Spring has sprung in California, and that means you’ll find blossoming trees and wildflowers around the state, snow in the mountains, and prime whale watching along the coast. It’s also a season that ushers in all sorts of events across the state—foodie festivals, wine and craft-beer releases, and a unique public art display in the desert. Here are 20-plus ways to welcome spring around California.
Feb. 26–March 9: North Lake Tahoe Snowfest, Tahoe City
This “Mountain Mardi Gras” first began in the early 1980s, launched by town leaders to prove that North Lake Tahoe snow is still fantastic in the spring. See for yourself on the nearby slopes—including Palisades Tahoe, Northstar, and Sugar Bowl—and make time for the annual parade, pet costume contest, and snow golf tournament. While you’re in town, enjoy the mellow party atmosphere in Tahoe City’s many bars and restaurants.
Begins Feb. 28: Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival, Anaheim
Disney California Adventure Park goes full foodie this month. Get a Sip & Savor pass that entitles you to small plates at tasting stations around the park, with themes such as Avocado Time, Garlic Kissed, and Nuts About Cheese. Check out culinary demonstrations, junior-chef activities, and the California-themed wine, beer, and mixology seminars. This year’s event in Anaheim also includes a limited-time return of the popular ride Soarin’ Over California, which makes you feel like you are gliding over Golden State destinations including Yosemite, Napa Valley, and the Golden Gate Bridge. Runs through April 21.
Later in March, Season of the Force at Disneyland Park begins: The six-week event (March 28–May 11) will include a special evening show in the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge area, a “Hyperspace Mountain” experience at Space Mountain, plus rare Luke Skywalker character sightings. Book now for the separately ticketed Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nites that begin April 8.
Feb. 28–March 8: Rogue Festival, Fresno
Watch cutting-edge theatre, dance, spoken-word performances, and even puppetry at one of the most acclaimed “fringe” festivals in the nation. Performers will push their respective envelopes at different venues around Fresno’s Tower District.
All Month: Spring Release Month, Paso Robles
Wineries in Paso Robles release new vintages this month, inspiring about 100 different events including winemaker dinners, special tours, and tastings. A few fine examples: the chocolate-and-wine tastings at Crush Vineyard (March 6–9) and food-and-wine pairings at Cab Franc Masters 25 at LXV Wine (March 16).
Begins March 1: Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, Carlsbad
Walk through a rainbow-striped field of ranunculus flowers at this photo-op magnet in Carlsbad, located just a few blocks from LEGOLAND California. At its peak (which varies each year), the field has about 70 million flowers. Make an afternoon of it and check out the exhibit of glass butterfly-and-insect sculptures, then explore the field’s floral maze, hop on a tractor-pulled wagon tour, or browse the greenhouse with cymbidium orchids. Book your tickets online, and keep in mind that weekends sell out fast. Runs through May 19.
March 1: Mardi Gras Parade and Street Faire, Nevada City
The charming Gold Rush town that excels at Christmas festivities also knows how to throw a seriously good party for Fat Tuesday. There’s a parade and street fair with floats, bright costumes, and lots of beads.
March 1–2: Sacramento Free Museum Weekend, Sacramento
Choose from more than 25 museums in the capital city—including the California State Railroad Museum, California Museum, and the California Automobile Museum—for free admission all weekend. You must pre-register to attend; tickets are available beginning Feb. 24.
March 1–2: Annual Barrel Tasting, Healdsburg
This three-day event along Sonoma County’s Wine Road offers the chance to chat with winemakers and sample top wines, straight from the barrel, in towns including Healdsburg, Sebastopol, and Geyserville. Check out the list of 50-plus participating wineries, and buy your tickets online ahead of time.
March 2–16: BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells
This top-tier tennis tournament at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, located about 15 miles from Palm Springs, brings you close to the world’s best players as they duke it out under the desert sun. This year’s competitors include last year’s winners, Iga Swiatek and Carlos Alcaraz, as well as Coco Gauff, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka, and Taylor Fritz.
March 7: St. Helena Mustard Celebration Day, St. Helena
This time of year is mustard season in Napa Valley’s St. Helena, as mustard blossoms start dotting the landscape. Come to the St. Helena Welcome Center to admire the mustard-inspired photography and enjoy complimentary wine tastings and bites from Clif Family Winery.
March 7–9: Dana Point Festival of Whales, Dana Point
As a Whale Heritage site, the Orange County town of Dana Point offers an excellent perch for watching whales nearly year-round. The distinct uptick in migrating gray whales during this time of year, however, is cause for an annual party—one with a parade, stand-up paddleboarding and fishing clinics, talks about whales, and a chowder cook-off. Come early for Friday’s Welcoming of the Whales Ceremony at dusk, which features a variety of speakers as well as food trucks at the beachside Ocean Institute.
March 7–9: Santa Barbara International Orchid Show, Santa Barbara
Stroll through the garden-sized exhibits at this acclaimed flower show in Santa Barbara. Look at orchid displays and orchid-themed art and photography; watch demos on cultivating them at home; and then buy a few flowers to take home. This year’s theme is “Exotic Gardens.”
March 7–9: Jazz Bash by the Bay, Monterey
Come hear old-school jazz—ragtime, Dixieland, hot club, and swing—at this music festival set on seven stages at the Portola Hotel & Spa in Monterey. While it’s not related to September’s Monterey Jazz Festival, it has plenty of its own street cred, having run now for more than 40 years. Check out the Portola Hotel’s specials page to stay at the hotel too.
