13 minute read
Local Events
2020 LOCAL CALENDAR OF EVENTS March & April
Throughout April Santa Barbara Earth Day Village Fest Festival
Every Thursday evening, downtown Palm Springs hosts an arts and crafts festival with live entertainment and a farmer’s market.
villagefest.org
Celebrate our Earth with a variety of events kicking off at 5 p.m. on Friday. There will be a Green Car Show, food trucks, a beer and wine garden, a Kids’ Corner and more.
sbearthday.org
VERDE VALLEY (AZ)
March 14 Sedona St. Patrick’s Parade
The parade begins at 10:30 am and there is also a cultural festival.
visitsedona.com
April 23-26 Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival
Participate in guided walks and workshops led by experienced guides. There will also be children and family events, keynote speakers, and vendors and exhibitors..
verderiver.org
PALM SPRINGS (CA)
April 3-5 Indian Wells Art Festival
Featuring the works of more than 200 juried artists from around the world, the festival is held at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden and will also include live entertainment, an outdoor marketplace, handson demonstrations, and interactive activities for both kids and adults.
indianwellsartsfestival.com
PIO PICO (CA)
March 14 San Diego St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival
Traditional Irish festival with food, music, dancing and, of course, a parade featuring over 120 entrants that kicks off at 10:30 a.m. (Fifth Avenue at Laurel Street). The Festival will be held in Balboa Park from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m
stpatsparade.org
April 4-6 San Diego Crew Classic
Thousands of athletes compete in the first major regatta of the year in this competitive rowing event. There will also be a beer garden featuring craft brews and local food vendors.
regattacentral.com
RANCHO OSO (CA)
March 13 Santa Barbara Orchid Show
Beautiful orchids will be on display along with photography and other floral arrangements. There will also be plant sales. The 75th annual event will be held at the Earl Warren Showgrounds.
sborchidshow.com April 17-19
ORLANDO (FL)
Through March 8 Florida Strawberry Festival
In addition to all things strawberry, this event features concerts, rides, livestock shows, and strawberry shortcake – all to celebrate the strawberry harvest festival.
flstrawberryfestival.com
Through March 15 Real Music Real Masters – Busch Gardens Tampa
This is one of Tampa’s longest running music festivals and features music from the 1950s to present day. Bringing the music to you through unique acts and tribute artists, this event is a delight for all ages.
Through April 2 Mardi Gras at Universal Studios
Enjoy nightly parades, Cajun food, live music and all kinds of Mardi Gras fun at this 25th annual party at Universal Studios Orlando. This year’s float theme is Treasures of the Deep.
universalorlando.com
LOCAL CALENDAR OF EVENTS
SEASIDE (OR)
March 12-15 Savor Cannon Beach Wine & Food Festival
Wonderful four-day event featuring wine tasting, winemakers, wine walks, and the Battle of the Bites food competition.
sbiff.org
April 24-26 Astoria Warrenton Crab, Seafood & Wine Festival
38th annual festival featuring coastal cuisine, plus arts & crafts, wine tasting and more. Three days of good eating and lots to see and do at this awardwinning event!
astoriacrabfest.com
MT. VERNON (WA)
April 1-30 Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
Drive the festival and enjoy the fields of blooming tulips. Millions and millions of tulips are bursting with color throughout the month. There are all kinds of events and activities revolving around the festival, so check out the website to learn more about “the Coast’s Best Music and Arts Festival.”
tulipfestival.org
THUNDERBIRD (WA)
March 12-15 Emerald City Comic Con
One of the best when it comes to comic book and pop culture conventions. Event is held at the Washington State Convention Center and brings together creators, fans, and plenty of cosplay.
emeraldcitycomiccon.com
March 14-15 Seattle Irish Festival
Irish films, Irish dancing, and more celebrating Irish culture in western Washington. There will also be a parade, food, exhibits, shops and vendors, and contests and activities. Held at the Seattle Center Armory.
seattlecenter.com
BAY LANDING (TX)
March 22 “Celebrate Women”
Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment with a special concert by the New Texas Symphony Orchestra that will feature music written by women composers from the past and present. The event will also include a music video “A Woman’s Right,” which was written and sung by Dolly Parton. Admission to the concert is free. Held at the Moody Performance Hall in Dallas. Performance begins at 3 p.m.
ntso.org
LAKE WHITNEY (TX)
March 12-14 Spring at the Silos
This is the 4th annual Spring at the Silos event, where visitors can not only see the Magnolia Silos, but enjoy a vendor fair, evening concerts, rooftop picnics, food trucks, and all kinds of daytime entertainment. Held at the Magnolia Silos in Waco.
