Spring is calling and winter’s end is here. Spring officially begins Tuesday, March 20 and this month’s events reflect the anticipation of nicer, warmer weather and sunnier days. Our cities to the south will be having some of the best weather of the year during spring, while their more northern counterparts will just be emerging from the throes of the cold.
Wherever you are, this month’s events are filled with outdoor fun, food festivals, and celebrations of all things coming in bloom. Find the best events in March for every major metro area where AMLI has apartment communities below.
Atlanta
March 3: Pub Crawl on the BeltLine
A selection of bars along the BeltLine’s Eastside Trail are offering food and drink specials, including Apres Diem, City Winery Atlanta, and Pure Taqueria Inman Park for those participating. Tickets give guests five complementary beverages.
March 10: Atlanta Brunch Festival
A delightful cadre of Atlanta’s most-famed brunch restaurants come together to serve up bite-sized renditions of their signature dishes. Standard 5 advance admission includes one food ticket and one drink ticket. Additional food tickets are available for purchase at . Drinks cost between -.
March 17: Rescue Dog Olympics
Brook Run Park in nearby Dunwoody is flooded with pups for St. Patrick’s Day. All dogs and their human handlers are welcome and the event is absolutely free. Dogs will compete in “Olympic” games, participate in a fashion show and a costume contest, and an art project. Various pet rescues and vendors will be on-hand offering their services.
March 31: BaconFest
Bottomless Bacon? Yes, it’s a thing you can have along with unlimited beer from 1-6pm at Dad’s Garage Theatre Company over in the Old Fourth Ward. If past years are any indication, there will also be a host of games and other activities like corn hole, joystick Jenga, fortune telling, and naughty face-painting—if you’re not completely stuffed that is.
Austin
March 4: Kite Festival
The ABC Zilker Park Kite Festival is one of the oldest in the nation. It is also free and open to anyone and everyone, regardless of age or ability. The website includes tutorials on how to make your own kite, as well as links to several local resources for upping your flying game before the fest. The festival runs from 10am to 5pm and the rain date is a week later, on March 11.
March 9-18: SXSW
Surely you’ll find it difficult to avoid attending one SXSW event or another if you live in the city. The Austin Convention Center is packed with exhibitors and venues around Austin are inundated with artists, designers, techies, and attendees from around the world.
March 10-24: Rodeo Austin
Catch one of many, many rodeo events over the course of two weeks, including bareback riding, steer wrestling, roping, and ever-popular bull riding. Austin’s largest carnival is also underway during this time and features rides, games, pig races, a Wild West show, and all the food you can fit in your belly.
March 17: St. Patrick’s Day Austin
Head out to Pioneer Farms for a day of all things Irish, including music, food dancing, crafts and kids activities, and other traditional fare. Don’t expect green beer and leprechauns though, this festival prides itself on authenticity.
Chicago
March 3: CHIditarod
One of the strangest races in Chicago begins at 12:30pm and wends its way through Wicker Park and the Ukrainian Village. CHIditarod is an “urban shopping cart race” featuring teams in costume alternately riding and pulling decorated shopping carts along a course. Race entry is no longer possible, but spectators will be all along the race route. Spectators are expected to arrive by noon to claim their place. Donations to charity are accepted.
March 4: Polar Plunge
Take a dip in Lake Michigan while its still cold to raise money for charity. Over 00,000 has already been raised and the event has been going on for the last 18 years. All participants who show up to North Avenue Beach for the event receive a T-shirt, free photo downloads, parking, and food at the “melt down” party. The event starts at 10am and the melt down party is 11am-2pm.
March 14-18: Chicago Flower and Garden Show
The first rendition of this flower show happened way back in 1847. This year’s uniting theme is “Flowertales: Every Garden has a Story to Tell,” and features over 20 gardens guests can walk through and appreciate at Navy Pier. Other attractions happening over the course of the five-day show include daily seminars, workshops, and a marketplace.
March 17: Dyeing of the Chicago River
One of Chicago’s most iconic events of the year serves as the preamble to the annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, which is one of the largest in the nation. Starting at 9am, boats will wind through the downtown stretch of the Chicago River dumping neon green dye into the water. The event is best viewed along the east side of Michigan Ave, the west end of Columbus Drive, and on Upper and Lower Wacker Ave between Michigan Ave and Columbus Drive. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade begins at noon.
Dallas
Feb. 24 to April 8: Dallas Blooms: A World of Flowers
Celebrate the beginning of spring with this outdoor flower fest showcasing plants and flowers from around the globe. Dallas Blooms claims to be one of the largest festivals of its kind in the southwest, with over 100 varieties of flowers and more than 500,000 individual specimens in total. Each week is themed with a different part of the world and different activities are scheduled.
March 4: Grand Holi and Anand Bazaar
Head over to the DFW Hindu Temple Society in Irving for the Indian festival of colors and celebrate a centuries-old tradition. Over 30 food booths will serve up food hailing from all around the Indian subcontinent, DJs will provide live music, and guests will have the chance to decorate themselves with environmentally- and skin-friendly colors.
March 24: Between the Buns
The Dallas Farmers Market hosts this burger bash put on by the Dallas Observer. The event marks the city’s first slider festival, and over 30 area restaurants are participating. Tickets give eaters unlimited slider samples, so arrive on an empty stomach!
March 30 & 31: Big Texas Beer Fest
For the seventh consecutive year, Dallas beer lovers have the chance to try all sorts of rare brews, firkins, and single-batch beers from local and national breweries. Last year’s festivities saw more than 500 different beers from over 120 breweries available for attendees. Tickets usually sell out prior to the event, so grab yours ASAP. Attendees can choose from two sessions, 7-11pm on Friday and 2-6:30pm on Saturday.
