SkyFest Big Bear
The Dark Sky Festival Saving Our Sky!
Look Up! The incredible night sky above is not only beautiful to behold, but is an important feature to a healthy ecosystem. Welcome to SkyFest Big Bear!
Stargazing in Big Bear is a magical experience in any season, but this August, we're celebrating our celestial landscape like never before! SkyFest Big Bear puts our stars front and center along with astronomical exploration and dark sky preservation.
August 14 - 16, 2026
Daily from 12 PM - 11 PM across multiple locations.
NEW AstroFestival
Big Bear Lake Convention Center
42900 Big Bear Blvd
Open Daily from 12 PM - 4 PM
Home of the NEW AstroFestival, a daytime astronomy convention featuring speakers from NASA, DarkSky International, local astrophysicists and more. Browse local vendor and artists PLUS be sure to trek through the immersive Planetarium Dome taking you on a virtual reality experience through space and time.
Stargaze at the Summit
Snow Summit Ski Resort
880 Summit Blvd
Nightly from 8 PM - 11 PM
This star party takes place at one of Big Bear's best stargazing vantage points, the top of Snow Summit. Ride the Sky Chair to join in curated night hikes, telescope stargazing and guided night sky discovery.
FREE Nighttime DiscoverFest
Big Bear Discovery Center
40971 N Shore Dr/Hwy 38
Daily from 4 PM - 9 PM
An astronomy and discovery event geared towards our youngest SkyFest-ers and their families. Explore nocturnal nature and wildlife along the Nature Trail, tell stories around the campfire, and stay for nightly movie screenings.
Forest Sound Bath
Snow Summit Ski Resort
880 Summit Blvd
Nightly from 6:30 PM - 8 PM
NOT INCLUDED WITH A SKYFEST PASS. RESERVE THS TICKET SEPARATELY.
Attendees will ride the Sky Chair to nestle atop Snow Summit to revitalize during a forest bathing experience accompanied by a soothing sound bath with the beautiful sounds of singing bowls. This is a meditative experience under the forest canopy lead by local healer Rosie of Mystic Rose Studios.
Astrophotography Workshops
Meeting Point TBD
Friday, August 14 & Saturday, August 15 from 8:30 PM - 10:30 PM
NOT INCLUDED WITH A SKYFEST PASS. RESERVE THS TICKET SEPARATELY.
Professional local photographer Brady Enger of Bending Energy Photography is a master behind the lens capturing the beautiful night sky. Now, he's leading workshops for aspiring photographers looking to capture the stars and hone their skills. Join Enger for two nights of workshops:
- Friday, August 14 geared towards beginner/intermediate photographers
- Saturday, August 15 geared towards intermediate/advanced photographers
This Year at SkyFest
Meet our Cosmic Creator!
SkyFest Big Bear is proud to debut a featured artist showcase this year - the Cosmic Creator.
Bending Energy Photography
is our first-ever SkyFest Cosmic Creator. Big Bear is a growing hub for photographers, painters, actors and more. New this year, SkyFest Big Bear is excited to showcase a featured artist to highlight the arts around the night sky, nocturnal nature and nocturne creatives. Bending Energy Photography is Big Bear's own hometown artist leading this year's Astrophotography Workshops.
2025 SkyFest Testimonials
We LOVED the idea of this event and would love to see it continue 2025 Attendee
I loved the event! I thought the astronomer at the [stargazing] was extremely interesting and would have liked to hear more from him. 2025 Attendee
Bravo!!! Brilliant idea and I look forward to the next one. 2025 Attendee
Loved riding the lift up in the dark and the quietness. 2025 Attendee
I could not be more happy with this event. Wonderful organization in such a beautiful location 2025 Attendee
Loved attending the sound bath! 2025 Attendee
Brady Enger did an excellent job of organizing [astrophotography workshop] and choosing a place with a nice view of the skies over Big Bear Lake, with the Milky Way. 2025 Attendee