Spring is in the air and bringing a host of events in Southern California including beer and food festivals, St. Patrick’s Day-themed fun, and more local events. Check out the full list to find what community events interest you across Orange County, Los Angeles County, the Inland Empire, and San Deigo County.
Orange County Events:
Dana Point Festival of Whales
Saturday, March 7th – Sunday, March 8th
Saturday, March 14th – Sunday, March 15th
festivalofwhales.com
The Dana Point Festival of Whales includes two weekends of back-to-back events, entertainment and fun. Events for the festival include Sand Sculpting Competition, whale watching, free movie screenings, parade, Art in the Park, lectures, street fair, live music, Rubber Ducky Derby, Sailing & Stand-Up Paddling Clinic and so much more. Check out the full list of events on the site and plan out your schedule of fun!
Orange County Restaurant Week
Sunday, March 8th – Saturday, March 14th
Launch Party: Friday, March 7th @ Irvine Marriott
www.ocrestaurantweek.com
Excited to pair specialty cocktails with dinner? Interested in Girls Scout cookie inspired desserts? Want the best food in Orange County for a discount? You can have it all during Orange County Restaurant Week this March. In its 9th year, OC Restaurant Week includes 100 restaurants in 21 Orange County cities offering a wide variety of options, from casual and family-friendly establishments to upscale and fine dining. Pre-fixed menus range from $10 lunches to $80 dinners.
Huntington Beach 4th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival
Friday, March 13th – Sunday, March 15th
Fri: 5-9PM, Sat: 10AM-9PM, Sun: 10AM-4PM
occbfest.com
Admission is free to the Huntington Beach Cherry Blossom Festival featuring Japanese music, dance, martial arts, exhibits, games, crafts and food. It’s fun for the whole family and it all takes place beneath the beautiful cherry blossom trees at the Huntington Beach Central Park bandstand. All proceeds from the event benefit the Huntington Beach—Anjo Sister City Student Exchange Program.
The Swallows Day Parade
Saturday, March 21st
11:00 AM
www.swallowsparade.com
The Fiesta de las Golondrinas celebrates the return of the swallows to the San Juan Capistrano Mission on St. Joseph’s Day, which is March, 19th. The parade will run through downtown San Juan Capistrano as one of the nation’s largest non-motorized parades. Take the convenient Shuttle Bus or arrive early as most street closures are in effect by 10 AM. The parade runs from 11 AM-1 PM, the Mercado Street Fair will be open from 9 AM-5 PM and the VIP Pavilion will be open from 9:30 AM-2:30 PM.
Ocean Institute Jazz Festival
Friday, March 27th – Saturday, March 28th
6 PM – 11 PM
www.ocean-institute.org
The Ocean Institute turns 40 this year and they’re celebrating with two nights of exciting musical entertainment from Michael Paulo, Ray Parker, Jr., Gregg Karukas, and Kevin Toney. Friday night you can enjoy a night of fantastic jazz, delicious food and wine from local restaurants, craft bee, and an auction. Saturday is a five-course gala dinner with more jazz, drinks and both a silent and live auction.
LA Events:
Festival of the Kite at Redondo Beach Pier
Sunday, March 8th
12 PM-5 PM
www.redondopier.com
Redondo Pier’s annual kite festival is one of L.A.’s longest-running kite festivals in the country. This all-ages free event is open to the public and prizes are awarded for the best hand-made kite, best ground display, highest-flying kite, and the youngest and youngest at heart kite flyers. Enter the annual Hot Dog on a Stick Eating Contest and take home a cash prize, enjoy the live entertainment demonstrations throughout the day and be a part of the mass group kit ascension flight on the beach south of the pier.
ArtNight Pasadena
Friday, March 13th
6 PM-10 PM
www.artnightpasadena.org
Enjoy a free evening of art, music, and entertainment as Pasadena’s most prominent arts and cultural institutions swing open their doors. Begin your journey at any one of the 18 participating cultural institutions, where free shuttles will be waiting to transport you to your next destination. Museums and exhibits range from music, contemporary art, and history to interactive performances, and handmade art.
Vegan Street Fair Los Angeles
Saturday, March 21st – Sunday, March 22nd
11 AM-7 PM
www.veganstreetfair.com
Vegan Street Fair is an annual vegan food celebration where local vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants and vendors come together to serve you bite-size portions of vegan eats all in one place. The fun includes entertainment, a beer garden, and games to accompany all the delicious vegan foods.
