness campaign, bringing education, community events, and astro-tourism programming to residents and visitors.
The contest invites photographers of all skill levels to document the night skies of Nevada County, celebrating the region's exceptional dark-sky conditions while raising awareness of the importance of protecting them. Submissions must be captured within Nevada County, California.
"The Keep It Dark Photo Contest has been fully embraced by our night sky photographers capturing the beautifully rare and unique place we call home," said Kellie Cutler, Program Manager for the Truckee Cultural District. "This contest also brings awareness countywide to an important climate initiative the benefits of reducing our lighting impacts to protect our environmental ecosystem and shared views."
Now in its third year, the contest has grown into a countywide celebration of dark-sky stewardship, bringing together residents, visitors, youth, and professional photographers around a shared commitment to appreciating and protecting the nighttime environment. Winning photographs will be celebrated at a community awards reception and exhibition on Friday, October 2 at the Truckee-Tahoe Airport, bringing the contest full circle from submission to public showcase, and kicking off a star-filled weekend of night sky events throughout Truckee, to be announced soon.
Keep It Dark Contest Details
Submission deadline: August 12, 2026
Community Reception & Exhibition: October 2, 2026 at the Truckee-Tahoe Airport
Entry limit: Two (2) photographs per person
Entry form: visittruckeetahoe.com/keep-it-dark-contest
Categories and prizes:
Youth (places 1–3)
Amateur (places 1–3)
Professional (places 1–3)
Best of the East and Best of the West
Eleven prizes totaling over $2,000 in Visit Truckee-Tahoe Sustainability Gift Cards will be awarded. All submitted photographs must be taken within Nevada County, California.
Keep It Dark: More Than a Photo Contest
While the photo contest has become the signature activation of the Keep It Dark initiative, the campaign represents a growing countywide effort to educate residents, businesses, and visitors about the environmental, ecological, and cultural value of protecting our night skies.
Following the close of the photo contest in August, Keep It Dark partners will focus on responsible lighting education, simple actions residents and businesses can take to reduce light pollution, and positioning Truckee and Nevada County as a dark-sky destination for astro-tourism. The campaign will reach residents, downtown businesses, HOAs, and visitors through social media, signage, and partner channels.
Meet the Photographer: Allison Kalt at Truckee Thursdays
On Wednesday, July 30, regional astro photographer Allison Kalt, whose stunning night sky imagery appears throughout the Keep It Dark campaign, will be at the Truckee Cultural District booth at Truckee Thursdays. Kalt will showcase her work, her equipment, and speak about tools and tips related to capturing the night sky, offering an accessible and inspiring look at the craft of astrophotography for photographers at any level. Kalt was chosen to be featured in a soon to be released mini docuseries on astro-photographers highlighting some of our brightest talents in this photography genre in the United States. The public is encouraged to stop by and connect with this amazing artist behind some of the region’s most striking images.
About Keep It Dark
Keep It Dark is a multi-partner dark skies initiative dedicated to protecting and celebrating the night sky as a shared natural resource of Nevada County. The initiative advances community stewardship through education, arts and culture programming, responsible lighting guidance, and astro-tourism promotion. Partners include the Town of Truckee, Truckee Cultural District, Visit Truckee-Tahoe, Nevada County Arts & Culture, and the City of Nevada City.
For full contest rules, eligibility requirements, and entry form, visit visittruckeetahoe.com/keep-it-dark-contest
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Photo assets available upon request. Photo credits: Allison Kalt (@astro.alli) and Jeremy Jensen (@jeremyjensenmedia).