Begins March 8: Desert X, Greater Palm Springs
The fifth edition of this every-other-year art exhibition is back with new works of art, displayed at several sites around Greater Palm Springs. Through its large-scale sculptures, created by artists from around the world, this edition will focus on “the desert's deep time evolutions… where ancestral wisdom intertwines and collides with contemporary visions for our collective future.” A map of the works will be released on March 8, but you can already see the first work, The Living Pyramid by Hungarian artist Agnes Denes, on the grounds of Sunnylands Center and Gardens. Runs through May 11.
March 8: Wine Festival & Chocolate Decadence, Temecula
If you didn’t get enough candy on Valentine’s Day, head to Temecula for this festival at the Pechanga Resort Casino. Sample a plethora of chocolate and pastries made by resort chefs, paired with wines from around the globe (including several from the Temecula Valley).
March 14–16: Fort Bragg Whale Fest, Fort Bragg
Come to this Mendocino County town to witness the twice-a-year migration by gray whales, then enjoy the Downtown Wine Walk, a beer fest, a craft fair, and the 5K/10K Whale Run. Festivities aside, the whales are typically visible from Mendocino County from March through April.
March 14–19: El Paseo Fashion Week, Palm Desert
This week in Palm Desert is the biggest annual fashion event on the West Coast, complete with a week of cocktail receptions, trunk displays, celebrity meet-and-greets, and runway shows at The Gardens on El Paseo. This year’s featured designers include Pierre Cardin, Rodrigo Basilicati-Cardin, and LaQuan Smith.
March 15–16: Rolling Loud, Los Angeles
The global hip-hop festival returns to Los Angeles, held on the grounds next to SoFi Stadium, with headliners A$AP Rocky, Playboi Carti, and Peso Pluma. Check out the long list of nearby partner hotels when planning your weekend.
March 15–23: SailGP, Los Angeles and San Francisco
Watch national sailing teams compete in high-tech, high-speed catamarans off the California coastline—$12.8 million or prizes are at stake too. The Rolex Los Angeles Sail Grand Prix takes place from the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro from March 15–16, followed by the Oracle San Francisco Sail Grand Prix from March 22–23 against the backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge. Tickets for each event include grandstand seating, where you can hear the play-by-play and access food and drink for purchase.
March 20–30: Oakland Restaurant Week, Oakland
The East Bay city celebrates its highly acclaimed dining scene with special deals, pop-ups, and food trucks. Choose from nearly 50 participants, ranging from waterfront dining to Michelin-recognized restaurants; take the Oakland Restaurant Week Challenge by collecting virtual badges at each restaurant you visit, for a chance to win gift cards and hotel stays.
March 21–23: California Artisan Cheese Festival, Santa Rosa
Enjoy a cheesy weekend, in the best way possible, at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa—a region of the state rich with dairy cows and thriving creameries. Friday includes tastings and tours while Saturday offers seminars and a cheese crawl at The Barlow in Sebastopol. Come back on Sunday for the Artisan Cheese Tasting and Marketplace, showcasing more than 100 creameries, winemakers, and brewers.
Begins March 21: Pliny the Younger Release, Santa Rosa and Windsor
For two weeks every year, Russian River Brewing Co. offers its acclaimed and intensely flavorful triple IPA. The lines outside the brewery’s two Sonoma County locations in Santa Rosa and Windsor can be long (especially on weekends) but tend to be festive themselves. Your free wristband entitles you to buy three 10 oz. pours and two bottles of Pliny the Younger. Runs through April 3.
March 22: Sundial Film Festival, Redding
Watch mostly short films by up-and-coming directors at this festival that has been held in Redding for nearly 20 years. Buy a full-day pass to see all 25 films or get a ticket for one of two screening sessions; come a day early to attend the gala on Friday night. The festival also offers the chance to enjoy the 1935 Cascade Theatre, an Art Deco landmark in downtown Redding.
March 28–30: WonderCon, Anaheim
Break out your cosplay for this sister event of Comic-Con International, which celebrates comics, movies, TV, and animation. The lineup of artists and panelists at the Anaheim Convention Center will include comic book artists, directors, and actors; as of press time, badges are still available.
March 28–March 30: Toyota U.S. Mogul Freestyle Championships, Palisades Tahoe
Come to the black-diamond Red Dog Face ski run at Palisades Tahoe to watch elite skiers compete in moguls, dual moguls, and aerials. Admission is free. Check out more events going on at the North Lake Tahoe ski resort this time of year, such as Disco Tubing and live music.
Begins March 28: Knott’s Boysenberry Festival, Buena Park
Celebrate the namesake fruit of Knott’s Berry Farm at its annual food festival that focuses on the hybrid berry that tastes great in both sweet and savory dishes. Your festival admission comes with a lanyard of tasting tickets, which can be redeemed at stations around the park in Buena Park. Treats in the past have included a pozole with boysenberry garnish, boysenberry BBQ chicken pizza, and a boysenberry rocky road brownie. Runs on select dates through April 27.
March 29: Boardwalk Fun Run, Santa Cruz
Run or walk a 5K with an incredible view: the beach, surf, and rides along the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Your race admission not only grants you a finisher medal, but also up to two hours of free play in the Casino Arcade and $20 off a ride wristband. Be sure to take a spin on the Giant Dipper, which just celebrated its centennial.