North County and San Diego County Events – March include everything from mountain bike racing to garden shows, Easter egg hunts and music festivals.
MiraCosta College Exhibit Features Art By Eva Struble
March 1 – 3
Location: Oceanside, MiraCosta College Kruglak Art Gallery, Bldg 3400, 1 Barnard Dr
MiraCosta College presents an exhibit featuring the paintings of artist Eva Struble. The show opens Feb. 9 and continues through March 3 in the college’s Kruglak Gallery.
The exhibit will feature a series of paintings that deviate from Struble’s recent work to explore a makeover of her domestic and everyday spaces in lush transformation. With influences including post-impressionist Nabis painters, Japanese uki-e prints and a variety of textiles, these large oil paintings on canvas also bring focus to material and surface with saturated color and icing-thick paint application. Indefinite figures haunt the mundane and familiar institutional spaces as they morph into overgrown, unknown landscapes and structures.
Eva Struble is a San Diego and New York-based artist. She teaches painting at San Diego State University and received her MFA in painting from Yale University School of Art in 2006.
New Village Arts Theatre Presents Emilie
March 1 – 6
Location: Carlsbad, 2787 State St
La Marquise du Châtelet was a mathematician, a physicist and the toast of the Enlightenment. So why then is the Marquise not better known? Perhaps Voltaire put it best when he said du Châtelet was "a great man whose only fault was being a woman."
Now, "Emilie: La Marquise du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight," the brilliant play from Lauren Gunderson (Leap), resurrects this fascinating personality.
Brought back from the dead, Emilie is determined to answer the questions that haunted her dying moments on Earth: "Was I right?" and "Was I loved?" As she travels back in time to revisit key moments in her scientific and emotional journeys, the full extent of her remarkably prescient legacy is revealed in this smart, surprising and sexy portrait of a true genius.
World of Watercolor – 2016
March 1 – 20
Location: Fallbrook, Fallbrook Art Center, 103 S. Main Ave
The Fallbrook Art Center proudly presents the 7th annual Signature American Watermedia Exhibition, a sale and show featuring 90 works on paper in all water media created by U.S. and International artists with juror John Salminen, NWS, AWS.DF. This year’s show will also showcase the National Watercolor Society’s travel exhibition.
Free to all member levels and art center patrons. Others $6 admission.
The Flower Fields
March 1 – May 8
Location: Carlsbad, 5704 Paseo del Norte
For over sixty years, Mother Nature has transformed the rolling hills of north San Diego County into one of the most spectacular and coordinated displays of natural color and beauty anywhere in the world. The nearly fifty acres of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers that make up The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch® in Carlsbad, California, are in bloom for approximately six to eight weeks each year – from early March through early May – literally bringing the famous fields back to life. This annual burst of color, which has become part of the area’s local heritage, also is one of nature’s official ways of announcing the arrival of spring here in southern California.
- Hours: Open to the public seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Prices: Adults: $14.00 Seniors 60+: $13.00 Children 3-10 yrs.: $7.00 Children 2 yrs. & under: Free
- Season Passes: Adults: $30.00 Seniors 60+: $25.00 Children 3-10 yrs.: $16.00
- Wagon Rides: Adults: $5.00 Children 3-10 yrs.: $3.00
The Flower Fields are an alcohol and tobacco free environment. Smoking and alcoholic beverages are not permitted onsite. No Bicycles, hoverboards or drones are permitted.
Robin Bright/Tom Driscoll: A Dual Retrospective
March 1 – July 24
Location: Oceanside, Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way
In an array of eclectic materials and techniques, this dual retrospective presents an exploration through the artistic careers of Robin Bright and Tom Driscoll, two widely acclaimed and collected San Diego artists. Both artists have spent the last five decades creating artwork that can be described as minimal, sculptural, constructionist, and paradoxical.
Bright’s sensitivity to materials in his carefully constructed drawings and sculptural forms of foam, resin, metal, wood, and paint lead to a collection of delicate but structured, almost architectural artifacts. The rigid forms are often enhanced with rich, painterly patinas, evoking an almost natural appearance of decay and deterioration. Although distinctly contemporary, the items become relics, echoing the aged textures of handicrafts long discarded and lost.
