Labor Day Weekend in Big Bear: Events, Lake Activities & Where to Stay
Labor Day weekend is the mountain’s last big exhale before fall settles in. This year the holiday falls Friday, September 4th through Monday, September 7th, and Big Bear is packing the calendar accordingly — an inaugural rodeo, a drone show over the water, a classic car show, and a lake that’s still warm enough for one final round of pontoons and paddleboards. Here’s what’s actually happening, how to spend your time on the water, and where to post up so you’re never far from any of it.
The Weekend’s Headline Events
Sandalwood Lot · September 4–6 · 12 PM–10 PM Daily
Big Bear’s First-Ever Labor Day Weekend Rodeo
Big Bear is throwing its first Labor Day Weekend Rodeo this year, and it’s shaping up to be the marquee event of the holiday. Bull riding and barrel racing headline the competition each afternoon, wrapped in a full carnival setup with rides, fair food, vendors, and live music. Friday kicks off with a grand opening ceremony and a free concert from Brian Gaylord at 6:30 PM; Saturday and Sunday bring the professional rodeo competition at 4 PM followed by evening entertainment and dancing.
The festival grounds — carnival rides, food vendors, and concerts — are free to walk through. Rodeo seating requires a ticket: single-day general admission runs $37.25, a weekend pass is $73.47, and VIP seating starts at $130.40 per day. Organizers are calling this inaugural run a likely sellout, so grab tickets at BigBearRodeo.com, or skip the separate booking altogether with our Labor Day Mountain Getaway, which bundles rodeo tickets right into your cabin stay.
Location: Sandalwood Lot, 103 Sandalwood Dr, Big Bear Lake · Carnival wristbands sold separately at the gate
Pine Knot Marina · Saturday, September 5 · Starts at Sundown
A Drone Show Over the Water, Free to Watch
Big Bear Mountain Resort and Visit Big Bear are closing out the summer season with a drone show launched from Pine Knot Marina, reflecting off the lake as the sky goes dark. No fireworks, no smoke, just a choreographed light display that’s easy on the forest and easy to watch from almost anywhere along the shoreline.
You don’t need a ticket or a specific vantage point reservation — just get to the water early enough to claim a spot, since this is one of the most-watched moments of the weekend.
Best viewing: Veterans Park, The Village, Rotary Park, or the Big Bear Lake Visitor Center · Free admission
Big Bear Lake Convention Center · Saturday, September 5
Cool Run in the Mountains Car Show
Hosted by the RodRiders Car Club of Big Bear, this show fills the Convention Center lot with 100+ classic and custom vehicles, plus vendor booths and live entertainment for the crowd walking the rows. It’s a laid-back counterpart to the rodeo’s high energy — easy to swing by for an hour between other plans. Proceeds support local charities, including area animal rescue programs.
Free admission for spectators · Runs alongside the drone show, making for an easy Saturday double-header
Make the Most of the Lake
On the Water: Rentals, Fishing & Swim Spots
Labor Day is the last real weekend of peak boating season, and Big Bear Lake is set up for every version of it. Big Bear Marina rents pontoon boats from $100/hour (6-passenger) up to $170/hour for larger, Bluetooth-equipped models, plus fuel and a $250 deposit. Prefer to fish? Fourteen-foot aluminum boats run $85 for two hours or $150 for a full day, seating up to four. Wave Runners are $149/hour for two riders (drivers must be 21+), and kayaks and Hobie paddleboards rent for $25/hour with no reservation needed for kayaks — just show up.
If you’d rather stay on shore, the lake has eight public access points. McDill Swim Beach at Meadow Park is the only lifeguarded, admission-based option; Boulder Bay Park, Ski Beach Park, Grout Bay, and Holloway’s Marina & Beach are all free, unguarded spots worth checking out if you want a quieter stretch of shoreline.
Anglers will want a California fishing license before dropping a line — Big Bear Lake is stocked through the summer and holds trout, bass, and catfish, making it a solid bet for a Labor Day morning on the water before the weekend crowds arrive.
Where to Stay for the Holiday Weekend
Book Early · Holiday Weekend + Inaugural Rodeo = High Demand
Pick Your Base Based on Your Plans
With a new rodeo pulling crowds to Sandalwood Lot, a drone show drawing people to the lakefront, and boat traffic at every marina, where you stay this weekend genuinely changes how easy your trip is. If the rodeo and car show are the priority, look at cabins near the Village and Big Bear Boulevard corridor — you’re a short drive or trolley ride from Sandalwood Lot and the Convention Center. If the lake is the main event, a lakefront or lake-view cabin near Pine Knot, Meadow Park, or Holloway’s Marina puts you steps from a dock instead of a parking lot.
Because this is a three-night holiday weekend layered on top of a first-time event that’s already trending toward a sellout, cabins book up well in advance. Reserve early, confirm parking (rodeo and car show lots fill fast), and consider a cabin with its own hot tub for winding down after a long day in the sun.
Peak demand dates: Friday, September 4 – Monday, September 7, 2026
Labor Day Weekend Tips from Our Team
- Buy rodeo tickets now at BigBearRodeo.com, or book our Labor Day Mountain Getaway to lock in tickets and your cabin in one shot — this is the event’s first year and organizers expect it to sell out before the weekend arrives.
- Get to the lakefront at least 30–45 minutes before sundown Saturday to claim a good spot for the drone show.
- Reserve pontoon and Wave Runner rentals ahead of time; kayaks and SUPs are first-come, first-served but lines build fast on holiday afternoons.
- Bring your California fishing license if you plan to cast a line — rangers do check, especially on busy holiday weekends.
- Traffic into the Village and Sandalwood Lot area gets heavy Saturday evening with the rodeo, drone show, and car show all overlapping — plan extra travel time or use the Big Bear Trolley.
Book the Labor Day Mountain Getaway
Rodeo tickets bundled right into your cabin stay — the easiest way to lock in the whole weekend, from the lake to the arena, in a single booking.
See the Labor Day GetawayWritten by the Big Bear Vacations Team — your local experts in Big Bear Lake cabin rentals, powered by Casago. We live here, we celebrate here, and we’re here to make your holiday weekend unforgettable.
