The American Cancer Society is hosting its kickoff extravaganza April 3 at MontBleu in Stateline with an all-ages show with hip hop artist Mike E and local/regional artists Lavish Green and Outta-Control.

At 3:30pm is a meet and greet the artists, a chance to learn more about Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society, register a team and celebrate those who’ve beaten the fight against cancer.

Live music starts at 6pm.

If teams register prior to the show, they will receive five free tickets. Tickets are $15 for adults, $5 for children 12 and younger, and free for cancer survivors. All ticket sales benefit South Lake Tahoe’s Relay for Life.

This year marks the fifth South Lake Tahoe Relay for Life event. The all-night walking event symbolizing cancer never sleeps will be at Kahle Community Park Aug. 7 beginning at 4pm, concluding about 8am Aug. 8. The committee’s goal is to have 30 teams registered after kickoff and 50 teams before August. The committee is encouraging teams and the community to raise more than $100,000 to help fight cancer prior to the event.

In celebration of Tahoe’s fifth anniversary, the committee has created Relay for Life Taste of Tahoe. Taste of Tahoe will feature one restaurant from the South Shore each week leading up to Relay for Life, with a final highlight of all the restaurant booths at Taste of Tahoe Restaurant Row during the Relay for Life.

The focus is to raise money for the fight against cancer while having great food, drinks, entertainment and fun with family, friends, coworkers and neighbors at local restaurants. Each restaurant sponsor makes a donation toward the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life fund-raising efforts for the week it is spotlighted.

Participating restaurants include: Blue Angel Cage, Bistro Danielle, Brooks Bar & Deck at Edgewood Tahoe, Chevys Fresh Mex, Fox and Hound, Mott Canyon, Murphy’s Irish Pub and Rockwater Restaurant, and Sushi Pier; Corporate Nevada and Erik Watada State Farm Agency are business sponsors. Lake Tahoe News is one of the media sponsors. For details, click here.

The Relay for Life committee is seeking more teams, volunteers and sponsors to help organize the event. The next committee meeting is April 13 at 6pm in the loft at Blue Angle Cafe.

For more information about the South Lake Tahoe Relay for Life event, to register a team, ways to get involved or make a donation, click here.