Curve Fest Los Angeles
Friday, March 27th – Sunday, March 29th
Festivities begin at 12 PM
www.eventbrite.com
International Children’s Festival
Saturday, March 28th – Sunday, March 29th
9 AM-5 PM
www.aquariumofpacific.org
The Aquarium of the Pacific will be hosting its twelfth annual International Children’s Day festival with multicultural performances all day long. West African, Mexican, Pacific Islander, Cambodian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Persian, Irish, Slovak, and Czech dance are among the children’s performances, along with martial arts demonstrations and an international children’s choir. The festival also includes free kids activities like crafts, games and more.
Inland Empire Events
IE Vegan Festival
Temecula: Saturday, March 14th
Rancho Cucamonga: Saturday, March 28th
www.ieveganfest.com
Coming to both Temecula and Rancho Cucamonga, the Inland Empire Vegan Festival is a weekend of food and music. VIP tickets are available for purchase and secure you one-hour early entry to start enjoying the food vendors and free live music, and general free admission begins at 12 PM. The Temecula weekend will also feature wines from local wineries!
Beyond Wonderland
Friday, March 20h – Saturday, March 21st
Electronic Dance Festival
socal.beyondwonderland.com
An electronic dance festival organized by Insomniac Events, Beyond Wonderland is a vibrant environment featuring multiple stages of music, modern art sculptures and various forms of performance art inspired by the world of Alice in Wonderland. Themed stages include Queen’s Domain, The Outer Realm, Cheshire Cove, The Aquarium and more.
Palm Desert Food & Wine
Friday, March 27th – Sunday, March 29th
Tickets available online
www.palmdesertfoodandwine.com
The seventh annual Palm Desert Food & Wine™ presented by Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa, will feature events with some of the world’s best chefs, vintners, and craft brewers from across the country. Experience three extraordinary days of culinary and wine and craft beer tastings in the heart of the famed El Paseo shopping district. Friday is a gourmet, four-course luncheon prepared by celebrity chefs, followed by two days of Grand Tastings with food from 40+ local restaurants and 60+ premium wines and champagnes to pair.
San Diego County Events
Sabor Latino Food, Beer & Wine Fest
Saturday, March 14th
1 PM – 5 PM
www.sandiego.org
This year will be the 5th annual Sabor Latino – Food, Beer, and Wine Festival which showcases food inspired by Latino chefs with unlimited tastings and pairings provided by local craft breweries and wineries in San Diego. The nigh includes a contest for Best Dish as well as live music by Kimba Light and live art showcases throughout the day.
40th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival
Saturday, March 14th
9 AM – 6 PM
www.stpatsparade.org
The largest parade west of the Mississippi, the San Diego St. Patrick’s Day Festival and Parade is the perfect celebration for the whole family. With over 120 entries, the big day includes floats, High School Marching Bands, police and fire, dancing, dignitaries and more. The festival will be held in Balboa Park and features live music on 3 different stages, a beer garden, kids zone, Celtic food and village, and craft booths to keep the party raging all day.
Best Coast Beer Fest
Saturday, March 21st
1 PM – 4 PM
bestcoastbeerfest.com
Best Coast Beer Fest, San Diego’s favorite cancer hating, beer-loving fest, is moving on up to Embarcadero Marina Park North for even more sudsy fun. The day brings together over 100 breweries from all across the West Coast, and nearly 5,000 beer lovers will be out to enjoy. The beers will be perfectly paired with unbeatable views of San Diego Bay and the downtown skyline. The following day is also the Best Coast Brunch Bash!
37th Annual San Diego Cake Show
Saturday, March 21st – Sunday, March 22nd
10 AM – 5 PM
sandiegocakeshow.com
Held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, the Cake Show includes competitions, classes, demos and more, and it’s all about giving back. In its 36 years, they have donated thousands of dollars to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, raising$15,000 alone last year. So whether you’ve got a sweet tooth or love of binge-watching baking shows online, you’ve got to make it down there!
Opening Day: Colorado Rockies at San Diego Padres
Thursday, March 26th
1 PM – 5 PM
www.padres.com
Catch the Padres as they take on the Colorado Rockies for opening day at Petco Park. It’s not Spring until baseball season starts!
If we missed your favorite upcoming event in Southern California this March, leave us a comment and tell us all about it.
