OC Restaurant Week
Mar. 1-7. Dine on specially priced prix fixe menus at more than 100 OC restaurants, ranging from casual and family friendly to upscale fine dining. Options for $10-$20 for lunch and $20-$50 for dinner are endless at restaurants like Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine & Cocktails, Bluewater Grill, Fig & Olive, Tortilla Republic, The Winery, Fly ‘N’ Fish, Shades Restaurant & Bar, Vue, Scott’s Restaurant & Bar, Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen, Bacchus Bar & Bistro, Red O and more. See website for list of restaurants and menus. orangecountyrestaurantweek.com
Gaia Gaja Winemaker Lunch at Cucina Enoteca Newport Beach
Mar. 3. Wine enthusiasts have a rare opportunity to meet one of Italy’s star producers and sample varietals from the famed family-run estate of Gaja in Piedmont and Ca’Marcanda in Tuscany. Learn abut the family’s rich wine making heritage while enjoying an artfully prepared three-course menu by Chef Brent Omeste paired with wines from the Italian winery. 11:30 a.m. $68; limited availability; advance tickets required. Cucina Enoteca at Fashion Island, 951 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.706.1416. urbankitchengroup.com
American Ballet Theatre’s The Sleeping Beauty at Segerstrom Center for the Arts
Mar. 3-8. See the world premiere of the classic ballet The Sleeping Beauty as choreographed by Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky. Pacific Symphony will perform the beloved score by Tchaikovsky while Diana Vishneva and Marcelo Gomes are the principal dancers. $29-$149. 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787. scfta.org
Festival of Whales
Mar. 7-8, 14-15. Celebrate the migration of the California gray whale with a parade, street fairs, concerts, crafts, marine-mammal cruises, sand sculpting and more. Free. See website for full list of events. Dana Point Harbor, 34675 Golden Lantern, Dana Point, 949.496.1045. festivalofwhales.com
Small Plates, Big Pours at Fleming’s
Through Mar. 31. Select from a choice of seven small plates —New Zealand petite lamb chops, Fleming’s lobster tempura, colossal shrimp skewers, New Bedford scallops, sliced filet mignon, braised short ribs or ahi tuna—then pick an expertly selected over-sized pour of one of seven wines from the Fleming’s 100. $24.95. Available in the bar and patio area only. Fashion Island, 455 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach, 949.720.9633. flemingssteakhouse.com
Jason Mraz at Segerstrom Center for the Arts
Mar. 15. Spend an intimate acoustic evening with the Grammy-winning, multi-platinum superstar who has topped the charts for nearly 15 years with his own brand of sunny, contemporary pop. His latest release entitled Yes, is an all-acoustic collection which iTunes describes as, “Fills the room with a chillaxed vibe.” 7:30 p.m. $29-$359. 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787. scfta.org
Anaheim Ducks vs. Los Angeles Kings
Mar. 18. Ice hockey’s Pacific Division title-holders face off against their freeway rivals, the Los Angeles Kings. 7:30 p.m. $97-$309. Honda Center, 2695 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim, 714.704.2500. hondacenter.com
Justin Vineyards & Winery Winemaker Dinner at Charlie Palmer
Mar. 18. Meet winemaker Justin Baldwin as you taste dishes from Chef Seakyeong Kim paired with wines from Justin Vineyards and Winery. 6 p.m. $159. Charlie Palmer at Bloomingdale’s, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, 714.352.2525. charliepalmer.com
Musink Tattoo Convention & Music Festival
Mar. 20-22. Travis Barker brings hundreds of the world’s finest tattoo artists including Eric Jones, Robert Atkinson and BJ Betts as well as musical performances by Rancid, Bad Religion, Blink-182 with Matt Skiba and more to this 8th annual event. F 3-10 p.m.; Sa-Su noon-10 p.m. $30-$35. OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, musink.org
Firkfest Cask Beer Festival & Chili Cookoff
Mar. 21. Taste unlimited 2-4 oz. cask pours from more than 30 Southern California craft breweries including Bootleggers Brewery, Bottle Logic Brewing, Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits, Nobel Ale Works and more. New this year is a Powderkeg Chili Festival where you’ll have the chance to judge ten chilis from local Orange County chefs such as Chef Andrew from The Iron Press, Chef Justin from Pizzeria Ortica and Chef Greg from Haven Gastropub and Provisions. 12-4 p.m. $50. Anaheim Farmers Park, 400 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, 714.798..3019. firkfest.com
Return of the Swallows Parade and Mercado Street Faire
Mar. 21. See the parade that commemorates storied annual bird visit from Argentina. 11 a.m. Free. The Mercado Street Fair in Historic Town Center Park off El Camino Real and Ortega Hwy., features more than 100 vendors with live music, activities for children and a variety of food and drink. Mission San Juan Capistrano, 26801 Ortega Hwy., San Juan Capistrano, 949.493.1976. swallowsparade.org
Marvel Universe Live! At Honda Center
Mar. 27-29. See the most Marvel characters ever assembled in one production and be right in the middle of one of the most electrifying battles between good and evil ever conceived. Many of your favorite super heroes including Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man, Wolverine and Hulk will encounter some of their biggest adversaries such as Green Goblin, Red Skull, Electro and more. $49-$154. Honda Center, 2695 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim, 714.704.2500. hondacenter.com
London Symphony Orchestra with Yuja Wang
Mar. 28. Pianist Yuja Wang is the featured soloist performing with London’s oldest symphony orchestra; venerated Michael Tilson Thomas conducts. 3 p.m. $50-$150. Segerstrom Center for the Arts. 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, 714.556.2787. scfta.org