SkyFest 2026 brings three nights of stargazing, meteor showers, and a new astronomy convention to Big Bear Lake

Big Bear Lake's annual celebration of dark skies is back and bigger than ever. SkyFest 2026 runs August 14–16 across multiple locations around the valley, with events spanning daytime and late-evening hours and timed to coincide with the peak of the Perseid meteor shower[1].

The biggest addition this year is the AstroFestival, a new daytime astronomy convention debuting at the Big Bear Lake Convention Center from noon to 4 PM each day. The convention will feature speakers from NASA and DarkSky International, local astrophysicists, a vendor and artist market, and an immersive AstroDome virtual reality experience that takes visitors on a tour through space and time[2].

After dark, Stargaze at the Summit takes over Snow Summit Ski Resort nightly from 8 to 11 PM. Attendees ride the Sky Chair to the top of the mountain for curated night hikes, telescope viewing, and guided night-sky talks[2].

Families with young children can take advantage of the free Nighttime DiscoverFest, held Friday and Saturday (August 14–15) from 5 to 8 PM at the Big Bear Discovery Center. The no-cost event includes nocturnal nature walks along the Discovery Center's nature trail and campfire storytelling[2].

For those wanting to do more than look up, astrophotography workshops led by local photographer Brady Enger of Bending Energy Photography are scheduled for August 14 (beginner/intermediate) and August 15 (intermediate/advanced), each running from 8:30 to 10:30 PM and requiring a separate ticket[2].

SkyFest is part of the Dark Sky Initiative and uses the festival to educate attendees about light pollution and its impact on local ecosystems — a topic that hits close to home for a mountain community that depends on its naturally dark skies[2].

Visitors planning an overnight trip should note that several Big Bear lodging partners are offering SkyFest attendees 15% off stays for August 14–15[2]. Ticket pricing details beyond the free DiscoverFest and the separately ticketed photo workshops could not be confirmed from available sources; residents and visitors are encouraged to check the full event details and ticketing information at bigbear.com/events/skyfest before making plans.