The Ecology Center, San Juan Capistrano’s 28-acre farm and education center, is hosting its annual Strawberry U-Pick interactive farm experience beginning Thursday, March 30, 2023.  Embrace the colorful abundance of spring with the only Regenerative Organic Certified™ strawberries available in Southern California, open to the public Thursdays through Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

With the purchase of a ticket, U-pick guests will embark on a self-guided exploration of the farm with three stops along the way, each touching upon the theme, “Somos Campesinos” (“we are farmers”). After the educational tour, guests are encouraged to venture into the fields and fill their baskets with fresh strawberries which can be purchased by the pound. Free from chemical fertilizers and pesticides, families can feel at ease knowing that the strawberries are safe for little ones to enjoy straight from the vine.

PRICE

Admission:

Tickets required for all adults and children two and up 

• Thursdays and Fridays – $7 per person 
• Saturdays and Sundays – $9 per person 

Strawberries:

• Pay by the pound for strawberries picked from the farm

WHEN

March 30 through April 30, 2023 or while strawberries last

Thursdays-Sundays, 9:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

WHERE

The Ecology Center:

32701 Alipaz St, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

PUBLIC CONTACT

For more information on Strawberry U-Pick visit https://theecologycenter.org/strawberry-u-pick/. To learn more about The Ecology Center and upcoming events, please visit www.TheEcologyCenter.org.

Credit: The Ecology Center.

To celebrate National Chip and Dip Day, Rubio’s Coastal Grill is giving away free chips and guacamole to Rubio’s Rewards members, with any order on March 23. Rubio’s guacamole is made fresh daily using rich Hass avocados, cilantro, garlic, lime juice and natural sea salt. To receive the offer, simply log in to your Rewards account and place your order on Rubios.com or through the Rubio’s app, or scan your personal QR code at the register.

Celebrating their 40^th anniversary this year, all Rubio’s Coastal Grill locations are debuting refreshed store décor and packaging, and offering new dishes highlighting the company’s commitment to fresh, sustainable seafood and the flavors of Baja. Enjoy the new Baja Chimichurri Bowl or Two Taco Plate featuring wild-caught Red Argentinian Shrimp, and the Puerto Nuevo Burrito featuring wild-caught Langostino Lobster, available for a limited time.

Rubio’s guests in California, Nevada and Arizona can earn free drinks, desserts, tacos and entrées by joining Rubio’s Rewards. Members can sign up online or through the Rubio’s App, and start earning points toward free food. For more information about Rubio’s Coastal Grill and to view the menu, visit Rubio’s, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

Credit: Rubio’s. Self Disclosure: Some form of compensation was received to post.

The Aquarium of the Pacific’s eighteenth annual International Children’s Festival is a special festival for kids. Celebrating the amazing talents of children, this festival features cultural presentations and performances by children. West African dance, martial arts performances, a drum circle, Mexican folk dance, Irish dance, Korean dance, origami, Cambodian dance, Pacific Islander performances, and Persian music and art are included in the programming. The Aquarium will also honor a local youth with its annual Young Hero Award in recognition of the student’s efforts to make our planet a better place.

WHEN:           Saturday and Sunday, March 18-19, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

WHERE:         Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, CA 90802

COST:            Included with general admission: $36.95 per adult (ages 12+), $26.95 per child (ages 3-11), $33.95 per senior (ages 62+), and free for Aquarium members and children under age three / Advance reservations required

INFO:              (562) 590-3100 or aquariumofpacific.org/events/info/international_childrens_festival/

FESTIVAL

SPONSORED BY: 

Credit: Aquarium of the Pacific,

Family Festival: Nubia

GETTY VILLA

Saturday, March 4, 2023: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Sunday, March 5, 2023: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Discover the rich traditions of Nubian culture in this free, interactive festival for all ages. Immerse yourself in the sounds and dance of the region with Mekail and Nubian Sound Group and listen as DJ Tana Yonas delicately weaves a selection of musical gems from Africa’s east coast. Find yourself in front of a Nubian pyramid and create your own protective amulets or jewelry inspired by this civilization of three millennia. It’s a day for all your senses.

Complements the exhibition Nubia: Jewels of Ancient Sudan From the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Credit: GETTY VILLA.

Dana Point Harbor Hosts the 52nd Annual Festival of Whales March 4-5 

Famous for the best year-round whale watching, Dana Point Harbor is celebrating whale watching season with the 52nd Annual Dana Point Festival of Whales, March 4 – 5. The Festival, now in partnership with the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce, commemorates the annual migration of California gray whales through Dana Point, the “Dolphin & Whale Watching Capital of the World^®.” 

“The Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to work in partnership with Dana Wharf Sportfishing & Whale Watching and Dana Point Harbor Partners to carry on a tradition that is so treasured by the community,”  said Vickie McMurchie, Executive Director of Dana Point Chamber of Commerce. “This beloved annual celebration brings locals and visitors together to highlight the prevalence of environmentalism, art and community in Dana Point and we’re honored to be more involved this year.”

