DISCOVER NORTHERN CALIFORNIA'S
EVENTS AND FESTIVALS:

JANUARY THROUGH MARCH

These are the festivals and events that celebrate the joie de vivre
of an area - whether they are about food, music, dance, drink, nature, or ethnic diversity - put a sparkle in our eyes, a smile on our faces, and a spring in our steps!

So I'm gathering Northern California's celebrations together in one place for your pleasure and convenience. This is a work in progress and I'll be adding more, but if one of your events and festivals is missing and you'd like it included, just let me know here.

Find the best Northern California hotels and lodging for you, your family, and your friends at HotelsCombined.com:

Dungeness Crab

Elephant Seal Birthing Season -
this is one of those annual events and festivals sponsored by Mother Nature! Big Sur's Elephant Seals

Johnsville's Historic Longboard Revival Race Series -
"Dope is King!" and "Long Live Longboards!" - mottos for this triad of downhill ski races! Historic Longboard Revival Race Series

Twain Harte's Soroptomist International's Annual Crab Feed -
all you can eat crab plus...! There's no website, but you can call 209.928.1616

Napa Valley Wine Train's Murder Mystery -
can you solve the murder(s) of The Detectives' Club book royalties? Give it your best shot! The Detectives' Club

Sonoma's Winter Wineland -
meet winemakers, sip limited production wines, new releases, and library wines! Winter Wineland

San Francisco's Dine About Town -
"Foodies rejoice" - it's time to gourmet dine on cut-rate prices!" Dine About Town

Mendocino Crab and Wine Days -
Crab feeds, winemaker's dinners, crab cooking classes, cookoffs, fun, fun, fun! Mendocino Crab and Wine Days

California State Parks Foundation's Golden Poppy Awards Gala -
an evening in the state parks! Golden Poppy Gala

Coloma's Gold Discovery Day -
James Marshall's discovery that changed the course of California history! Gold Discovery Day

Santa Cruz Chocolate Festival -
who doesn't like chocolate?? Santa Cruz Chocolate Festival

Chico's Snow Goose Festival -
celebrating migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway! Snow Goose Festival

Northern California Home & Landscape Expo -
largest show of its kind since 1995! NorCal Home & Landscape Expo

Galt Winter Bird Festival -
winter home of the regal, red-browed Sandhill Crane! Call 209.366.7115 for festival information

Napa Valley Mustard Festival - Cancelled for 2011
you know it's Spring when the mustard blooms in the vineyards! Mustard Festival

Attending Northern California events and festivals and need a
place to stay? Compare prices at HotelsCombined before you book.

Box of Chocolates

Sacramento Museum Day -
twenty-six museums offering FREE admission! Sacramento Museum Day

San Francisco's Annual Russian Festival -
a Russian Staycation! Russian Festival

San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival -
bird watching, Mare Island military history, and Napa River adventures! SF Bay Flyway Festival

Santa Cruz' Natural Bridges Migration Festival -
bid the migratory Monarchs a fond Adieu! Natural Bridges Migration Festival

Boonville's International Alsace Varietals Festival -
Rieslings, Gewurztraminers, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blancs, and Muscats - Yummm! International Alsace Varietals Festival

Madera's Wine and Chocolate Weekend -
local wine, chocolate, and live music make for a great weekend! Wine and Chocolate Weekend

Chester's Winterfest Sled Dog Races -
skilled mushers and amazing dogs! Winterfest Sled Dog Races

Lodi Wine and Chocolate Festival -
just in time for Valentine's Day! Lodi Wine & Chocolate Festival

San Francisco's Bluegrass and Old-Time Festival -
lots of pickin', fiddlin', and singin' to be heard! SFBOT

Sonoma's VinOlivo -
celebrate Sonoma's local wines, finest restaurants, savory olives and olive oils, and sweet temptations! VinOlivo

Cloverdale Citrus Fair -
all things citrus! Cloverdale Citrus Fair

San Francisco's Chinese New Year Parade -
and Community Street Fair, and Spring Festival! Chinese New Year Parade

