Calendar of Events

You might want to plan your trip around one of these annual events in the San Diego area. For even more up-to-date planning information, contact the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau (tel. 619/236-1212; www.sandiego.org).

January

San Diego Restaurant Week is an annual event that encourages diners to check out some of San Diego's best eateries. For 6 days, more than 125 restaurants from throughout the county offer special three-course prix-fixe meals. For details, go to www.sandiegorestaurantweek.com. Early January.

The Carlsbad Marathon & Half Marathon takes place along a scenic coastal route in San Diego's North County. For more information, call tel. 760/692-2900 or visit www.sdmarathon.com. Mid-January.

Buick Invitational, Torrey Pines Golf Course, La Jolla. This PGA Tour classic, an annual event since 1952, draws more than 100,000 spectators each year. It features 150 of the finest professional golfers in the world. For information, call tel. 800/888-2842 or 619/281-4653; or see www.buickinvitational.com. Late January.

February

Mardi Gras in the Gaslamp Quarter is the largest Mardi Gras party on the West Coast. The celebration of "Fat Tuesday," February 5, 2008, features a Mardi Gras parade and an outdoor celebration in downtown's historic Gaslamp Quarter. Participating restaurants and bars also offer specials. This is a ticketed event for ages 21 and older. For more information, call tel. 619/233-5227 or visit www.gaslamp.org.

Wildflowers bloom in the desert between late February and the end of March, at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The peak of blooming lasts for a few weeks and timing varies from year to year, depending on the winter rainfall. For details, call tel. 760/767-4684.

March

Kiwanis Ocean Beach Kite Festival. The late-winter skies over the Ocean Beach Recreational Center get a brilliant shot of color. Learn to make and decorate a kite of your own, participate in an all-ages flying contest, take part in all types of food and entertainment, and finish up with the grand finale: a parade down to the beach. For more information, call tel. 619/531-1527. First Saturday in March.

The San Diego Latino Film Festival, Mission Valley and downtown, has grown to become one of the largest and most successful Latino film events in the country. More than 100 movies from throughout Latin America and the United States are shown, complemented by gala parties, seminars, a music series, and art exhibit. Call tel. 619/230-1938 or surf to www.sdlatinofilm.com. Mid-March.

St. Patrick's Day Parade, Hillcrest. A tradition since 1980, the parade starts at Sixth and Juniper and ends at Sixth and Laurel. An Irish Festival follows in Balboa Park. Call tel. 858/268-9111 or check www.stpatsparade.org. March 15, 2008.

Flower fields in bloom at Carlsbad Ranch. One of the most spectacular sights in North County is the yearly blossoming of a gigantic sea of bright ranunculuses during March and April, creating a striped blanket that's visible from the freeway. Visitors are welcome to view and tour the fields, which are off Interstate 5 at the Palomar Airport Road exit. For more information, call tel. 760/431-0352.

April

San Diego Crew Classic, Crown Point Shores, Mission Bay. Since its launch in 1973, this has grown into one of the great rowing events in the country, drawing collegiate teams from throughout the U.S. (admission $7). Call tel. 619/225-0300 or check out www.crewclassic.org. First weekend in April.

Rosarito-Ensenada 50-Mile Fun Bicycle Ride, Mexico. About 10,000 participants cycle from the Rosarito Beach Hotel along the two-lane free road to Ensenada and the Finish Line Fiesta. There's another ride in September. For information, call tel. 858/483-8777 or visit www.rosaritoensenada.com. Mid- to late April.

Adams Avenue Roots Festival, Normal Heights. Blues, folk, Cajun, Celtic, bluegrass, and international music festival held on six stages at 35th and Adams, and free to the public. Food, beer garden, and arts-and-crafts vendors. Check it out by calling tel. 619/282-7329 or stopping by www.normalheights.org. Late April.