Driscoll forms a different type of contradictory aesthetic. While his creations are equally dependent on exacting craftsmanship, they deliberately take on the form of discarded materials, having been carved, casted, and carefully molded based on items such as fuel tanks, anchor chains, underwater listening devices, packing cases, and other remnants of instruments that are often found unwanted in odd corners. Discoveries of such items early in his career during his night-job at a lab of the Scripps Institute of Oceanography in Point Loma sparked his interest, and he began considering the technical aspects of how these forms came to be. His sculptures allude to the process of scientific discovery and remind us that detritus and refuse are often worth reevaluation.
These artists bring together a body of work distinctly modern, but touched by time, nostalgia, and curiosity. Playful and idiosyncratic, the juxtaposition of these artists is a visual puzzle.
First Wednesdays: Highland Way
March 2
Location: Escondido, California Center for the Arts, 340 N. Escondido Blvd
Highlighting Celtic music from Scotland and Ireland, along with originals and the occasional popular cover, Highland Way creates the ultimate show. A native Scot with his Glasgow accent, Brian Caldwell is well known for his ability to charm any crowd. Joining Brian are Paul Graham Castellanos—on fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and banjo—Sharon Whyte on accordion and keyboards, Bob Sale on percussion and drums, Glen Fisher on bass, and master of guitars Jim Soldi.
Tickets to the show are FREE! However, they are handed out on a first-come, first-seated basis. Doors open one hour prior to show time, and shows fill up fast, so early arrival is strongly recommended.
If you’d like to beat the line, reserved seats are also available for $12 ($10 for Center Members) and can be purchased online. Reserved seats must be purchased a minimum of 24 hours in advance.
31st Annual Spring Home/Garden Show
March 4 – 6
Location: Del Mar, Del Mar Fairgrounds
Now in its 31th year, the Spring Home/Garden Show returns to Del Mar Fairgrounds for a three-day extravaganza of inspiring real "Garden Masters" landscapes (created exclusively for the Show), hands-on demonstrations, hundreds of home-improvement products and services exhibitors, educational seminars, plant sales, and face-to-face consultations with top experts—all with the convenience of one-stop shopping for everything pertaining to home and garden, inside and outside.
The Show focuses on San Diego-area experts, services, products, and businesses. Visitors find everything they need to save time and money improving, refreshing, or remodeling their home and outdoor surroundings—from the latest in appliances to garden lighting, from fencing to security systems, from baths to sunrooms.
In addition to a huge main hall where hundreds of exhibitors showcase the newest products and hottest trends, all at special low show prices, the show offers several unique home and garden features (included in admission) that provide extraordinary added value.
California Friendly Landscape Training
March 5
Location: Encinitas, Encinitas Community Center, 1140 Oakcrest Park Dr
Learn 6 Ways to Make Your Garden California Friendly
- Using a Holistic Approach to Gardening
- Building a Living Soil Sponge
- Rethinking Elements of Your Site
- Right Plant, Right Place
- Using Rainwater as a Resource
- Managing Irrigation
This three-hour workshop is fast-paced, informative and introduces attendees to a holistic approach to landscape design and maintenance that emphasizes water-use efficiency. This class is geared for residential customers and provided at no cost.
Solutions to common landscape problems are offered while participants learn to think about landscapes from the soil up. In addition, they will learn how to design landscapes that are sustainable in the San Diego climate. Workshop topics include how to make the best use of the region’s limited rainfall, irrigate efficiently and choose the best plants for your yard.
Finish Chelsea’s Run 5K
March 5
Location: San Diego, Balboa Park – West side near 6th and Olive
Please join us for the 6th Annual Finish Chelsea’s Run in honor of Chelsea King. The event will take place in Balboa Park where Chelsea loved to visit and where she practiced with the San Diego Youth Symphony. The event will feature a competitive 5K race and fun run/walk, family festival, children’s activities, team competition, entertainment and refreshments. This annual run/walk is now the primary fundraiser for the Chelsea’s Light Foundation Sunflower Scholarship Fund, providing scholarships for San Diego County college-bound teens who have embraced characteristics that embodied Chelsea’s academic prowess and service-over-self ethic.
We have joined forces with Girl Scouts San Diego, an organization that shares our values and has a long history of creating youth leaders. This partnership strengthens our common vision of recognizing and supporting young people who will make the world a better place. By combining forces, we anticipate growing the run/walk, leading to an even greater ability to protect children and provide scholarships for youth.
