This month, San Diego offers a slew of ways to celebrate the new year, and the debut of the spring season. You can celebrate the Chinese New Year and the Vietnamese holiday Tet one weekend and walk among the blooming flowers of Spring the next few weekends. Caregivers, home care aides and loved ones can enjoy both culture and horticulture this month in San Diego.
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Chinese New Year Celebration
- What: The traditional prayer service, annual offering of the incense, light offerings, wishing bells, and a Chinese cultural performance.
- Where: San Diego Buddhist Association at 4536 Park Boulevard in University Heights
- When: Feb 16 -18
- Tickets: Free!
- More info: The Hsi Fang Temple website
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San Diego Tet Festival 2018
- What: One of the largest in Southern California, the Lunar New Year Celebration in Mira Mesa lasts three days and attracts more than 20,000 people from San Diego and neighboring cities. The festival features a Legendary Lion Dance, a Miss Vietnam Pageant, a pho eating contest, a cultural village and many contests for people and dogs!
- Where: Mira Mesa
- When: Feb 16-18
- Tickets: Free!
- More info: SD Tet Festival website
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5K Paw Walk In the San Diego Botanic Garden
- What: This Saturday is the one time this year that you can bring your (on-leash) pooch to the Botanic Garden! This 5K walk takes you and your pack through the areas with California Native Plants, Australian plants, the Canary Islands plants, Hawaiian plants, everything Bamboo, Tropical Fruits, and Palm Canyon. Plus, enjoy plus pet products, food for people, and treats for dogs. It’s not a race, unless you really want it to be, and you can’t bring more than two dogs per human. For real.
- Where: San Diego Botanic Garden, 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas, 92024
- When: February 17, 8am – 11am
- Tickets: Adult (human) walkers $32, members $21, children under 18 walkers $21, members $14. Sign up here!
- More info: The San Diego Botanic Garden website
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Carlsbad Flower Fields
- What: The Flower Fields are open March 1 – May 13, and offer 50 acres of gorgeous, blooming color overlooking the Pacific in Carlsbad. There’s a nursery, garden and gift shop, plus a full calendar of special events during the season. For starters, March 17 is Girl Scout Day, where Brownies, Daisies and Juniors can earn a Flower Fields patch by learning about composting, planting and how much fun wagon rides are!
- Where: Carlsbad Flower Fields, 5704 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad CA 92008
- When: Opening March 1
- Tickets: Day passes range from $8 to $16, and Season passes go for $18 to $35.
- More info: The Flower Fields
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Cherry Blossom Festival
- What: San Diego’s Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa is celebrating their Cherry Blossom Festival for the 13th year in a row. Appreciating the beauty of cherry blossoms has its own Japanese word: hanami. Practice hanami over three days in March, shop for unique gifts, taste beer, sake and tea, eat Japanese street food, and enjoy cultural performances.
- Where: Japanese Friendship Garden, 2215 Pan American Road, San Diego, 92101
- When: March 9 – 11
- Tickets: Pre-sale tickets for $12 give express entry, and general admission is $10. Children under age 6 are free.
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More info: Cherry Blossom Festival 2018
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Other events:
- February 25 in Mission Trails Park: “Ogres In The Park”
- March 2 in Rancho Bernardo: The Mickey Cafagna Memorial Golf Classic
- March 5 in Rancho Santa Fe: The 15-inch Cup Challenge
- March 10 in Julian: The Annual Daffodil Show