Coronado Flower Show weekend, Spreckels Park. Organizers claim this is the largest tented flower show in the Western United States. The weekend-long event, now in its 8th decade, includes a book sale, an art show, and a lineup of classic cars. Go to www.coronadoflowershow.com for more details. Late April.

ArtWalk, Little Italy, along Kettner Boulevard and India Street. This 2-day festival, which began in 1984, is now the largest art event in the San Diego/Tijuana region, showcasing hundreds of visual and performing artists. For more information, call tel. 619/615-1090 or visit www.artwalkinfo.com. Late April.

Day at the Docks, Harbor Drive and Scott Street, Point Loma. This sportfishing tournament and festival features food, entertainment, and free boat rides. Call tel. 619/234-8793 or see www.sportfishing.org. Usually the last Sunday of April.

Del Mar National Horse Show. The first event in the Del Mar racing season takes place from late April into early May at the famous Del Mar Fairgrounds. The field at this show includes Olympic-caliber and national championship horse-and-rider teams; there are also Western fashion boutiques and artist displays and demonstrations. Call tel. 858/792-4288 or visit www.sdfair.com. Late April to early May.

May

Fiesta Cinco de Mayo, Old Town. Uniformed troops march and guns blast to mark the 1862 triumph of Mexican soldiers over the French. The festivities include a battle re-enactment with costumed actors, mariachi music, and margaritas galore. With 200,000 attending the 3-day celebration, parking is in short supply. (Hint: Take the trolley and make dining reservations well in advance.) Admission is free. For further details, call tel. 619/260-1700 or visit www.fiestacincodemayo.com. Weekend closest to May 5.

Carlsbad Spring Village Faire, Grand and State streets. This event is billed as the biggest and best arts and crafts fair in Southern California. The entire downtown area of Carlsbad is closed off to traffic. Call tel. 760/931-8400 for more details. Usually mid-May.

June

Mainly Mozart Festival. Presenting the work of Mozart and his contemporaries, this acclaimed classical-music festival features concerts on both sides of the border. An all-star orchestra draws players from around the world. For information, call tel. 619/239-0100; or go online at www.mainlymozart.org. Performances throughout the month.

The Rock 'n' Roll Marathon not only offers runners a unique course through Balboa Park, downtown, and around Mission Bay, but it also pumps them (and spectators) up with live bands on 26 stages along the course. There is a pre-race fitness expo and post-race concert, featuring big-name talent. Call tel. 800/311-1255 or go online www.rnrmarathon.com. Early June.

Indian Fair, Museum of Man, Balboa Park. Native Americans from dozens of tribes across the United States gather to demonstrate tribal dances and sell arts, crafts, and ethnic food. Call tel. 619/239-2001. Mid-June.

San Diego County Fair. Referred to as the Del Mar Fair by everyone locally, this is the other happening (besides horse racing) at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. The entire county participates in this annual fair. Livestock competitions, thrill rides, flower-and-garden shows, gem and mineral exhibits, food and crafts booths, carnival games, and home arts exhibits dominate the event. There are also grandstand concerts by name performers (some require separate admission fee). The fair lasts more than 3 weeks. For details, call tel. 858/793-5555 or check www.sdfair.com. Mid-June to early July.

Twilight in the Park Concerts, Balboa Park. These free concerts at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings, have been held since 1979. For information, call tel. 619/239-0512. The Spreckels Organ Society also holds free organ concerts on Mondays at 7:30pm in summer. Find out more at tel. 619/702-8138 or www.sosorgan.com. Mid-June to August.

July

San Diego Symphony Summer Pops, downtown. The symphony's summer pops series features lighter classical, jazz, opera, Broadway, and show tunes, all performed under the stars and capped by fireworks. Held most summer weekends at the Embarcadero downtown. For details, call tel. 619/235-0804 or visit www.sandiegosymphony.com. Early July to early September.

U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition, Imperial Beach Pier. Here's the quintessential beach event: There's a parade and children's sandcastle contest on Saturday, followed by the main competition Sunday. Past years have seen creations of astounding complexity, but note that the castles are usually plundered right after the award ceremony. For further details, call tel. 619/424-6663 or visit usopensandcastle.com. Mid-July.