San Francisco's Tulipmania -
San Francisco style - we love tulips and they're in bloom! Tulipmania

Johnsville's Historic Longboard Revival Race Series -
"Dope is King!" and "Long Live Longboards!" - mottos for this triad of downhill ski races! Historic Longboard Revival Race Series

Ripon's Annual Almond Blossom Festival -
old-fashioned, down-home fun! Almond Blossom Festival

Yosemite's Nordic Holiday Race -
at Badger Pass, home of the first slalom in California! Nordic Holiday Race

Santa Cruz Annual Clam Chowder Cook Off and Festival -
the best clam chowders in the world! Clam Chowder Cook Off

Use HotelsCombined to compare hotel prices near your events and festivals, then Book it, Danno!

Jazz Trumpet

San Jose's
Cinequest Film Festival -
spectacular people, memorable films, soul-stirring events, amazing innovations, and passionate parties! Cinequest Film Festival

Monterey's
Jazz Bash By The Bay -
otherwise known as The Monterey Jazz Festival! Monterey Jazz Festival

Mammoth Lakes
US Snowboarding Grand Prix -
the longest running domestic snowboard tour! US Snowboarding Grand Prix

Sacramento's Camellia International Dance Festival -
dances of the Ukrain and beyond! Camellia International Dance Festival

Healdsburg's Wine Road Barrel Tasting -
over 100 wineries are participating in this wine event! Wine Road Barrel Tasting

Concord's Beads and Boutique Art Show -
a large assortment of original works of art showcased by the artists! Bead and Boutique Arts Show

San Francisco's Chocolate Salon -
the premier chocolate show on the West Coast! San Francisco International Chocolate Salon

Stanislaus County Home and Garden Show -
everything you could possibly need for your home improvement projects! Stanislaus County Home and Garden Show

Castro Valley Mineral and Gem Show -
over 40 quality jewelry, mineral, gem, bead, and fossil dealers display each year! Castro Valley Mineral and Gem Show

Calistoga's Mustard, Mud, and Music -
a Calistoga Jazz festival! Mustard, Mud, and Music

Sanger Blossom Day Festival -
celebrating the Fresno County Blossom Trail! Sanger Blossom Day Festival

Fresno Home and Garden Show -
"Let us inspire you..." Fresno Home and Garden Show

Sonora Celtic Faire -
the oldest and largest Celitc Faire on the West Coast! Sonora Celtic Faire

North Lake Tahoe's SnowFest -
every Spring since 1982, fun-filled days and nights brings North Lake Tahoe alive! SnowFest

Sacramento's California State Yo-Yo Championship -
in beautiful Downtown Sacramento! Cal State Yo-Yo Championship

Mendocino Whale Festival -
wine tasting and whale watching - I'm a happy happy girl! Mendo Whale Fest

Marysville's Bok Kai Festival -
witness the Boka Kai dragon, protector of the river and the River God! Bok Kai Festival

Napa Valley Marathon -
an established favorite among experienced marathoners! Napa Valley Marathon

Stockton's Chinese New Year Celebration -
continuous entertainment, children's activities, authentic Chinese food, and more! Chinese New Year Celebration

Weaverville's Annual Chinese New Year at Joss House State Park -
annual Lion Dance celebration! Chinese New Year Celebration

Pleasanton's Gem Faire -
gems, jewelry, crystals, beads - all your jewelry making needs under one roof! Pleasanton Gem Faire

Visalia St. Patrick's Day Parade -
a celebration of all valley cultures! Visalia St. Patrick's Day Parade

Siskiyou Sled Dog Races -
mushers, dogs, action, family fun, snow, Mount Shasta, what could be better! Siskiyou Sled Dog Races

Murphy's National Daffodil Show -
hundreds and hundreds of miniature daffodils! National Daffodil Show and Convention

Old Sacramento's St. Patrick's Day Parade -
Irish dancers, bagpipers, school banks and military regiments - it's a grand ol' parade! Old Sac's St. Patrick's Day Parade

