Southern California

Weekend: Knott's Boysenberry Fest Opens

Bring on the boysenberry-sauced ribs and boysenberry-topped funnel cake.

Knott's Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival Opens: Is there another fruit or veg on the planet that's as associated with a single attraction? One cannot (and shouldn't) extricate the boysenberry from the Buena Park destination, as their entwined history is as colorful as a ripe, knobbly berry on the vine. The theme park pauses each spring to pay culinary tribute to its most famous fruit, via a multi-day festival that features some 70 dishes that incorporate boysenberry goodness. Does this include savory stuff? You bet. Will you get messy/sticky, around the chin, as you should when consuming this colorful favorite? Fingers crossed. March 19 through April 3

¡Latin Food Fest!: Three days -- plus an early Thursday night kick-off -- of delicious foodstuffs made by accoladed chefs, all in the perfect setting of Grand Park? It's happening, from March 18 through 21. The Grande Tasting is open to adults 21-and-over, and it includes Argentinean wines, "Spirits of the Americas," and a bevy of bites that are at the forefront of the Latin contemporary cooking scene. The beneficiary of the weekend is Camp Able. The details? Find them cooking this way.

Earth Hour: Major landmarks in several countries will hit the dimmer from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 19 -- local time, wherever they are, it should be noted -- and Southern California will, in many corners, follow suit. It's the World Wildlife Federation's call to raise awareness about the climate and saving energy. Want to join in? You can participate at home, or join LADWP downtown and watch some skyscrapers turn out the lights.

Bergamot Station Spring Fling: Food trucks, live orchestrations from the Venice Symphony Orchestra, an introduction to origami, and other creatively expansive happenings fill this open house at the celebrated cluster of galleries in Santa Monica. The weather should be fine, the art will be brain/spirit-enhancing, and the fun of a street fair will alight at this nexus for visual wonders. Take a tango lesson, or simply peek inside 30 galleries, on Saturday, March 19.

BYO Cup Days: How would you plan a 50th anniversary party for Slurpee? The slushtastic beverage is synonymous with a warm summer's day, so the celebration should be big. And it will be, when fans show up to participating 7-Elevens hauling their own cups, any cups, of any size, to fill with Slurpee goodness. The cost is $1.50, and, yes, people do show up with empty jugs and margarita glasses. Just make sure that your cup is clean, that you're on board on March 18 and 19, and you read the asterisks.

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