3/1 – 3/31 – Circus Vargas | Various places in San Diego | Refer to website for show times | Admission Fee varies | Circus that unites amazingly skilled serious performers with the innocence and silliness of truly comedic circus clowns — the kind that actually make you laugh! All the excitement of a circus with human and animal stars rendering artistic triumphs and thrilling exploits.

3/1 – 3/3 – Spring Home/Garden Show | Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar | Friday 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. / Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. / Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | Hundreds of exhibits featuring home improvement and remodeling ideas

3/1 – 3/3 – Gem Faire | Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar | Friday 12:00 – 6:00 p.m. / Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. / Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | World renowned marketplace for the finest gemstones, jewelry, minerals, fossils, equipment, workshops, classes and more

3/2 – Polar Plunge | Oceanside Amphitheater, Oceanside | 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. , Plunge is at 10:00 a.m.| Raising money for Special Olympics | More information 619-283-6100

3/2 – 65th Annual Ocean Beach Kite Festival | Ocean Beach Recreation Center, 4726 Santa Monica Blvd, Ocean Beach | | Festival 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. / Kite making 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. |FREE | More information 619-225-8705 | Crafts fair, carnival rides, music, food, kite making and kite flying contest

3/2 – Finish Chelsea’s Run 5K Run/Walk | Balboa Park at 6th Ave & Palm St., San Diego | 5K Run/Walk in memory of Chelsea King. Additionally, there will be activities including a yoga booth, group photo spot, organic produce booth and other family-friendly activities such as a sunflower pot painting station.

3/3 – US Grant 2012 Wedding & Event Showcase | US Grant Hotel, 326 Broadway, San Diego |12-4pm | | $20 | A Wedding & Event Showcase presented by the US Grant Hotel. Discover the hotel’s stunning wedding venues, engage with more than 60 wedding vendors and craft your wedding desires into a reality. Opportunity to win a wedding for 100 guests at The US Grant as well as luxurious honeymoon vacations to top destinations

3/3 – Free Family Art Day | Oceanside Museum of Art, 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside | 1pm-4pm | |FREE | Learn the art of sculpture. Families can create mixed media sculptures inspired by two of OMA’s exhibits: In Search of Shadows by artist James Hubbell and Flavia Gilmore’s assemblage exhibition: Paper, Wood, Metal. Kids will have the opportunity to explore a variety of different media and create their own three-dimensional form using wood, paper, Styrofoam, tin foil, wire, yarn and other found objects. We will also be creating a group sculpture in honor of the City of Oceanside’s 125th Anniversary. Come join in the fun!

3/7 – 3/17 – 20th Annual San Diego Latino Film Festival | UltraStar Mission Valley Cinemas, 7510 Hazard Center Drive, Mission Valley | Refer to website for schedule | Short and feature length films from Latin America and the U.S. by Latinos and/or about the Latino experience

3/7 – 3/10 – Robert Egger South Bay Recreation Center Carnival | Robert Egger South Bay Recreation Center, 1885 Coronado Ave, San Diego | Thursday  & Friday 5pm-11pm / Saturday & Sunday 5pm-11pm |$2 Admission fee, FREE for age 6 & under. | A 4-day community festival-fun for the whole family. There will be traditional carnival rides, challenging games, snacks, and a portrait novelty booth | For more information call 760-735-8542 |

3/9 – 3/10 – 86th Annual Thursday Club Rummage Sale | Balboa Park Activity Center, 2145 Park Blvd., San Diego | 8am-5pm | Thousands of new and gently used items such as furniture, clothing, sporting equipment, appliances, electronics and more will be sold to benefit local charities.

3/10 – The San Diego Half Marathon | Petco Park, 100 Park Blvd., San Diego | 7am-1pm | The San Diego Half Marathon at Petco Park is a new race that celebrates the beauty and uniqueness of the city of San Diego while raising money to help its communities. A sports health and fitness expo entitled “Celebrate San Diego” takes place the day before the half marathon and continues through the day of the event.

3/10 – 18th Annual Del Mar Kiwanis’ Ugly Dog Contest | Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar | 11am-3pm | Big dogs, little dogs, long dogs, short dogs, shaggy dogs, curly dogs…and not a pretty one in the bunch! Well, there’s more to it than just “ugly” with 14 categories of winners.

3/16 – null | Balboa Park, West side of park along 6th Ave, between Laurel & Quince | 9:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., Parade 10:30 a.m. | FREE | Parade with Emerald Societies, Scout Troops, clowns, equestrian entries, bagpipe contingents, antique cars and more; and festivities in a Celtic Village filled with Irish culture, music, dancing, food and beer; plus a children’s play area with rides

3/17 – 18th Annual Miller Lite ShamROCK 2012 | Gaslamp Quarter (6th Ave between G & E Streets, F Street between 5th & 7th, G Street between 5th & 6th) | 2:00 p.m. – midnight | $35 in advance / $45 day of | 21 years & up | St Patrick’s Day musical block party with 60,000 sq ft of green Astroturf, 3 stages with live entertainment and more

3/23 – 3/24 – Seaport Village Spring Busker Festival | Seaport Village – Embarcadero, San Diego | 12pm-5pm | FREE | The only Busker Festival in Southern California. Professionals from across the country will perform their bizarre talents from sword swallowing to knife throwing to pogo stick tricks and juggling on unicycles. Even escape artists and comedic stuntmen.

3/30 – Ironman 70.3 California | Oceanside Harbor – starts at the boat ramp in the southwest quadrant, Oceanside | 6:30am | Cheer on these incredible Ironman athletes as they endure a 1.2-mile swim course in Oceanside Harbor, a 56-mile bike course that includes the challenging inland hills of Camp Pendleton and a 13.1-mile run through the coastal neighborhoods of Oceanside.

3/30 – 9th Annual San Diego Race for Autism | Balboa Park, corner of 6th Ave. and Laurel St., San Diego | 7am-12pm | 100% of race donations support San Diego programs and classrooms that benefit thousands of local children. Featuring 5K timed run or walk, 1-mile Family Fun Walk, educational resource fair, children’s activities, prizes, refreshments and more!