magnolia.com
March 28 Sixth Annual Texas Food Truck Showdown
Held in Heritage Square in downtown Waco, in addition to the food trucks, the event features a Kids Zone, a Pop Up Market with handcrafted art, including jewelry and pottery, live music and entertainment, and celebrity judging of the food truck competitors.
thetexasfoodtruckshowdown.com April 23-25 Crossroads Film & Music Festival
Held at the historic Chautauqua Auditorium in Waxahachie, this four-day event celebrates the best in Texas-made film and music. In addition to the films, which this year include Temple Grandin and Pure Country, there will be panel discussions, Q&A with filmmakers, and the dedication of the Walk of Fame.
crossroadsoftff.com
April 3-5 Deep Elum Arts Festival
The 26th annual event features 200 decorative and visual artists, 100 original bands and singer/ songwriters on four stages, plus food, beer, wine and soda. Admission is free. Event is billed as an “edgy adult event,” however children are welcome.
deepelumartsfestival.com
Key West (FL)
King of the Keys
Key West vs. Key Largo By Cele & Lynn Seldon
Stretching close to 125 miles from tip to tip, the Florida Keys are a wonderland of natural beauty, underwater magic, and colorful characters. And nowhere is that more evident than in the Keys bookends of Key Largo and Key West. Whether lounging on the beach, fishing for the one that won’t get away, sipping fruity concoctions as the sun goes down, or shopping for that perfectly “Keys-ey” souvenir, the Florida Keys make for a perfect getaway.
Key Largo (FL)
Smathers Beach Key West
Harry Harris Park
BEACHES With so much coastline, it’s not surprising that beaches abound.
Key West
Smathers Beach/Higgs Beach
Key West’s largest public beach at a halfmile long, Smathers Beach is typically bustling, especially during Spring Break and the holidays. Located at Mile Marker 0, Smathers is loaded with amenities, including chair and umbrella rentals, natural coconut tree shade, showers and restroom facilities, and food trucks, making it the perfect place to catch some rays (or some zzzzs). For something a bit tamer and family-friendly, head to Higgs Beach, where the landscape is tropical, the vibe is serene, and the parking is free. K e y L a r g o
Harry Harris Park
Harry Harris Park is located at mile marker 92.5 and is the perfect family beach getaway. The beach surrounds an ideal tidal pool for the little ones and just outside the jetty is perfect for swimming and snorkeling for the adults. There is also a boat ramp for the fishermen, grills, picnic tables and pavilions, playgrounds, showers and restrooms, a bike path, and a ballpark. But, be sure to bring your own food and beverages, as there are no concessions.
SNORKELING/DIVING The Florida Keys are home to the continental United States’ only living-coral barrier reef, protected by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and offers some of the world’s best diving.
Key West
Dry Tortugas National Park
For some of the most vibrant diving in the Florida Keys, head to Dry Tortugas National Park (nps.gov/drto/index.htm), 70 miles west of Key West. With only one percent of the park being dry land, it’s the underwater world that enchants with tons of sea life, colorful coral reefs, and dozens of shipwrecks and sunken treasure. With many of the marine attributes being in five to fifteen feet of shallow water, snorkeling is equally magical.
K e y L a r g o
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
The first underwater park in the United States, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (pennekamppark.com) extends 25 miles long and three miles into the Atlantic Ocean and is filled with legendary marine life and coral reef systems. Don’t miss the famed Christ of the Abyss statue in about 25 feet of water (on clear days, snorkelers can often see it from the surface). For more advanced divers, the intentionally sunk artificial reef, Spiegel Grove, is an underwater treasure trove.
Snorkeling in the Keys
Kayaking in the Keys
WATER ACTIVITY With so much water, it isn’t surprising that there’s more to the Florida Keys than just beaches and diving. K e y W e s t
Fishing
Some of the best angling in the world can be found in Key West – from backcountry fly fishing on the famed flats to light tackle fishing for permit, tarpon and bonefish to the mother lode of offshore deep-sea fishing including sailfish, blue marlin, blackfin tuna, and dolphin fish, also known as mahi-mahi. The big one is just waiting on charter boats, party boats, or bring-your-own personal boats.
K e y L a r g o
Kayaking
With so much backcountry and meandering waterways, along with vibrant wildlife including fish, birds, dolphins, crocodiles, and more, Key Largo is the perfect spot for kayaking. Bring your own, rent, or sign up for a kayaking tour – there are plenty of options for beginners and advanced paddlers throughout the island. You can even try your hand at kayak fishing.
