Kicking Off Spring the Bay Area Way!
March can be a tricky time of year to do much traveling. Stuck at the end of winter, barely getting a taste of Spring, March can seem like an easy month to just sleep through. Unless, that is, you plan on traveling to San Francisco. San Francisco has a strict "No Month Left Behind" policy, and March is such a clear example of this fact. From the festivals to the parades, to the sporting events, March is when the Bay Area begins kicking back into high gear. We’ve compiled some of the more tantalizing events below for you to peruse, but don’t be misled into thinking that these are the only things happening around this time of year. They’re just the tip of the iceberg.
To start with, we have the Jewish Music Festival which begins on the 5th with The Klezmatics performing at the New Parish (579 18th St., Oakland). You don’t need any Jewish heritage to enjoy this event, just a sense of fun, exploration, and adventure. Indulge in the unique sound of Klezmer music being blended with all different styles, traditional Jewish dances, and CD release parties from some of the most important up-and-coming Jewish acts.
Thousands of people have been enjoying the Chinese New Year celebrations that have been occurring around the city during February, but if you have missed everything else you still have a chance to participate in the most exciting event of all: the Chinese New Year’s Treasure Hunt. Organized by the aptly named San Francisco Treasure Hunts, the Chinese New Year Treasure Hunt will be a day-long event where teams compete to solve clues that take them around the city. This is the perfect activity for people who want a chance to deeply explore the Bay Area, and San Francisco’s lesser-known haunts while simultaneously being wrapped within a compelling adventure. The hunt begins at 2:30pm, on March 7th, when participants will meet at the Justin Herman Plaza, right at the base of Market Street.
If you are in San Francisco over St. Patrick’s Day, you will not want to miss the annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade that occurs on March 14th, starting at the corner of Second St. and Market St. Attendees will be surrounded by Irish music, Irish food, hundreds of floats celebrating Irish culture, Irish dancing groups, and thousands upon thousands of people celebrating the rich and diverse heritage of this culture as they make their way through the city to the Civic Center Plaza. Every year, the parade adheres to a specific theme, and this year’s is all about how technology links San Francisco to Ireland.