World Championship Over-the-Line Tournament, Mission Bay. This popular tournament is a San Diego original. The beach softball event dates from 1953 and is renowned for boisterous, beer-soaked, anything-goes behavior -- a total of 1,200 three-person teams compete, and more than 50,000 attend. It's a heap of fun for the open-minded, but a bit much for small kids. It takes place on 2 consecutive weekends, on Fiesta Island in Mission Bay, and the admission is free. For more details, call tel. 619/688-0817 or visit www.ombac.org. Mid-July.

Thoroughbred Racing Season. The "turf meets the surf" in Del Mar during the thoroughbred racing season at the Del Mar Race Track. Post time is 2pm most days; the track is dark on Tuesdays. For this year's schedule of events, call tel. 858/792-4242 or 858/755-1141 or visit www.dmtc.com. Mid-July to mid-September.

San Diego Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade, Rally, and Festival. This parade is one of San Diego's biggest draws. It begins Friday night with a rally at the Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park, reconvenes at 11am on Saturday for the parade through Hillcrest, followed by a massive festival -- held south of Sixth and Laurel in the park -- that continues Sunday. For more information, call tel. 619/297-7683 or visit www.sdpride.org. Third or fourth weekend in July.

Comic-Con International, downtown. Upward of 60,000 people attend America's largest comic-book convention each year when it lands at the San Diego Convention Center for a weekend of auctions, dealers, autographs, and seminars focusing on graphic novels and fantasy and sci-fi movies. Past special guests include artists, stars, and filmmakers like Hugh Jackman, Matt Groening, Halle Berry, Stan Lee, Angelina Jolie, and Quentin Tarantino. For further details, call tel. 619/491-2475 or check www.comic-con.org. Late July.

Acura Classic, La Costa. This weeklong Women's Tennis Association event gathers the greatest female tennis players in the world at the La Costa Resort & Spa. For information, call tel. 760/438-5683 or log onto www.acuraclassic.com. Late July to early August.

August

La Jolla SummerFest is perhaps San Diego's most prestigious annual music event. It features a wide spectrum of classical and contemporary music, from tango to Tchaikovsky, with guest composers and musicians ranging from the likes of Chick Corea to Yo-Yo Ma. SummerFest also offers master classes, open rehearsals, and workshops. Presented by the La Jolla Music Society; call tel. 858/459-3728 or check the website www.ljms.org for more information. Early to mid-August.

Julian Weed & Craft Show, Julian. This is one event that's better than its name. Artwork and arrangements culled from the area's myriad woods, rocks, wildflowers, and indigenous plants (okay, weeds) are displayed and sold. The Julian Chamber of Commerce (tel. 760/765-1857; www.julianca.com) has further details. Second half of August.

Surfing Competitions. Oceanside's pier-side surfing spot attracts several competitions, including the World Bodysurfing Championships and the Longboard Surf Club Competition. The events include a trade show and gala awards presentation. For further details, call the Oceanside Visitors Bureau at tel. 800/350-7873 or 760/722-1534 or visit www.worldbodysurfing.org and www.oceansidelongboardsurfingclub.org. Mid- or late August.

September

La Jolla Rough Water Swim, La Jolla Cove. The country's largest rough-water swimming competition began in 1916 and features masters, men's and women's, junior, and an amateur swim. All are 1-mile events except the junior swim and gator-man 3-mile championship. Spectators don't need tickets. For recorded information, call tel. 858/456-2100. Downloadable entry forms are available at www.ljrws.com. Sunday after Labor Day.

Julian fall apple harvest. The phenomenally popular apple harvest season runs for 2 months in early fall, and every weekend local artisans display their wares. There's also plenty of cider and apple pie, plus entertainment and brilliant fall foliage. For more information, contact the chamber of commerce at tel. 760/765-1857. Mid-September to mid-November.

