San Diego Weekend Guide: Feb. 28-March 2 – Petals & Picnics

Spring has sprung … well, OK, we’re jumping the gun. We do that where spring is concerned. But one big sign of the new season rises up this San Diego weekend, and not just because the calendar is flipping to March.

Circus Vargas returns at the Westfield Plaza Bonita at 7:30 p.m. Friday, with three shows Saturday and Sunday. This year’s theme, “Hollywood Dreams,” is a throwback to the Golden Age of cinema. Busy this weekend? You have through March 10 in National City, then the bigtop shifts north to Mission Valley from March 14 to April 7. Tickets start at $25.

It’s all about museums in February, but in March we turn to San Diego Theater Month. Snag discounted tickets throughout the month, ranging from $15-$45. Participating theaters include biggies like the La Jolla Playhouse and the Old Globe, along with smaller stalwarts on the scene, such as New Village Arts, Moxie, Cygnet and more.

The San Diego Bird Festival continues through Sunday, celebrating the birds and habitats of San Diego County, with lectures and speakers at the Marina Village Conference Center on Mission Bay’s Quivira Basin. But the highlight will be hikes and birdwatching events throughout the county, including Ramona and La Jolla Cove. Register on site.

Lack of rainfall might put the kibosh on desert blooms this year. But stay closer to home and the Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch will offer all the color and wonder you need. The fields open Saturday and gardeners there report 14 acres of ranunculus already are in bloom, with lots more to come. Opening week tickets are $22, before rising to $27 for general admission. The season continues through early May.

The free San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering returns to Petco Park at 10 a.m. Saturday with all the activities a child who loves STEM might desire, plus art and performances too. Try the construction zone for those curious about architecture, civil engineering or the skilled trades and the cybersecurity zone for exposure to ethical hacking and encryption. And for the littlest – there’s a Pre-K zone with age-appropriate experiments.

CRSSD Festival Spring 2025 lands at Waterfront Park with a slate that includes Justice, Green Velvet François X and Maceo Plex on Saturday, and Fisher, ARTBAT, Sasha & John Digweed and Claptone on Sunday. Single-day admission is $159. After Dark venues include Spin, Music Box and Rich’s.

The Rady Shell hosts the fourth annual Picnic in the Park to give San Diegans a preview of the summer season on the Embarcadero. Gates for the free celebration open at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, with performances by San Diego Symphony Orchestra musicians and Cassie B and The Farmers. Reserve spots online.

It’s Dr. Seuss’ birthday and the La Jolla Village Merchants Association is hosting a celebration at 11 a.m. Sunday. Enjoy a scavenger hunt, dance party, story time by Warwick’s and a goodie bag for pre-registering. Head to Sotheby’s Plaza, 1111 Prospect.

Grammy nominee Nathalie Joachim takes the stage at the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad at 4 p.m. Sunday. Her album, “Ki moun ou ye,” performed in English and Haitian Creole, was written on the remote Caribbean farmland that her family continues to call home after seven generations. Tickets cost $35.