San Francisco's St. Patrick's Day Parade & Festival -
everyone's Irish on St. Paddy's Day in The City! SF's St. Patrick's Day Parade & Festival

Foresthill Sled Dog Winter Classic -
two-dog, four-dog, and six-dog sledding in beautiful Foresthill! Sled Dog Winter Classic

Turlock Rock & Gem Show -
dinosaur and fossil exhibits, educational exhibits, fluorescent display, jewelry beads and tools - it's all about the stones! Turlock Gem Show

Point Arena Flower Power Festival -
thousands of beautiful daffodils in shades of yellow and orange! Flower Power Festival

Little River Whale Festival -
it's the annual migration from the best NorCal spot ever! Little River Whale Festival

Vacaville's Celtic Mystery -
A St. Patrick's Day Celebration that's actually on St. Patrick's Day! Celtic Mystery

Annual Vinton Cowboy Poetry Show -
cars are Cowboy Tattoos with better stories! Cowboy Poetry Show

Santa Cruz PaddleFest -
formerly known as the Santa Cruz Kayak Surf Festival, it's all about Paddle Power! Santa Cruz PaddleFest

Volcano's Daffodil Hill Days -
a Northern California Springtime ritual! Daffodil Hill Days

A Taste of Yountville -
part of the Napa Valley Mustard Festival: Foodies, forks, knives, and wine glasses at the ready! A Taste of Yountville

Redding's Sundial Film Festival -
one day only - don't miss out! Sundial Film Festival

Surprise Valley's Annual Squirrel Roundup -
more of a hunt than a roundup, this event is limited to 100 participants and requires registration. Annual Squirrel Roundup

Chico's Soroptimist Home, Garden & Antique Show -
celebrate Spring at one of Chico's most popular events! Soroptimist Home, Garden & Antique Show

Savor Sonoma Valley -
a food and wine experience in the heart of California's Wine Country! Savor Sonoma Valley

Fort Bragg Whale Festival -
featured attractions are chowders, microbrew tasting, an arts and crafts fair, and whale watching! Fort Bragg Whale Festival

Isleton's
Annual Spam Festival -
it's all about Spam - the eating kind, not the email kind! Call 916-777-6510 (Isleton Joe's) for date and time

Johnsville's Historic Longboard Revival Race Series -
"Dope is King!" and "Long Live Longboards!" - mottos for this triad of downhill ski races! Historic Longboard Revival Race Series

Kelseyville Olive Festival -
complete with and Olive Pit Spitting Contest! KelseyvilleOliveFestival

Eureka's Redwood Coast Jazz Festival -
four fun-filled days at "The best small town festival in the West"! Redwood Coast Jazz Festival

Belmont Sidewalk Fine Arts Festival -
artists' works on display! Belmont Sidewalk Fine Arts Festival

Mammoth Winter Biathlon -
combining cross-country skiing and rifle shooting! Mammoth Winter Biathlon

Sacramento's Wine & Chocolate: A Harmony of Tastes -
enjoy the scrumptious combo flavors of wine and chocolate and benefit Sacramento Children's Chorus! A Harmony of Tastes

Mt. Shasta's Coyote Classic Ski Races - THE premier ski racing event at Mt. Shasta Ski Park! Coyote Classic

Amador County's Annual 49er Treasure Trail -
conquer clues and challenges - an interactive adventure of epic proportions! 49er Treasure Trail

Oakdale's Annual Testicle Festival -
you read that right - and all reports are that they're delish! Cowboy Testicle Festival

Vallejo's Skipper Whipper Whaleboat Races -
how cool does that sound! Skipper Whipper Whaleboat Races

Looking for a Northern California Hotel near one of the many events and festivals? Compare prices at HotelsCombined before you book!

You'll find Northern California events and festivals occur during each and every month of the year!

Looking for events and festivals that center on a favorite food?
Those are my favorites, too! Take a look at Fun Food Festivals

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