From the first tap of maple syrup season to March Madness, the month of March is filled with sun and sweetness as we start to bid goodbye to winter. We have compiled a list of events and festivals certain to bring a skip to your step, cross off a bunch of outdoor and indoor activities on your 2022 #PABucketList, and explore #SpringItOnPA in March.
To see a full list of the events and festivals happening this spring, check out the visitPA website.
1. The Philadelphia Auto Show
Rev your engines as the classic Philadelphia Auto Show returns to the Pennsylvania Convention Center! Browse a featured selection of all-new vehicles, classic cars, and exotics on display this year. You can even get behind the wheel and channel your inner NASCAR driver motoring on their brand new indoor electric vehicle track.
When: Mar. 5-13
Where: Philadelphia
Cost: $16; Costs vary for seniors, children and military personnel
2. VNEA PA State 8-Ball Tournament
Nearly 2,000 pool shooters from across PA will converge on the Erie Bayfront Convention Center to vie for cash prizes and top ranking in the nation’s 4th largest 8-ball pool competition, the VNEA “Valley 8” PA State 8-Ball Tournament. The weekend event kicks off Mar. 10 for registered players with an evening of mini-tournaments, practice tables, and beer during the evening Suds ‘n Spuds
When: Mar. 11-13
Where: Erie
Cost: $10 per day; $20 for a 3-day pass
3. Clarion River Jam Bluegrass Festival
Listen to the soulful sounds of bluegrass while supporting a great cause at the annual Clarion River Jam Bluegrass Festival. The event kicks off with the foot-tapping music of Cattywampus and ends Sunday morning with a gospel jam. Tune into a full lineup of artists and help raise funds for United Way of Clarion County, with a portion of Clarion River Jam's share of the 50/50 raffle going to the Bluegrass Relief Fund.
When: Mar. 11-13
Where: Clarion
Cost: Free
4. Maple Taste and Tour Weekend
Take a journey to the land of milk and maple and explore more than 20 sugar camps when you attend Somerset County’s Maple Taste and Tour Weekend. Take a tour, taste maple-flavored products, learn about the maple syrup production process, and make this a family tradition!
When: Mar. 12-13
Where: Somerset
Cost: Free
5. Scout and Family Snowsports Weekend
Calling all scouts! Shawnee Mountain Ski Area is hosting its 33rd annual Scout & Family Snowsports Weekend. This traditional event includes discounts on lift tickets, rental equipment, and lunch. Scouts and their immediate families leave with commemorative event patches and memories that will last a lifetime.
When: Mar. 12-13
Where: East Stroudsburg
Cost: Call for pricing; tickets must be purchased online before the event
6. Adult Cooking Class: Corned Beef & Irish Soda Bread
Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day! Learn how to make traditional corned beef and Irish soda bread with fresh ingredients straight from the greenhouse and fields at Pocono Organics, the largest regenerative organic farm in North America. The adult only cooking class will be guided by none other than chef Lindsay McClain, winner of Food Network’s “Chopped.”
When: Mar. 15
Where: Blakeslee
Cost: $55
7. Ultimate NCAA Basketball Weekend
March Madness is coming to Pittsburgh for a basketball-filled weekend in the Steel City! Mark your calendars and gear up for NCAA® March Madness® in PA as Duquesne University’s brand new UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse hosts the Division III Women’s Basketball Championship on Mar. 17 and 19, and catch the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball First and Second Rounds at PPG Paints Arena on Mar. 18 and 20.
When: Mar. 17-20
Where: Pittsburgh
Cost: Cost varies
8. Brew & Chili Fest
Country Junction, the world’s largest general store, needs your help. They are relying on you to sample and then vote for the area’s best chili during this year’s annual Brew & Chili Fest! Sample local microbrews while tasting and judging the finest homemade chili made by participants. Children can have their own fun at County Junction’s children arcade, free outdoor petting zoo, and pet shop.
When: Mar. 19
Where: Lehighton
Cost: $10 to sample Chili and Brew and vote for best chili; $5 without the Brew
9. SWPA HauntedCon
No need to wait until October to get your haunt on. Explore some of southwestern PA’s most haunting mysteries of the paranormal at SWPA HauntedCon. Headliner Stan Gordon will present "An Illustrated Historic Synopsis of Pennsylvania's UFO and Bigfoot Encounters" and be joined by several other paranormal researchers and investigators. Eat, shop, and be spooked with local vendors of all kinds when you’re not learning more about PA’s paranormal residents.
When: Mar. 19
Where: Waynesburg
Cost: $20
10. Maple Open House Weekend
Loch's Maple’s skilled sugarmakers will take you on a sweet adventure through the woods for the start of maple syrup season. Get a firsthand look at the syrup refining process during Maple Weekend while discovering the many favorite maple products produced by the Loch family. From syrups and candies to coffee and popcorn, you’ll want to stick around all weekend.
When: Mar. 19-20
Where: Springville
Cost: Free
11. St. Patrick’s Day Parade
After a two-year hiatus, the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg is back! Join thousands of folks from the Pocono Mountains region and beyond in celebration of this iconic symbol of Irish heritage. There will be dozens of floats and marching bands, plus great discounts and specials from local shops and eateries.
When: Mar. 20
Where: Stroudsburg, East Stroudsburg
Cost: Free
12. NCAA March Madness at The Wells Fargo Center
Not to outdone by its sister city in western PA, Philadelphia is getting in on the NCAA® March Madness® action. Have a ball cheering on your March Madness bracket picks at the Wells Fargo Center as they host the Division I Men’s Basketball East Regional tournament. Experience some of college basketball’s biggest games of the season right in Philly.
When: Mar. 25 & 27
Where: Philadelphia
Cost: Cost varies
13. Annual Girardville St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Celebrate St. Patty’s Day with the 17th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade! Named one of the best and "Biggest Little St. Patrick's Day Parade This Side of the Atlantic," the parade brings a smile to thousands of Irish (and non-Irish) eyes each year. This year’s theme honors “Girardville’s Veterans of the Past and Present,” recognizing those in the community who have fought for this nation. The event will feature a variety of floats, local bands, and antique vehicles.
When: Mar. 26
Where: Girardville
Cost: Free
14. Garden Spot Village Half Marathon and 10K
Get in some exercise while sprinting through Lancaster County’s beautiful Amish farmlands during the Garden Spot Village 1/2 Marathon and 10K. Not feeling up to a 13.1 mile or 10K run? No worries – the finish line is open for five hours and “walkers” are welcome. Runners that finish the course will receive a medal and early registrants are guaranteed a t-shirt. Kids can join in on the fun and put their athleticism to the test with the Kids One-Mile Fun Run.
When: Mar. 26
Where: Lancaster
Cost: Cost varies
15. Maple Harvest Festival and Pancake Brunch
Kick off this year’s maple harvest with the sweetest event of the season. Learn and eat your way through the maple sugaring process at the Maple Harvest Festival and Pancake Brunch at Shaver’s Creek. Guests can tune into the live music, learn about resident animals through interactive programs, and watch interpreters reenact sugaring techniques from colonial times.
When: Mar. 26-27
Where: Petersburg
Cost: $10; $6 for youth ages 6-11
Note: Tickets must be purchased in advance online.
To find even more events across Pennsylvania, check out the visitPA.com website. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up to date on even more great ideas and places to visit around our state. Don’t forget to never miss an update and sign up for our monthly Happy Thoughts e-newsletter.