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Celebrate the 2nd Annual Lakefest – Big Bear’s Ultimate End-of-Summer Party!


Big Bear’s Lakefest 2025

Celebrate the close of summer with high-energy water competitions, lakeside lounging, live music, family-friendly fun, and that unbeatable mountain sun. This isn’t just a festival—it’s Big Bear’s farewell to summer, set to a soundtrack of laughter, splashdowns, and golden hour skies. Let’s send the season off in style!

Grab your FREE general admission ticket!

Please be aware: Access to the lake is limited to official event participants only. If you’d like to get in the water, be sure to join Paddle Lakefest or Swim Lakefest!


Lakefest’s Main Events


Beyond our headline water races, Lakefest is packed edge-to-edge with lakeside fun and thrills. Click any button below to dive into each experience!


🚣‍♂️ Paddle Lakefest (Saturday, August 23rd)

A collection of paddle races on Stand-Up Paddleboards, Kayaks, and more! The relay race is accessible to all and doesn’t even require you to have your own boat. There will be distances of:

  • The Dooley Cup - A 20k paddle circumnavigating all of Big Bear Lake!

  • Lakefest Classic 10k - Test your speed at the shorter, but still very challenging 10k distance.

  • Paddlefest 5k - The OG race, for everyone!

  • Paddle, Paddle, Pass 1-mile Relay - No boat or experience required! This is our shortest race that gets your friends and family out on the water with you.


🏊‍♀️ Swim Lakefest (Sunday, August 24th)

Open Water Swim races on Big Bear Lake. Course will start on the sand at Swim Beach, head out to the tip of Eagle Point, and then return for an exit onto the grass at Ski Beach Park (Lakefest HQ). NEW for 2025 we will have 2 distances, a 1.2 mile and a 2.4 mile race.


The Party

Beer Garden, Food Vendors, Merch, Kid’s Zone, BMX Show, Arm Wrestling and More

🎤 Live Music

Friday (8/22)

4:30-5:30: Local Spotlight

5:30-6:30: Tommy Drinkard and the Remedy 

7:00-8:00: Ganda 

Saturday (8/23)

12:00-1:00: Deacon Dimes 

1:30-2:30: TBD 

3:00-4:00: Los Poncho Tones 

4:30-5:30: Honey Buckets 

6:00-7:00: Sarah Barlow Blues Review 

Sunday (8/24)

1:30-2:30: Hilary Watson

3:00-4:00: No No

4:30-5:30: Tristen Gressett Band

6:00-7:00: The Blackbook 

New for 2025 there will be a 2nd Festival Stage dedicated to singer songwriter and Open Mic! 

Full 2nd stage schedule to be released soon!

🍺 Beer Garden and Local Food Vendors

Enjoy some refreshments from our friends at Lake Arrowhead Brewing and Big Bear Brewing while taking in all the Lakefest action including:

💪 Ultimate Arm Wrestling League

Be careful, you might get challenged! In the “call-out” division, anyone can challenge anyone else to join them at the table and test their strength. Then, professional arm wrestlers compete for a cash prize. Enjoy the spectacle you didn’t know you needed in your life!

🚴 BMX Action Sports Show

Featuring athletes from Nitro Circus & ESPN XGames - our headline entertainment act will showcase high-flying acrobatics and lakeside tricks to pump you up.

🎭 Comedy Festival

A brand new highlight at Lakefest! Big Laughs Comedy Festival brings the hottest touring and up‑and‑coming stand‑up acts right to Big Bear Lake. Laughter meets lakeside—Friday night kick‑off is FREE with your Lakefest badge! Click here for submissions!

👟 Demo Days + Demo Run

Try before you buy: Demo Days is back, featuring gear from Adidas and La Sportiva onsite. And don’t miss our group Demo Run on Saturday at 3:30 PM—bring your trail shoes and put the gear to the test! More brands joining soon!

🎶 Open Mic Stage

Big Bear’s local voice takes the stage! Our new Open Mic Festival Stage shines a light on singer/songwriters. Want to perform? Sign‑ups coming soon—watch this space!


The Details:

All ages are welcome! This is a family friendly event. Unruly behavior will not be tolerated and management reserves the right to deny access to Lakefest for any reason. All patrons are subject to search. Lakefest is a rain or shine event and will proceed except in the cases of unsafe weather conditions. Lineup and set times are subject to change without notice. Merchandise, food and beverage vendors accept credit/debit/mobile pay only.

For Press/Media inquiries: media@elevatedsocal.com.

Vendors: vendor@elevatedsocal.com.

Transportation: Lakefest joins our partners at Mountain Transit and Big Bear Cycling Association to promote alternate modes of transportation to the event and all weekend long. Our signature lakeside location at Ski Beach will have no on-site parking—we love our neighbors! So, grab your bike and park at bike valet, hop on Mountain Transit from anywhere in town, or park in our free satellite lot at the corner of Fox Farm & Garstin Dr. and use our free shuttle (note: the shuttle runs between the satellite parking lot and the venue only, not from other locations around town).

Need a place to stay?

Check out our Premier Lodging Sponsor Big Bear Vacations, and our host hotel Sessions Retreat within walking distance to Lakefest. Looking for something a little more secluded? The Outpost in Fawnskin is your hideaway on the North Shore. Find your perfect Big Bear retreat with SoCal Vacations or discover where mountain meets modern at Midnight Moon Cabins.

We will see you out there!

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July 5

Sum Sum

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August 23

Paddle Lakefest