With spring officially here -- although a quick check outside the window might indicate otherwise -- it's time for the Tahoe-area skiers and snowboarder to get into their vernal vibes and party hearty until the bull wheels stop spinning.

One of the bigger bashes takes place at Heavenly, which will conduct its annual Spring Loaded Festival from Saturday, March 31, to Sunday, April 15. Among the festivities are a Helly Hansen fashion show at Tamarack Lodge on March 31, a Bratwurst Binge Battle at Steins on April 1, a rail jam at Tamarack Lodge on April 6, the Winter Snow Blast on-mountain concert at Tamarack Lodge on April 14, the Lake Tahoe Pond Skimming World Championships at the top of the gondola on April 14-15, and the Heavenly Ski Patrol Concert and Fundraiser on the top of the Heavenly parking garage on April 15. Full details and schedule is available here.

Sierra-at-Tahoe has a whole passel of spring-themed events, including its annual Telegrass Festival (a combination of telemark skiing clinics and demos and live bluegrass music) on Saturday, April 7, and the Salsa Showdown (which incorporates a homemade salsa contest, a taco-eating contest and live reggae) on Sunday, April 15. Details can be found at here.

Squaw Valley presents its SnowBash the weekend of March 30 - April 1. The annual three-day party to welcome spring's arrival kicks off with DJ Magic Matt from Wild 94.9 spinning at the KT Base Bar from 2:30-4:30 p.m. on Friday.  On Saturday, a concert by U2 tribute band L.A.vation will take place from 1 - 3:45 p.m. at the KT Base Bar, and on Saturday and Sunday afternoons the official Spring Party takes place at the High Camp Pool and Hut Tub with DJs and drinks specials from noon to 3 p.m. And every Saturday from 3 - 5 p.m. the Village Music Series will entertain the apres crowd. Details here.

 Neighboring Alpine Meadows opens its Ice Bar Spring Bash with music, games, and drink specials on Saturday, March 31. The fun continues on Saturday, April 7 with the Red Bull Schlittentag -- 3-person sled races on home-made contraptions -- and on Sunday, April 8, with the Beacon and Eggs Search, an event that combines an Easter egg hunt with an avalanche beacon. Details can be found here.

Diamond Peak conducts its annual Dummy Downhill on Sunday, April 1. The event, which attempts to launch home-made dummies off a big jump, is open to all and prize categories include best crash, longest jump, most creative entry and shortest distance travelled. Details here.

The Spring It On aprés-party and pond skim will take place at Northstar's Big Springs Lodge on the afternoon of April 15. Details here.