Cerca Calendar: March

Though the ground may still be white in many parts of Cerca country, expect a celebration of the green as St. Patrick’s Day is observed with parades, food and drink.

Friday through March 4, Truckee, Calf.: Mardi Gras Celebration. Head slopeside to celebrate Mardi Gras. There will be live entertainment, Mardi Gras mask and face painting and plenty of food and drink. Northstar Village. 800-466-6784. www.northstarcalifornia.com.

Friday through March 9, North Lake Tahoe, Calif.: Annual Snowfest. North Lake Tahoe celebrates winter with on- and off-mountain events. The festival includes parades, live music, contests, comedy shows, ski races and a polar bear swim. Events take place throughout the North Tahoe area. 530-583-7167. www.tahoesnowfestival.com.

Saturday, Lone Pine, Calif.: Early Opener Trout Derby. All ages may participate. There will be prizes, including an $800 Blind Bogey. Every child who catches a fish will also get a prize. Breakfast burritos and coffee will be offered. 760-876-4444. www.lonepinechamber.org.

March 6, Cedar City, Utah: 22nd Braithwaite Art Auction. An auction featuring paintings, drawings, prints, photography, ceramics and jewelry by some of the Southwest’s finest artists. Rusty’s Ranch House. 435-586-7700. www.suu.edu.

March 15, Prescott, Ariz.: Go! Off Road Duathlon. This triathlon-style race combines trail running and mountain biking. All proceeds go to the Prescott Kiwanis Foundation Endowment Fund. Pioneer Park/Brownlow Trails. 928-445-8700. www.go-ar.com.

March 15, Reno: Reno Leprechaun Crawl. Paint the town green at more than 20 locations throughout the city. Contests, entertainment and, of course, leprechauns. 775-342-9565. www.visitrenotahoe.com.

March 15, Springdale, Utah: St. Patrick’s Day Celebration. There will be a parade, green Jell-O sculpture contest and plenty of entertainment for the entire family. 435-772-3434. www.springdaletown.com.

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 during the annual Oyster Fry. 775-847-7500. www.visitvirginiacitynv.com.

March 16, Blue Diamond: Full Moon Hike. Enjoy the full moon in this Red Rock setting for a one-hour guided hike. Bring a flashlight and wear warm clothing. Reservations are required. 702-875-4141. www.parks.nv.gov.

March 21, Zion National Park, Utah: Poetry in the Park. This annual workshop features professor and Minnesota Poet Laureate John Rezmerski. The session will focus on how to diagnose problems and repair poems. Reservations needed. Zion Canyon Field Institute. 800-635-3959. www.zionpark.org.

March 22, Prescott, Ariz.: “An Immigrant Struggles: The Diary of Irish/American ‘Mim’ Walsh.” Walsh wrote a 50-year journal expressing her thoughts on being an immigrant. The journal will be discussed through a lecture and illustrated presentation by Judy Nolte Temple, a University of Arizona professor. Sharlot Hall Museum. 928-445-3122. www.sharlot.org.

March 27, Carson City: “Antarctica, A Continent Under Stress.” Robert Collier will discuss his research experience in Antartica as part of the Frances Humphrey Lecture Series. Nevada State Museum. 775-687-4810. www.nevadaculture.org.

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