Rosarito-Ensenada 50-Mile Fun Bicycle Ride, Mexico. Held twice yearly; see the April entry, above, for a description of this late September event.

Street Scene, once one of San Diego's flagship events, may have become too successful for its own good. As of this writing, the 2-day alt-rock/hip-hop festival is looking for a new home. It has not fared well since growing too large for downtown and moving into the asphalt confines of Qualcomm Stadium's parking lot. Check the website, www.street-scene.com, to see if Street Scene has found an address. Sept. 22 & 23.

October

Fleet Week is a bit of a misnomer. It's the nation's largest military appreciation event and it lasts the entire month. It features Navy ship tours, a college football game, an auto race of classic speedsters, an air-show, and more. Call tel. 800/353-3893 or check out www.fleetweeksandiego.org for more information.

November

Carlsbad Fall Village Faire. Billed as the largest 1-day street fair in California, this festival features more than 850 vendors on 24 city blocks. Items for sale include ceramics, jewelry, clothing, glassware, and plants. You'll find Mexican, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Indonesian food -- along with other edible fare -- at booths along the way. The epicenter is the intersection of Grand Avenue and Jefferson Street. Call tel. 760/931-8400 or visit www.carlsbad.org. First Sunday in November.

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, Balboa Park. San Diego was the adopted hometown of Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, and since 1998 the Old Globe Theatre has been transformed into Whoville each holiday season. Directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Jack O'Brien, this musical has become a family tradition, with discounted seats for kids. For more information, call tel. 619/234-5623; or check www.theoldglobe.org. Mid-November through December.

San Diego Thanksgiving Dixieland Jazz Festival. More than 20 bands from around North America and beyond perform at this annual festival, held over the long Thanksgiving weekend. Expect to hear vintage jazz sounds like ragtime, swing, and, of course, pure New Orleans Dixieland. Call tel. 619/297-5277 or visit www.dixielandjazzfestival.org. Late November.

Fall Flower Tour and the Poinsettia Festival Street Fair, Encinitas. Like its close neighbor Carlsbad, Encinitas is a flower-growing center -- 80% of the world's poinsettia plants get their start at a single ranch here. These two events celebrate the quintessential holiday plant and other late-flowering blooms. The 1-day Street Fair takes place in late November. For the Flower Tour, make reservations by early October; the nursery tours take place in early December. For poinsettia information, call the Encinitas Visitors Center at tel. 800/953-6041 or 760/753-6041; for the street fair, call tel. 760/943-1950 or see www.kennedyfaires.com.

December

Ocean Beach Christmas Parade and Tree Festival. Ocean Beach is San Diego's counter-culture community, so this parade is a little different than your average holiday parade. It's a family affair to be sure (Santa Claus is on hand, of course), but with entries like the Off Key Choir and the Geriatric Surf Club, it's definitely quirky. Call tel. 619/224-4906 or see www.oceanbeachsandiego.com. First Saturday in December.

Balboa Park December Nights. San Diego's fine urban park is decked out in holiday splendor for this 2-night event. A candlelight procession, traditional caroling, and baroque music ensembles are just part of the entertainment. There are crafts displays, ethnic food, traditional hot cider, and a grand Christmas tree and Nativity scene in Spreckels Organ Pavilion. The event is free and lasts from 5 to 9pm both days; the park's museums are free during those hours. For more information, call tel. 619/239-0512 or visit www.balboapark.org. First Friday and Saturday in December.

Whale-watching season traditionally takes place in the cooler months of San Diego County as more than 25,000 Pacific gray whales make the trek from the chilly Alaskan seas to the warm-water breeding lagoons of Baja California. Cabrillo National Monument, on the panoramic Point Loma peninsula, offers a glassed-in observatory from which to spot the whales, examine whale exhibits, and listen to taped narration describing these popular mammals. Many companies offer whale-watching tours throughout the season. For more information, visit www.sandiego.org. Mid-December to mid-March.