CERCA CALENDAR

Winter is already on the way out in many parts of Cerca Country, and residents meet spring with renewed vigor. Consider joining them for any of the events listed below.

Saturday, Death Valley, Calif.: Death Valley Century and Double Century. This intense bike race travels from Furnace Creek through Badwater, then over the mountain passes to Shoshone and back. 100-mile and 200-mile races. www.adventurecorps.com.

Saturday, Flagstaff, Ariz.: Appraisal Day. Bring in your Southwestern native arts and crafts to learn about their value and approximate age, as well as tribal and artist identification. Reservations needed. Museum of Northern Arizona, (928) 774-5213, www.musnaz.org.

Saturday, Lone Pine, Calif.: Early Opener Trout Derby. Sign-up starts at 8:30 a.m. Fishing continues until the 3:30 p.m. weigh in. Prizes and cash prizes. Diaz Lake, (760) 876-4444, www.lonepinechamber.org.

Sunday, Tahoe City, Calif.: The Great Ski Race. More than 1,000 Nordic ski racers compete on a 30K course from Lake Tahoe to Truckee. Fundraiser for the Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue Team. (530) 583-5475, www.thegreatskirace.com.

Through March 30, Big Bear Lake, Calif.: Let's Go Snowshoeing. On Saturdays or Sundays, snow permitting, join a naturalist and tour scenic areas of Big Bear Valley on snowshoes, learning about winter ecology and natural history. Snowshoes provided. Big Bear Discovery Center, (909) 382-2790, www.bigbeardiscoverycenter.com.

March 6-7, St. George, Utah: The Ten Tenors. The Australian music ensemble known as TTT performs two evening concerts. Dixie State College, Cox Performing Arts Center, (435) 652-7800, www.thetentenors.com.

March 8, Carson City: Cowboy Jubilee and Poetry. Cowboy music and poetry will be featured during two shows. Western barbecue. Benefit for Carson Tahoe Regional Healthcare. (775) 883-1532, www.carsontahoe.com.

March 8, Lake Mead National Recreation Area: Great American Clean-up. Support our public land by cleaning up litter and debris. Volunteers as young as 6 welcome with adult supervision. Call for specifics on location, (702) 293-8714, www.getoutdoorsnevada.org.

March 8, Valley of Fire State Park: Rock Art Tour. The Nevada Rock Art Foundation will lead a tour to some of the park's best petroglyph sites. Easy walking. For information and reservations contact, nrafmcconnell@aol.com or call (702) 395-0315.

March 9 and 16, Flagstaff, Ariz.: Spring Break Star Fest. Celebrate spring break with a special Star Party featuring Saturn. This special event will include indoor programs and numerous telescopes set up for viewing throughout the Lowell Observatory campus. (928) 233-3210, www.lowell.edu.

March 11, Flagstaff, Ariz.: En Vogue: 90 Years of Riordan Women's Fashion. Learn about the many styles of women's clothing popular from the later 1880s-1960s, featuring garments worn by three generations of this family. Riordan Mansion State Park, (928) 779-4395, www.pr.state.az.

March 15, Virginia City: St. Patrick's Day Parade and Oyster Fry. Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a parade that travels down streets painted with shamrocks, then feast on oysters. (775) 847-4386, www.virginiacity-nv.org.

March 16, Sparks: Top O' the Mornin' Fun Run/Walk. This event features a walk, run and a costume contest to pick the best-dressed leprechaun. Sparks Marina, (775) 353-7898, www.visitreno.com.

March 21-22, St. George, Utah: St. George Art Festival. See original work by artists from around the Southwest. Live entertainment, wandering minstrels, ethnic food booths and a children's art area. (435) 634-5850, www.cityinsider.com.

March 22, Zion National Park, Utah: Native Plants and Xeriscaping. Learn about the seven principles of xeriscaping and talk about native plants and how to use them in your own backyard. Reservations needed. Zion Canyon Field Institute, (800) 635-3959, www.zionpark.org.

March 27, Zion National Park, Utah: Thursday Trek. Join a naturalist and learn about the geology, flora, fauna and cultural history of Zion. Reservations needed. Zion Canyon Field Institute, (800) 635-3959, www.zionpark.org.

March 27-30, Laughlin: Laughlin River Stampede PRCA Rodeo. As many as 700 participants compete in eight traditional rodeo events, including bareback bronc riding, team roping and bull riding. (800) 227-5245, www.honeycuttrodeo.com.

March 29-30, Reno: A.V.A. Ballet Theatre. Northern Nevada's leading ballet company presents the classic "Cinderella." The Reno Philharmonic Orchestra will perform the score. Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, (877) 840-0457, www.pioneercenter.com.