March Food Festivals and Events

February | March | April

SAN FRANCISCO: Elevate Chocolate March 5, 2020 at Palace of Fine Arts, finechocolateindustry.org

CLAREMONT: Claremont Pie Festival March 21, 2020, 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. 2nd Street from Oberlin to Harvard Claremont, CA
Free admission claremontpiefestival.com | pies

LOS ANGELES: Latin Food Fest March 27-28, 2020
Latin Food Fest celebrates its seventh annual Hispanic culinary celebration. 50 participating chefs such as Mary Sue Milliken, Susan Feniger, Jaime Martin Del Campo and Ramiro Arvizu. Location: Los Angeles State Historic Park, 1245 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012  Tickets: latinfoodfest.com

OAKDALE: Oakdale Testicle Festival March 30, 2020 at FES Hall, 190 N. Lee Ave. oakdaletesticlefestival.com

CARMEL: GourmetFest March 12-15, 2020
Carmel-by-the-Sea gourmetfestcarmel.com

HEALDSBURG: Charlie Palmer's Pigs & Pinot March 20-21, 2020. Hotel Healdsburg | Healdsburg, California, $, pigsandpinot.com

YOUNTVILLE: Yountville Live March 19-22, 2020. Award-winning rock star chefs plus intimate performances from some of today's hottest recording artists and a unique variety of some of Napa Valley's most celebrated wineries and finest beers and spirits available. yountvillelive.com

ORANGE COUNTY: Orange County Restaurant Week March 8-14, 2020. ocrestaurantweek.com

CALIFORNIA CITY: Desert Rat Regional Chili Cookoff March 28, 2020  chilicookoff.com

MENDOCINO COUNTY: 38th Annual Mendocino Whale Festival March 7, 2020
Little River Whale Festival March 14, 2020
Fort Bragg Whale Festival March 21, 2020
Culinary and wine experiences are the centerpiece of this annual festival featuring whale walks, talks and Pacific Ocean settings.
Tickets are on sale  through Brown Paper Tickets, at the Mendocino Coast Chamber of Commerce at 217 S. Main St., Fort Bragg or by calling 1-707-961-6300. mendocinocoast.com

TEMECULA: Annual Pechanga Wine Festival and Chocolate Decadence March 6-7, 2020.  pechanga.com | chocolate

SAN FRANCISCO - Chocolate Salon March 21, 2020, sfchocolatesalon.com 

TRUCKEE: 200 Foot Banana Split March 14, 2020. Truckee Banana Split  Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Resort 11603 Snowpeak Way Truckee, CA 96161 tahoedonner.com 

BUENA PARK: Knott's Boysenberry Festival March 20-April 19, 2020. Celebrate Knott's historic berry each spring during Knott's Boysenberry Festival, in the heart of the theme park, Ghost Town.   knotts.com Buy tickets

CLAREMONT: Claremont Pie Festival March 21, 2020, on 2nd Street from Oberlin to Harvard Claremont, CA
claremontpiefestival.com a day dedicated to pie-baking and pie-tasting | pie

SACRAMENTO: California Ag Day  March 18, 2020 at the State Capitol in Sacramento 1 Capitol Mall Sacramento, CA cdfa.ca.gov/agday/ Free, public invited

SAN CLEMENTE: Mixologist Competition March 19, 2020, 3-5 p.m. at OC Tavern, San Clemente, CA $35 tickets scchamber.com
Contest among area restaurant bartenders to see who has the best tasting original drink judged by local dignitaries. Event includes hors d'oeuvres and a sampling of the presented libations.  THOUSAND OAKS: St. Joseph Day Italian Dinner and Bake Sale March 22, 2020, 8:15 a.m.- 7 p.m.
St. Paschal Baylon Church, 155 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks.
$20, icfbranch380.org/
805-368-3384
34th Italian-themed event features a large bake sale, viewing and blessing of the traditional St. Joseph's Table, and a pasta dinner with prize drawings and live musical entertainment. Proceeds from the event benefit St. Paschal Baylon Church and other charitable organizations. St. Joseph's Day is a centuries-old Italian tradition honoring St. Joseph which began after rains ended a severe drought in Sicily. Each March, Italians worldwide celebrate this event with a procession, a beautifully decorated table or altar with flowers, fruit, candles, wine, fava beans and baked goods, and a large Italian dinner.
Italian Catholic Federation The ICF (www.icf.org) was founded in San Francisco in 1924 by Italian immigrants keen to preserve their faith and pride in their shared heritage. Today, the ICF has nearly 10,000 members across the United States.

SANTA ROSA: Artisan Cheese Festival March 27-29, 2020 Tickets are now on sale at artisancheesefestival.com

LOS ANGELES: Latin Food Fest & Grand Tasting March 27-28, 2020 at Los Angeles State Historic Park
$, latinfoodfest.com Among the events is the signature Grand Tasting, an all-inclusive tasting festival. 

