A New Way to Play!

Universal City February 17 universalstudioshollywood.com t SUPER NINTENDO WORLD officially opens to take you into the world of Super Mario to battle Team Bowser on the groundbreaking Mario Kart ride, dine at Toadstool Café and earn themed merch.

Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour

Santa Barbara February 28 – March 1 santabarbaraca.com t A Santa Barbara institution, the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour is a perennial fan favorite. Featuring the world’s best films and videos on mountain subjects, the tour awes with thrills and grandeur captured in exotic locations the world over. The wide variety of film subjects — from extreme sports to mountain culture and environment — continually amazes audiences as an entirely different program of films screens each night.

March

The Flower Fields Reopen Carlsbad March 1 theflowerfields.com

Mean Girls

Costa Mesa March 7-19 travelcostamesa.com t Direct from Broadway, Mean Girls The Musical is the hilarious hit from an award-winning creative team. From the story of the 2004 cult movie classic, Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois.

The 75th Annual Santa Barbara International Orchid Show

Santa Barbara March 10-12 santabarbaraca.com

Cherry Blossom Festival

San Diego March 10-12 niwa.org t The Cherry Blossom Festival returns to the Japanese Friendship Garden to welcome spring and celebrate the annual Japanese tradition of hanami (flower viewing). From taiko drummers to the tea garden, JFG hosts a variety of daily performances and fun activities for the entire family. Visitors can stroll the upper and lower garden to relish in the various features of the property (koi ponds, bonsai, colorful florae) and enjoy the beauty of the blossoming Cherry Blossom Trees.

Alias Brass Quintet Concert

Lompoc March 18 explorelompoc.com t Alias Brass is a collaboration of five uniquely talented artists/educators. The ensemble’s performances blend masterful musicianship with a high level of genre-spanning entertainment. Acclaimed for being innovative and diverse, they continue to dazzle audiences across North and South America.

Oceans at Night

La Jolla March 23 sandiego.org t For over sixty years, Mother Nature has transformed the rolling hills of North San Diego County into one of the most spectacular and coordinated displays of natural color and beauty anywhere in the world. Looking ahead to a colorful 2023. t The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show is one of the oldest, largest and most prestigious orchid shows in the US, reflecting the rich agricultural and orchid-growing history of Santa Barbara County. Visitors from all over the world return each March to delight in grand displays installed by local, national and international artisans and orchid enthusiasts. Exhibits of orchid art, photography and floral arrangements, in addition to a comprehensive workshop and demonstration schedule, provide a rich and unique experience.

Knott's Boysenberry Festival

Buena Park

March 10 – April 16 knotts.com t The Knott's Boysenberry Festival is the annual food-inspired event celebrating the park's historic roots by highlighting the little berry that started it all — the boysenberry. Indulge in a tantalizing lineup of dishes ranging from savory foods with a boysenberry twist to one-ofa-kind specialty desserts and drinks only found at Knott's Berry Farm during this festival. There is also a wide selection of local crafters, live music, musical stage shows and fun activities for all ages. t Birch Aquarium is launching Oceans at Night, a first-of-its-kind event that invites a 21+ audience to experience an immersive blend of art, science and technology after hours. The new monthly series celebrates the wonders and mysteries of the ocean. The interactive experiences highlight ocean phenomena that occur at night including bioluminescence and biofluorescence, while creating a fun, adults-only atmosphere with live music, a glow lounge with life-size games, glowing nighttime dives and epic ocean views.

For additional SoCal events, visit socallifemag.com/events