Bear Valley Music Festival 2026
Two-plus weeks of symphony, tributes, and mountain evenings under the Big White Tent, July 17 to August 2.
Every summer the Bear Valley Music Festival sets up its Big White Tent in the village at Bear Valley, 7,000 feet up Highway 4, and runs two-plus weeks of music that swings from symphony nights to Bowie and ELO tributes. The 2026 run is July 17 through August 2.
Most evening shows start at 7, with a couple of Sunday matinees at 2. The lineup below comes from our live corridor calendar, which updates daily; for tickets, seating, and the full program, the festival's own site is the source of truth.
Dates and location
The 2026 festival runs Friday, July 17 through Sunday, August 2 at the Big White Tent in Bear Valley village, off Highway 4 in Alpine County. Our listings sync daily from the festival and local calendars; if a date here ever disagrees with bearvalleymusicfestival.org, trust the festival's site and tell us.
Lineup
- Hernan RomeroWednesday, July 29 · 7:00 PM
- Ronstadt Revival: Follow The Yellow Rose!Thursday, July 30 · 7:00 PM
- Mozart and BrahmsFriday, July 31 · 7:00 PM
- GALA: Hollywood's Golden AgeSaturday, August 1 · 5:30 PM
- Pines of RomeSunday, August 2 · 2:00 PM
Remaining shows, updated daily. Tickets and full program at bearvalleymusicfestival.org.
Bear Valley Music Festival 2026 questions, answered
When is the Bear Valley Music Festival 2026?
The Bear Valley Music Festival 2026 runs July 17 through August 2, 2026. Most evening concerts start at 7 pm, with Sunday afternoon shows around 2 pm and a gala evening on the final Saturday. Individual show times do shift, so check the festival site before you make the drive up.
What is the Bear Valley Music Festival 2026 lineup?
The Bear Valley Music Festival 2026 lineup swings from full symphony programs to tribute nights: Tchaikovsky's Fourth and Respighi's Pines of Rome on the orchestral side, Bowie and ELO tributes on the other. The schedule above is our live listing and updates daily; the festival publishes the complete program, soloists and repertoire included, on its own site.
Where is the Bear Valley Music Festival 2026 held?
Under the Big White Tent in Bear Valley village, just off Highway 4 at about 7,000 feet, roughly 40 minutes above Arnold. It is an open-sided mountain venue, so bring a warm layer: even July evenings cool off fast at that elevation.
How do I get Bear Valley Music Festival 2026 tickets?
Bear Valley Music Festival 2026 tickets come directly from the festival at bearvalleymusicfestival.org, which sells single-show tickets and multi-show passes. Popular nights can sell out ahead of time, so buy before you make the drive up. We keep the schedule here, but we do not sell tickets; the festival's own site is the only place we would point you.
Where should we stay for the Bear Valley Music Festival 2026?
Lodging in Bear Valley village itself is limited, so book early if you want to walk to the tent. Most festival-goers stay down the hill in Arnold, Dorrington, or Camp Connell, about 30 to 40 minutes away, or in Murphys, about an hour, where dinner options before the drive up are strongest.
What else is going on nearby during the festival?
Plenty. Calaveras Big Trees State Park sits between Arnold and Bear Valley for a giant-sequoia walk before an evening show, Murphys Main Street has tasting rooms and live music most weekends, and our This Weekend page lists everything happening along the corridor on any given festival weekend.
Getting there
Bear Valley is the top of the Highway 4 corridor: from Angels Camp it is about 10 minutes to Murphys, 20 more to Arnold, then another 40 or so up the mountain grade to the village. The last stretch climbs about 3,000 feet, so give yourself more time than the map says, especially before a 7 pm downbeat.
Parking in the village is close to the tent, but festival nights fill it; arriving early is the honest advice. Evenings at 7,000 feet drop into the 50s even in late July, so bring a real layer. Coming up for the day, Calaveras Big Trees State Park and the towns of Arnold, Dorrington, and Camp Connell are all on your way.
What else is on while you're up here
Festival weekends are the corridor at full tilt: live music in Murphys and Arnold, winery evenings, markets, and trail days all stack up alongside the tent schedule. The live list is one click away.
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