Denver
March 9-11: World Wide Antique and Vintage Show
This antiques show returns to the Denver Mart, and will feature between 80-100 vendors who travel the globe selling their wares. Parking is free and admission is just .
March 11: Denver 5K and Pool Plunge
Raise money for Colorado’s special Olympics athletes and run or take an icy plunge for a good cause. The 5K run starts and finishes at the Elitch Gardens and courses through the Metropolitan State University Auraria Campus. Those taking the plunge must raise at least 5 to jump in the water and runners must pay a registration fee of 5.
March 24 & 25: Denver Travel and Adventure Show
Find your next vacation destination at this travel convention which sets up attendees with experts in the field. Guests can participate in interactive seminars, discover exclusive deals, and have the opportunity to meet travel gurus Rick Steves and Peter Greenberg.
Houston
March 10: Buffalo Bayou Regatta
The 46th annual installment of Texas’ largest kayak and canoe race happens rain or shine. Participants can compete or paddle at their leisure in the 15-mile race sanctioned by the American Canoe Association. Ages 12 and up can participate. The race is from 7am-2pm.
March 15: 19th Street Third Thursdays
Every third Thursday of the month, a historic collection of shops along 19th Street in the Houston Heights throws a sip and shop event. The shops are decidedly eclectic, with clothing boutiques, vintage and second-hand stores, jewelry and toy stores, art galleries, and a live music venue.
March 23-25: Bayou City Art Festival
Shop from the work available at the Art Colony Association’s annual art festival while enjoying live music and eats from local food trucks. Tickets are for children under 5, 2 online prior to the event, and 5 at the gates.
March 24 & 25: In Bloom Music Festival
Eleanor Tinsley Park fills up with concert goers in their most fashionable festival garb for Houston’s newest music fest, In Bloom. Among the headliners are new and old heavyweights of the airwaves such as Beck, Incubus, Queens of the Stone Age, Martin Garrix, Lil Uzi Vert, and Broken Social Scene.
Seattle
March 4 & 11: Nature Tour by Kayak
Choose a date! Unwind on either Sunday while paddling a kayak in and around Lake Sammamish State Park. Issaquah Paddle Sports/Kayak Academy guides will take attendees along Issaquah Creek to view nesting great blue herons, a host of other native waterfowl and raptors, and possible even a bald eagle or two. Attendance costs just 0 and single, double, and triple kayaks are available to rent.
March 17 & 18: Spring Book Sale
Need a book? Great. This spring book sale by the Friends of the Seattle Public Library literally has thousands of titles to choose from, all for the small price of or . Other items for sale are DVDs, CDs, records, and audiobooks. Hours are 9am-5pm on Saturday and 11am-4pm on Sunday and the sale is held in the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall.
March 17 & 18: Bacon, Eggs, and Kegs
A wide variety of Seattle restaurants bring their signature dishes to Century Link Field for this all-things brunch celebration. Choose from ramen, bacon hush puppies, brisket and bacon tacos, shrimp and grits, and more. Participating eateries include No Bones Beach Club, Wood Shop BBQ, Bally Hoo Hot Sauce Co., Anchor End Pretzel Shoppe and several others.
March 23: Arcade Lights
At Arcade Lights, guests sip and sample an incredible array of artisan food and drink in one of Seattle’s most iconic party venues, Pike Place Market. At 7pm, over 70 local vendors gather together to serve handmade savories, sweets, beer, wine, cider, and more. Proceeds benefit the Pike Place Market Foundation.
Southern California
March 3 & 4, 10 & 11: Dana Point Festival of Whales
This 47th annual festival promotes awareness of whales and offers opportunities for whale watching at Dana Point. The fest kicks off with a parade and includes activities and events like sand sculpting, live music, art shows, and a pancake breakfast, as well as opportunities to kayak, paddle board, and sail.
March 4: Dachshund Races
The wiener dog races are back! See how fast their little legs can take them across the finish line. Tickets are just and the patio at Old World Village, where the event is held, is 100-percent dog-friendly.
March 19: Huntington Beach Cherry Blossom Festival
Hail the spring arrival of the cherry blossoms at Huntington Beach Central Park. The fest celebrates the bond between Huntington Beach and its sister city Anjo, Japan, and features Japanese music, food, dancing, cultural exhibits, and kids activities.
South Florida
March 3: Walk for the Animals
The Humane Society of Broward County has been walking for animals for 28 years now and is their longest-running fundraiser. The event is a 1.25-mile walk through downtown Fort Lauderdale coupled with activities and live entertainment. Things begin at 8am and the walk begins at 10am.
March 3 & 4: Cork and Fork
South Florida celebrity chefs host one of four cooking class sessions that teach guests a variety of skills and techniques. Celebrity chefs include Cindy Hutson of Ortanique, Cesar Zapata of Phuc Yea, Eileen Andrade of Finka Table & Tap, and Ingrid Hoffmann of Simply Delicioso. Guests can also enjoy samples from over 40 different Miami-area restaurants.
March 10: Fort Lauderdale St. Patrick’s Parade and Festival
Fort Lauderdale’s St. Patrick’s Day parade starts at noon, but that’s not all that’s planned. Before the parade is a 4-mile Shamrock Run that starts at 7am, followed by a holiday festival that begins at 11am and goes until 7pm.
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View All Posts by Nick Kotecki