PALM DESERT: Art of Food & Wine Palm Desert March 27-29, 2020
Four-day celebration showcasing the best in art, food and wine hospitality. palmdesertfoodandwine.com

HUNTINGTON BEACH: Lion's Club Crabfest March 22, 2020. facebook.com/hblions/

Past Events

COSTA MESA: American Culinary Federation Western Region Culinary Competition March 16-18, 2018
Orange Coast College
Costa Mesa, California
acfchefs.org

FREMONT: Alameda Lodge St. Patrick's Day Feast March 17, 2018, 3-8 p.m. Traditional corned beef and cabbage, red potatoes and carrots. Proceeds benefit Jr. High School Library Fund. Location: 37419 Fremont Blvd. $15, alamedalodge.org 

LOS ANGELES: Wine, Cheese & Chocolate March 17, 2018,  winela.com | chocolate

FORT BRAGG:  Fort Bragg Whale Festival March 17-18, 2018 Beer & Wine Tasting - Chowder Tasting - Crafts Fair - 5k/10k Run. mendocinocoast.com

NAPA: Napa Chocolate and Wine Festival March 18, 2018  napachocolateandwine.com | chocolate

SAN FRANCISCO Taste of the Nation March 22, 2018
Pier 35 Embarcadero, San Francisco, CA  $125-250, ce.strength.org

NAPA: James Beard Celebrity Chef Tour March 24, 2018, 6:30 p.m.
Del Dotto Vineyards
7466 St. Helena Highway
Napa, CA 94558
$250, public invited jamesbeard.org
Host Chef Joshua Schwartz
Walter Abrams
Dabba, San Francisco
JBF Award Winner Timothy Hollingsworth
Otium, Los Angeles
Adam Ross
1313 Main, Napa, CA
Janelle Weaver
The Bewildered Pig, Philo, CA
Marc Zimmerman
Alexander's Steakhouse, San Francisco
JBF Award-Winning Pastry Chef Stephen Durfee
Culinary Institute of America at Greystone, St. Helena, CA

HIGHLAND: Highland Citrus Harvest Festival March 24, 2018, 10 a.m.-3:30 p. m.
Historic District, Highland, CA.  ci.highland.ca.us
Historic District (Palm & Pacific) Highland, CA 92346
Street festival celebrating area citrus history. Activities include 200 vendors and crafts, live entertainment, historic demonstrators, historic home tour, antique car show and ugly dog contest, pie eating contest, kids activities and more.

BAKERSFIELD -  Kern County Scottish Gathering and Games Saturday March 24-25, 2018
kernscot.org
Kern County Fairgrounds 1142 South P St. Bakersfield, CA Gathering & Games 9 am to 5 pm Ceilidh begins 6 pm

ANTIOCH: Blue Devils Crab Feed Fundraiser Mar.25 | crab

BAKERSFIELD: Annual Amestoy's Chili Verde Cook Off March 26, 2017, 11 a.m.  Mento Buru performs 2-5 p.m. at one of Bako's best afternoon parties. Admission: $10 unlimited tastes. Location: Amestoy's on the hill 2303 River Blvd, Bakersfield, CA.  Registration, sponsorship: (661) 378-2569 visitkern.com

OAKDALE: Testicle Festival  March 26, 2018
oakdaletesticlefestival.com

SAN DIEGO: All You Can Eat Crab Feed  | crab

GRASS VALLEY: Foothills Celebration March 3, 2018, 1 - 4 p.m.
Downtown Grass Valley
$50, sierravintners.com for wine samples + 5 food tastings
The Grass Valley Downtown Association and Sierra Vintners co-partner to present the finest Northern California wines and local gourmet cuisine. In downtown Grass Valley visit over 20 locations featuring food, wine and good times. Over 30 varietals of wine, local cuisine and shopping therapy as you stroll the streets. 

LODI: Backyard on the Grape March 3, 2018
Lodi Grape Festival Grounds
fireitupevents.com
Backyard BBQ contest
For 10 years longtime CBBQA member Dave Bart held event at a private water ski lake/club, where this event was titled Backyard on the Lake. It has moved to the Lodi Grape Festival Grounds, with a fitting tribute renaming it Backyard on the Grape. CBBQA Members only. Cook any of the standard competition meats - chicken, pork ribs, pork shoulder or butt (for pulled pork) and brisket. | BBQ

MENDOCINO: Mendocino Whale Festival March 3-4, 2018 Wine & Beer Tasting - Chowder Tasting - Wildlife Art Exhibit.  mendocinocoast.com

IMPERIAL BEACH: Taste Imperial Beach   IB Chamber of Commerce ib-chamber.com

Please note that all festivals are subject to change. Always call or confirm before going. We hope you know that but just in case you don't, you must realize that things are subject to change in an imperfect, ever-changing world.

Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.