The weekend festivities will begin with the Welcoming of the Whales Ceremony at the Ocean Institute on Friday, March 3. The event begins at 4:45 p.m. with a sunset ceremony and reception to follow, free non-alcoholic beverages, and food-truck cuisine available for purchase. The weekend events will be kicked off with the Festival of Whales “Magical Migration” Parade on Saturday, March 4 at 10 a.m., traveling from the island, over the bridge and into the village of Dana Point Harbor. New to the festival this year, a concert on Saturday Night at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott will feature artists Sheena Easton and Taylor Dayne. 

“We are proud that the Festival of Whales is in its 52nd year and each year we continue to add more events and educational activities for the public,” said Donna Kalez, owner of Dana Wharf Sportfishing and Whales Watching and whose father Don Hansen, started the festival 52 years ago. 

The remainder of the weekend will be filled with events including whale excursions, the Whales, Tales & Ales street fair, a thrilling Dinghy Dash, and the Diamond Dig treasure hunt. The Concert on the Water will take place at 12 p.m. on March 5 at Baby Beach, featuring three live bands performing atop a floating stage, BBQ specialties available for purchase and a Spirit Garden for those 21 and older. Additional artists will perform in the Harbor Music Series at different locations within the Harbor. Whether you’d like to stroll through classic vessels in the Classic Car and Boat Show, participate in a beach cleanup, vote on your favorite chowder in the Clam Chowder Cook-Off, or snap a photo in front of the life-sized whale tale sculpture, Fluke, the Festival of Whales has entertainment and activities for all ages. Many of the events benefit local non-profits including Fish for Life, the Dana Point 5th Marines, and the Rotary Club of Monarch Beach. 

Celebrate whale watching season and enjoy the diverse marine life Dana Point Harbor offers year-round. For more information and to view the full list of events, visit festivalofwhales.com and DanaPointHarbor.com.

Credit: Dana Point Harbor.

https://socalcitykids.com/37266-2/

Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. (DTSM, Inc.) in partnership with Santa Monica Black Lives Association is hosting Celebration & Solidarity: Black History Month Festival on Saturday, March 11 from 4 -10 p.m. on the Third Street Promenade. The festival features live musical performances by rapper Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, comedy rock band Big Daddy, Gospel artist Betty Griffin, R&B artists Darrell Wilson and Frederick Buzz Busby, and DJ Shun Griffin among others, plus local performance groups of African drummers, cultural musicians and an African American dance troupe. 

Attendees will have the opportunity to visit various educational exhibits that highlight the contributions of African Americans in science and technology and attend a celebrity panel discussion featuring Mayor Pro Tem Lana Negrete, former Los Angeles Laker Norm Nixon, rapper Krayzie Bones and others, that explores the impact of African Americans in the entertainment industry. Local vendors will offer a variety of African American-made products for purchase throughout the evening and local restaurants will feature special menu items honoring Black History Month available for purchase. 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

4:30 p.m. – Opening ceremony and welcome speeches by event organizer, Jane Smith and Mayor Gleam Davis

5 p.m. – Live music performance by local R&B and Soul band

5:30 p.m. – Educational exhibit on the contributions of African Americans in science and technology

6 p.m. – Celebrity panel discussion on the impact of African Americans in the entertainment industry

6:30 p.m. – Dance performance by a local African American dance troupe

7 p.m. – Live performance by “Big Daddy”

7:30 p.m. – Live performance by “Cruiser”

8 p.m. – Live performance by “Ronnie”

8:30 p.m. – Live performance by “Krayzie Bone” of Bone Thugs-n-Harmony

9 p.m. – Closing ceremony with remarks by event organizer, Kera Blade-Snell

9:15 p.m. – DJ Music

WHEN:

Saturday, March 11 from 4 -10 p.m.

WHERE:

Third Street Promenade between Broadway and Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90401

ADMISSION :

Admission is free to the public; all ages are welcome.  

Credit: Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. and Santa Monica Black Lives Association.

Does your recipe have what it takes to go head-to-head with the Original Fish Taco?

Calling all fish taco lovers! Rubio’s Coastal Grill is holding their first-ever battle for the best fish taco. Taco fans, age 18 and over, from California, Arizona and Nevada, are encouraged to submit their best, original and most delicious fish taco recipes. Finalists will come to San Diego for the chance to win $1,000 and have their taco featured on Rubio’s menu.

The window to submit online recipes, along with mouth-watering photos, is now —February 27. Next, the public will vote for the top three crave-worthy recipes. The three finalists will be invited to Rubio’s San Diego Test Kitchen during the week of April 17. While in San Diego, they will cook their fish tacos live for a panel of judges, including the man behind Rubio’s fish taco phenomenon, Ralph Rubio.

“It’s Rubio’s 40^th anniversary, and we’re looking forward to tasting some delicious and innovative fish taco recipes from our very own fans,” said Rubio’s Co-Founder, Ralph Rubio. “To this day, I remember that incredible bite of my first fish taco in San Felipe. It’s that same craveable ‘wow factor’ that we are looking for in our grand prize winner. Good luck!”

Fish taco recipe submissions should fit in with the Rubio’s menu, and can include one protein of shrimp, mahi mahi or pollock. They should feature either corn, flour or keto tortillas, and can include any of Rubio’s ingredients plus up to three new ingredients. For more information, visit http://www.rubios.com/fish-taco-battle.

Credit: Rubio’s. Self Disclosure: Some form of compensation was received to post.