Mar 1-31 Spirits Soar at the Alameda Marketplace Starting with First Friday and running through the month of March, enjoy “Shared Spirits” at the Alameda Marketplace, featuring artist Barbara Davis. She explores the shared spirit of spaces and the beings that inhabit them. Barbara’s paintings are mixed-media works with layers of acrylic paint, decorative papers, found images, charcoal, and other elements that help define the piece. 1650 Park Street, open Monday through Saturday, 9am to 8pm, and Sunday, 9am to 7pm. First Friday and art exhibits are also held by Open Arts Gallery (510) 395-1139 and Hello Wines (510) 522-5700 at 2900 Main Street near the ferry docks. Alameda Art Center hosts a show theme of East Bay Landscapes at 1508 Webster, the corner of Pacific and Webster Streets in Alameda. At the Frank Bette Center for the Arts, 1601 Paru at the corner of Lincoln Ave., the themed show is “Touch Me.” Call (510) 523-6957 or visit www.frankbette.org.

Mar 9-20 Tall Ships
As the seasons change, the rain stops and it’s time to sail again. Visit the Hawaiian Chieftain and Lady Washington docked near the Waterfront Plaza Hotel and Oakland Ferry Dock to tour the classically built ships from the dock or perhaps step aboard for a Bay excursion from Jack London Square in Oakland.
(415) 331-3214 www.hawaiianchieftan.com  

Mar 10-18 Tiburon Film Festival celebrates the 4th annual festival on the eve of its opening on Thursday, March 10, showing the film “Happy Hour” with its cast and crew at the Corinthian Yacht Club on Main Street in Tiburon. The film will be screened at the Tiburon Playhouse Theater at 7pm, with a reception following at the yacht club immediately after the film. The film festival showcases new talent along with the newest works of fabulously talented directors. A long list of directors and many of the casts will be attending the various showings. See the web site for details on show and event schedules for the eight days of the festival. The awards ceremony and closing night will be on Friday, March 18, at Sam’s restaurant, also on Main Street. For more information, or to buy tickets, call (415) 381-4123 or stop by the office at 1680 Tiburon Blvd. from 10am to 6pm, 7 days a week, starting March 1, 2005.

Mar 13   153rd Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade San Francisco’s Saint Patrick’s Day Parade is one of the longest running parades in the country, attracting over 100,000 onlookers last year alone. This year’s parade starts at 11:30am at 2nd and Market and proceeds to the Civic Center Plaza where participants and onlookers will continue celebrating. With close to 200 parade entries, there are sure to be fantastic Irish dancers and lively Celtic music (don’t forget the bagpipes)! Even San Francisco Mayor Newsom is rumored to be part of the festivities. For the first time in its 153 years, a full day of fun is planned for the Saint Patrick’s Day Celebration at Civic Center Plaza, Grove and Larkin from 10am to 5pm. (415) 675-9885  

Mar 13 Trinity Irish Dance Company and Different Drums of Ireland Experience the sights and sounds of the rapid-fire rhythm of The Trinity Irish Dance Company and Different Drums of Ireland as they combine their talents for the first time ever to present “Different Dances Different Drums” at Marin Center on Sunday, March 13, at 3pm. In this Bay Area exclusive, traditional Irish step dance intermixes with the tribal beat of Irish drumming. Trinity’s dazzling proficiency matched by the indigenous drummers of Northern Ireland will entertain the entire family at the Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium, Avenue of the Flags at Civic Center Drive in San Rafael. Tickets are $36; $32 and $25 (students 18 and under $18). Marin Center Box Office (415) 499-6800, ticketmaster.com, or ticketmaster outlets.
www.marincenter.org

Mar 17 Third Thursday Webster Street Campus The 2nd Third Thursday event begins at 2pm and continues into the evening with half-hour to hour-long events. Most sessions are free, although some require material fees. Classes offered are mostly arts and crafts, but include preventative vehicle maintenance and prescription drug Q&A. For full details on participating businesses and times, call (888) 201-9222 or go to www.westalamedabusiness.org.

Mar 19 Art and All That Jazz Original Art Auction, Alameda Art Center Fundraiser offers an evening of celebration where affordable original art will be sold in a live and silent auction. The place is the historic Art Deco Theater at Auctions by the Bay, 2700 Sarasota St. in Alameda Point. Enjoy the evening with entertainment, champagne, fine wines, hors d’oeuvres, and dessert for $20. Reservations suggested due to limited space. Begins promptly at 6pm. Call (510) 748-7888 or visit muse@alamedaartcenter.org.

Mar 19 Crab Feast on the Bay
Catch the last crab season excursion on San Francisco Bay for a feast of fresh crab. Red and White Fleet cruises take crab enthusiasts around the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands, Fort Mason, and more while enjoying Dungeness crab and San Francisco sourdough bread. Prepare to leave the dock at 12 noon. Reservations recommended. Red and White Fleet, Pier 43 1/2, Fisherman’s Wharf. Admission: $45 per person (Includes cruise and whole crab with all the fixings). (800) 229-2784  

Mar 20   Across the Bay 12K Race The largest run ever to cross the Golden Gate Bridge ends with a world-class, post-race party at Fisherman’s Wharf. 9am-12pm. The run is from Sausalito to Fisherman’s Wharf. After the long run, take the ferry back to Sausalito to end the day. (415) 759-2690

Mar 26-27 Peter Rabbit Weekend! Two days of hippity, hoppity fun, including cookie decorating, egg races, an egg toss, free prizes, and more! Plus, meet Fairyland’s resident bunnies, Nikki and Smokey! Children’s Fairyland (510) 452-2259 www.fairylandorg