With Top 10 Festivals and Events, Temecula Valley celebrates Springfest daily March 1 to May 31. Wrap midweek get-aways around vibrant fun; enjoy more personalized attention, and better-than-weekend nightly room rates.

TEMECULA VALLEY Southern California Wine Country, Celebrate Springfest's vibrant fun and excitement daily, March 1 through May 31, and wrap midweek get-aways around the season's Top 10 festivals and events, and wildflowers blooming at the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve. From World of Wine Barrel Tasting, Old Town Farmers Markets, Chocolate Decadence and Pechanga Wine Festival, Taste of Temecula Valley, and Temecula Wine & Music Festival; to the Old Town Temecula Rod Run, Bluegrass Festival, Reality Rally, Western Days, and Temecula Lavender field-in-bloom. This is an especially inspiring time of year to stay and experience the sunny, relaxed spirit of this casual, picturesque valley, encourages Kimberly Adams, Temecula Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau president and CEO.

Visitors appreciate the natural gifts of climate and geography like Pu'eska Mountain, the Rainbow Gap, and Santa Margarita Gap; and a trio of intriguing attractions: Downtown Old Town Temecula, Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country, and Pechanga Resort & Casino, Adams continues. Temecula hotels-and-resorts are conveniently nearby and offer attractive Sunday-through-Thursday, midweek, better-than-weekend, nightly room rates. Less-busy weekdays make for potential conversations with talented winemakers, and gracious winemaking-family members; and local merchants' and artisans' more personalized attention throughout the valley.

1-World of Wine (WOW) Barrel Tasting (March 2-3)
For the first time, Winemaker Dinners (Saturday, Baily; Sunday, Thornton), Sunday Vineyard Walks (Cougar, Leoness) and Weekend Brunch opportunities (Ponte) are companion to the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association's (Saturday-Sunday) World of Wine (WOW) Barrel Tasting in Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country (TVSCWC). WOW passport-holders enjoy a self-guided wine country tour to 30+ wineries for varietal wines from barrel, tank, or bottle; vintages will be paired with culinary samplings for pleasing ‘food and wine pairing' sensory experiences. For carefree ease and relaxation, transportation packages that include WOW passports are available with Executive V.I.P. Shuttle, Sunset Limousine, and West Coast Chauffeur.

2-Old Town Temecula California-Certified Farmers Markets
(March 2-9-16-23-30; April 6-13-20-27; May 4-11-18-25)
Even visitors with a farmers market in their hometown, are impressed and delighted with the great variety of fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables, artisan foods, fresh-baked goods, and fresh-cut flowers, Saturday mornings (8am-12:30pm) at the Old Town Temecula California-Certified Farmers Market (6th Street between Old Town Front and Mercedes). During Springfest, shoppers enjoy the bounty of an exceptionally good crop of avocados (Hass, Fuerte, Pinkerton); sweet navel oranges including Cara Cara; Meyer lemons; kumquats; Asian greens; beets, carrots, and cabbage. The fresh, floral bouquets are especially colorful near Valentine's Day, Easter, and Mother's Day.

3-Old Town Temecula Rod Run (March 8-9)
From Gateway Arch to Gateway Arch, 500+ classic, pre-1970 vehicles attract thousands of automotive enthusiasts and spectators for the Old Town Temecula Rod Run. Friday evening, classic vehicles cruise Old Town Front Street, rev their engines, and honk their horns. Saturday is show and shine and Old Town's two-lane main drag is fully pedestrian-friendly. Freshly detailed and polished, classic beauties are parked for up-close viewing.

4-Chocolate Decadence & Pechanga Wine Festival (March 8-9)
Pechanga Resort & Casino's annual food and wine event of the Springfest season spans Friday evening and Saturday afternoon. Friday's Chocolate Decadence tempts with indulgent chocolates and exceptional pastries paired with fine red, sparkling, and dessert wines. On Saturday, the Pechanga Wine Festival features hundreds of fine vintages and a variety of distinguished cuisine from the resort's renowned restaurants.

5-Old Town Temecula Bluegrass Festival (March 15-16-17)
Recognized as one of the finest such festivals on the West Coast, the Old Town Temecula Bluegrass Festival features a dozen, top bluegrass-bands from around the nation including Bluegrass Etc., the Brewer Boys, Dan Crary and Thunderation, and Silverado Bluegrass. The hip and historic, 12-block Old Town Temecula district and Old Town Temecula Community Theater come to life with jubilant concerts, jam sessions, and renowned fiddling bands.

6-Reality Rally Temecula Valley (April 5-6-7)
A Celebrity Reception (Friday evening at Wilson Creek Winery), Red Carpet Celebration (Saturday evening at South Coast Winery), and Breakfast with the Stars (Sunday morning at Pala Mesa), are companion to Saturday's Amazing Race-style game of unique challenges throughout Downtown Old Town Temecula. Teams (comprised of 3 friends who collaborate with 1 Reality TV contestant) compete in the 4-hour, fun, and exciting event.

7-Taste of Temecula Valley (April 27)
With the California Mission revival-style Civic Center as a backdrop, Old Town Temecula Town Square features some of Temecula Valley's finest foods, wines, and craft beers. Guests stroll among a variety of booths to sample the best from local wineries, restaurants, microbreweries, and specialty vendors. Complementing the festive atmosphere will be live performances from local and nationally known entertainers.

8-Temecula Wine & Music Festival (May 4)
Amidst Vail Lake Resort's ranch-like setting with ancient oaks and natural chaparral, an impressive line-up of pop, jazz, and R&B artists provide a kaleidoscope of musical entertainment. Fresh, country-air and a unique tasting of the award-winning varietals and blends of Temecula Valley's gracious and talented vintners make for an enjoyable and memorable day.

9-Temecula Lavender Field-in-Bloom (Dates TBD; Mid-May to Mid-June)
Old Town's Temecula Lavender Company will welcome visitors to experience their 1-acre lavender field adjoining the family's merlot vineyards in Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country (TVSCWC). On select weekend-dates, guests will stroll and admire lavender-in-bloom, sample lavender cookies and lavender lemonade, and shop the lavender farm-stand for bouquets of fresh lavender, and handcrafted, pure-ingredient, lavender products for bath, body, and home.

10-Old Town Temecula Western Days & Chili Cookoff (May 18-19)
The cast from the Temecula Gunfighters and other Old West costumed characters recollect Old Town Temecula's western glory days (from 1849 into the 1960s) with humorous skits and the high-noon robbery and shoot-out at the 1914 First National Bank of Temecula. Western music, a working blacksmith, calf-roping lessons, pony rides, and stagecoach rides are also part of the Saturday-Sunday celebration. An I.C.S. Chili Cookoff makes Sunday exceptionally savory.

* Information supplied by Temecula Conference & Visitors Bureau is believed accurate but may be subject to change.