SUNSETS With sunsets everywhere you turn in the Keys, it’s hard to pick just one. All you need to do is open your eyes.
K e y W e s t
Mallory Square
For a communal sunset celebration, there is no better choice than Mallory Square (mallorysquare.com). With an enviable location at the northwestern tip of Key West, there’s no shortage of magnificent red, pink, orange, purple, and crimson wisps of clouds to pay homage to the day’s end. There’s also a colorful cast of magicians, jugglers, clowns, psychics, musicians, artists, and food vendors that make it a daily party. For something a bit more subdued, but equally stunning, head to the Afterdeck at Louie’s Backyard.
Mallory Square at sunset
K e y L a r g o
Ask ten locals and you’ll get ten answers. For your money, head to Rowell’s Waterfront Park (monroecounty-fl.gov). Facing northwest, the park is free, dogfriendly, and has picnic tables, benches, and unobstructed views of the sunset along the sound. If you like food or beverages with your sunset, there are plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from, including nearby Sundowner’s or Snook’s Bayside Restaurant.
Latitudes Restaurant
WATERFRONT DINING With the ocean on the south side and the bay on the north side, waterfront dining is almost an oxymoron.
K e y W e s t
Latitudes Restaurant on Sunset Key
Just 500 yards off Key West, award-winning Latitudes Restaurant (sunsetkeycottages.com) on the 27-acre island of Sunset Key takes waterfront dining to new heights. Accessible only by boat, with ferry service available from Margaritaville Key West, the Lunch by the Beach menu and Dine in Paradise dinner menu are filled with locally sourced seafood, daily fresh catches, tropical fruits, and luxurious island cuisine in either the Ernest Hemingway room or al fresco overlooking the Gulf of Mexico surrounded by tiki torches and twinkling stars.
Key Largo
Snappers Key Largo
Even though it’s all about the waterfront view at Snappers (snapperskeylargo.com), it’s also about their seafood, including lots to graze on, raw bar specialties, seafood signature entrees, and loads of fresh catch options prepared a half-dozen ways. Don’t miss their three unique waterfront bars, including the Turtle Club, the Tiki Bar, and Reef Bar offering up happy hours, live music, and special events.
WATERING HOLES Some might say that the Florida Keys invented the concept of the watering hole. Or, at least they have perfected it.
K e y W e s t
Green Parrot Bar
On the same site since 1890, the Green Parrot Bar (greenparrot.com) is a Key West institution. An iconic rough-andtumble honky-tonk that has withstood the test of time (and Key West progress), it is still what you might expect with colorful characters, live music (or a jammin’ jukebox when the stage is dark), the clackity-clack of pool balls, and the coolest beverages in town. For something a bit more upscale, check out the Sunset Pier at Ocean Key.
K e y L a r g o
Caribbean Club
The oldest bar in the Upper Keys and where parts of the Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall film, Key Largo, was filmed, the Caribbean Club (caribbeanclubkl.com) oozes old Key Largo charm. With an extensive outdoor area – complete with sand beach, palm trees, and boat docks – the bar is steps away from the water, including spectacular waterfront views and sunsets. Stop in for live music, happy hour, or just to enjoy the Key Largo vibe.
Green Parrot Bar
Caribbean Club, Photo Courtesy of Katie Schweiss
SHOPPING What’s a trip to the Florida Keys without finding that perfect souvenir?
K e y W e s t
Key West Island Books, Bésame Mucho and Kino Sandals
Channel your inner Hemingway at Key West Island Books (keywestislandbooks.com). New and used, the shop hosts fiction and nonfiction in its funky, beachy vibe, as well as tons of local writers to get you in the mood. For truly unique finds from bath and body to books and baubles and candles to clothing, Bésame Mucho (besamemuhco.net) has your gift-giving covered. And don’t leave the Keys without a pair of 17 different styles of highquality and über-comfortable locally made Kino Sandals (kinosandals.com).
Besame Mucho
K e y L a r g o
Shell World and Key Lime Products
No trip to Key Largo is complete without a stop at the behemoth Shell World (shellworldflkeys.com). Carrying all things shells (literally tens of thousands to pick from), nautical gifts, key chains, Christmas ornaments, tropical décor, clothes, accessories and more, Shell World runs the gamut from tacky tourist to high quality merchandise and is the epitome of one-stop shopping. For all things Key lime, head to Key Lime Products (keylimeproducts.com.) ¾