2016 Busker Festival
March 5 – 6
Location: San Diego, Seaport Village
A Busker is a street performer. Known for their unusual and comedic acts in Boston’s Faneuil Hall or standing statue-like, painted in gold on San Francisco’s Pier 39, these artists perform for tips in public venues across the globe.
San Diego’s Seaport Village hosts the only Busker Festival in Southern California. We bring professionals from across the country to perform their bizarre talents from sword swallowing to knife throwing to pogo stick tricks and juggling on unicycles. Throughout the two-day festival, some of the nation’s top performers fill the bay front village drawing visitors to shop, dine and enjoy an entire day of one-of-a-kind entertainment.
Free entry. Tips will be accepted by performers.
CRSSD Festival
March 5 – 6
Location: San Diego, Waterfront Park, 1600 Pacific Highway
The third two-day, outdoor CRSSD music fest will be held at Waterfront Park in San Diego on March 5 and 6. This 21+ event features over 40 artists on three stages, full craft beer, a mixology program, as well as assorted dining options from San Diego’s finest local restaurants.
2016 Adobe Home Tour
March 6
11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: Escondido, Escondido History Center, 321 N Broadway
On Sunday, March 6 from 11 am to 4 pm, you will be able to visit five stunning private homes built between 1950 and 1975. They feature some of the most interesting and innovative adobe architecture of the time.
Larry Weir was a mid-century designer, builder and artist, whose whimsical adobe homes dot North San Diego County. The fifth annual Adobe Home Tour highlights his impact on the midcentury adobe home design by featuring five quintessential Weir Brothers adobe homes built between 1950 and 1975 in north Poway and south Escondido.
Larry and Jack Weir – Weir Brothers Construction – were the most prominent adobe home builders in Southern California, with more than 200 homes to their credit. Their first adobe house was built in 1948, in Encinitas; the last Weir Bros. adobe home was built in 1987 for former Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts in Rancho Santa Fe. Larry’s design/builds were known to be the more whimsical and artistic, with rounded walls, wagon-wheel elements and interesting uses of iron, terrazzo and tile.
The 2016 Adobe Home Tour includes three Weir Brothers adobes in Poway, and two in Escondido. Visitors will not only see excellent examples of Larry Weir’s signature design elements, but also outdoor design idea areas, including courtyards, succulent landscapes and edible gardens.
The self-guided home tour runs from 11 to 4.
The Adobe Home Tour benefits the Escondido History Center. Tickets are also available for sale at the History Center.
Advance purchase, $25. Group sales of 5 or more, $20.
St. Paddy’s Palomar Punishment
March 12
7:00 AM
Location: Escondido, Stone Farms, 9928 Protea Gardens Dr
Come and join CCSD on St Patrick’s day. Conquer Mount Palomar then join our Finish Line Irish Party at Stone Farms, with delicious food, Stone Beers, our fantastic Irish Band, Highland Way, a massage tent and a relaxing setting under the trees at the farm. There are four route options from 37 miles to 97 miles.
Event Features:
- Legendary SAG stations. Jo’s Irish soda bread, home-made foods, and delicious baked cakes and cookies are a hit every year!
- Palomar KOM and QOM challenges. Test your climbing legs on the mighty Mount Palomar with our hill climb contest. Trophies for fastest male and female.
- Palomar Observatory. Worth the extra climbing to visit the real summit of Palomar. An extra 9 miles of beautiful road.
- Cole Grade Road. Save some energy for this. Cole Grade Road is a real test of stamina after Mount Palomar.
- Woods Valley Road. A lightly traveled and beautiful road past farms and nut orchards.
- Unique Finisher Awards. All riders get one of our unique awards.
- Finish Line Party. Stone Farms Bar, live Irish band, buffet (free for all riders) featuring healthy and hearty salads, soda bread, pasta and grains.
- Stone Farms Pizza. Wood fired pizza at the finish (extra $)
- Stone Farms. New start finish location for 2016!
San Diego St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival
March 12
9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Location: San Diego, 6th Avenue and Laurel Street
Come experience the largest St. Patrick’s Day Parade west of the Mississippi! Join us for the 36th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival that reaches almost 40,000 people who line the streets of 5th Avenue to watch the parade and return to 6th Avenue for festival fun, which includes fun for the whole family! There is live entertainment, a Kids Zone, a Celtic Village, more than 120 vendor booth featuring traditional Irish cuisine and merchandise, and a beer garden featuring Guinness (of course!).
