McAvoy Lane present the ghost of Mark Twain at Aspen Grove in Incline Village. Bring a picnic dinner. Full bar from 6 to 7. Call (775) 832.1606 for tickets or information. www.ghostoftwain.com

Lahontan Cutthroat Trout Celebration at Sawmill Pond in South Lake Tahoe.

Free fishing courtesy of California Department of Fish & Game.

Heavenly tent sale at California Base Lodge, South Lake. www.heavenlysports.com

Village at Northstar’s annual Labor Day Street Fair and Sidewalk Sale-a-bration, with live music and entertainment, shopping specials and other fun.

Enjoy the holiday. Most government offices are closed. Tip those who are working really well.

Fundraiser hosted by Slow Rollers at Tudor Pub in South Lake Tahoe to raise money for Jaycee Lee Dugard and her family. Donations accepted, raffle prizes, sign the letter to be sent to Jaycee. More information at slowrollers.or org call (530).544.3979.

No monster plans are on the books this building season, but Heavenly does want to make some changes to the mountain before the snow flies.

Heavenly wants to install an underground water supply line from the California Reservoir Dam pump house to the existing snowmaking infrastructure on Orion’s trail; install electrical power and fan gun connections on Upper California Trail to improve snowmaking; remove and restore the tubing area, surface life and beginners’ ski and snowboard school by relocating them next to the Big Easy chairlift; and then create snowmaking capability in this area.

“We believe the proposed capital improvements are consistent with Heavenly’s approved Master Plan. We expect to make a decision on the project within a few weeks after the close of the comment period,”said Cheva Heck, USFS spokesperson.

One of North Lake Tahoe’s most heated competitions will pit culinary comrades against each other to determine who rightfully deserves the title of Mountain Chef at the Blazing Pans Cook-Off Sept. 12. The cook-off is part of the three-day Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival (Sept. 11-13) at the Village at Northstar in Truckee.

Reigning champion Mike Trombetta, owner of Farm to Belly Personal Chef Services, was considered a relative newcomer last year when he out-cooked Jacques Cornelis of the Resort at Squaw Creek. This year he will be challenged by David Lutz, owner of Tahoe City’s Evergreen Restaurant.

The one-hour competition will entail both chefs taking one main, secret ingredient and creating as many delicious dishes as possible in the allotted time. The ingredient will not be revealed until moments prior to the start of the clock.

The Blazing Pans Mountain Chef Cook-Off begins at 4:15pm. Tickets for the event cost $15 and include a Charbay cocktail, hosted by Charbay Artisan Winery and Distillery. For more information about the Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival, call 888.229.2193 or go to www.tahoefoodandwine.com.

Annette Schoonover invites patrons to “bring your own bottle,” but what she pours at the tasting bar is for dipping, not sipping.

Winterhill Farms’ shop on Placerville’s Main Street represents El Dorado County’s nascent olive oil industry. Since 2000, a handful of olive orchards have been introduced into the foothills agricultural scene. 

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