Parade and Festival Schedule
- 9:00 am – Festival and Beer Gardens open
- 9:45 am – Flag presentation ceremony, Sixth and Laurel
- 10:30 am -Parade starts up Fifth from Laurel to Upas, then back down Sixth Avenue to Laurel
Hellfire Fat Tire
March 19
Location: Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
Don’t miss a challenging mountain bike race featuring varied terrain, elevation and panoramic views aboard our Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton open to Marines and civilians ages 6 and Up. There are 15 or 25 mile options, 600 feet of elevation and varied terrain, as well as 1 mile kids’ ride.
T-shirt and bib pickup opens at 6:00 AM. Race begins at 8:00 AM.
Spring Planting Jubilee & Tomato Sale 2016
March 19 – 20
Location: Encinitas, San Diego Botanic Garden, 230 Quail Gardens Dr
It’s March planting madness at our Spring Planting Jubilee & Tomato Sale! This event is a plant lover’s dream with a wide variety of herbs, spring plants, bromeliads, garden art and implements available as well as all new locally-sourced and grown Summer Garden vegetable extravaganza, offered by Coastal Roots Farm. The sale will feature a wide variety of tomatoes, vegetables, seeds, cut flowers and annuals. Garden experts will be on hand to answer questions and provide helpful advice on spring plantings and caring for your entire garden.
Don’t miss our KidZone at the Jubilee with special educational displays, crafts and activities as well as a petting zoo and pony rides.
Yummy food will be available from the Jitter Bean and musical entertainment will be provided by Bob Ballentine and friends. Educational workshops will be offered throughout both days. Cost is free with paid admission or membership.
Kia Classic
March 21 – 27
Location: Carlsbad, 7447 Batiquitos Dr
The seventh annual Kia Classic LPGA tournament returns to its home at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort, Golf Club & Spa in Carlsbad, California from March 21-27, 2016.
The Kia Classic features a 144-player field competing for a purse of $1.7 million. Tournament week will feature a qualifier, practice rounds on Monday and Tuesday, a Wednesday Pro-Am and four competitive rounds of play from Thursday through Sunday.
Egg Hunt & Pancake Breakfast
March 26
7:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Location: Vista, Vista Optimist Club, 600 Optimist Way
Egg Hunt and All You Can Eat Pancake and Sausage Breakfast
- 7-11 a.m. – Breakfast, games and pictures with the Easter Bunny
- 9 a.m. – Bonnet contest with prizes
- 10 a.m. – EGG HUNT
Tickets are $5 at the door and include Breakfast and Hunt. All participants must have a ticket. Hunt is for children 11 and under. Don’t forget your camera and basket. Over 15,000 eggs will be distributed on the baseball fields.
Annual City of Oceanside Easter Egg Hunt
March 26
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Oceanside, Buddy Todd Park, Mesa Dr & Parnassus Cir
This is the city’s annual Easter egg hunt for children ages 4 – 11 years. There will be prizes, magic show, vendors, and bounce houses. Sponsored by the City of Oceanside Neighborhood Services Dept., Parks and Recreation.
Affordable Licensing, Vaccination, Microchip Event
March 26
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Vista, Brengle Terrace Park, 1200 Vale Terrace Dr
San Diego Humane Society will be on site providing affordable vaccinations and microchips.
If you are a resident of Oceanside or Vista, you can stop by to renew or purchase a new license. Late fees will be waived unless previously issued an Administrative Citation.
Circus Vargas Presents iLUMINOUS In Vista
March 30 – April 4
Location: Vista, 460 Hacienda Dr
See the world premiere of Circus Vargas’ iLUMINOUS, an all new, high-energy extravaganza that illuminates the wonders of modern life and the imagination of every child at heart. Be wowed by death-defying stunts, flying aerialists, exhilarating acrobats, and uproarious clowns under a music filled, blue and yellow Big Top.
Kids can learn circus skills at the free, interactive pre-show 30 minutes before each performance. After the show, meet and take pictures with our performers.
Come be a part of our family. America’s favorite traveling big top circus is a family-run operation featuring several generations of artists and crew. Prices range from $15-$70.