March has arrived and while it may still be a bit chilly in good old Chicago, spring is on the horizon and there is plenty of fun to be had. With the spring season around the corner, the days are getting longer and the festival season has begun. Here are some items to fill your March calendar.

Chicago Botanic Garden Orchid Show

When: March 1^st – March 22^nd

Step out of winter into the Regenstein Center and find yourself in a tropical oasis of orchid splendor. This annual orchid event has over 10,000 blooms on display in towering orchid installations. Exhibits in this artistic display include a floating carpet of orchids, a towering kaleidoscope, and a dramatic chandelier. Plan your visit on a Saturday or Sunday if you would like to purchase some orchids of your own, or pop in on a Thursday evening for a cocktail during Orchids After Hours.

Spring Cocktail Competition

When: Mondays Only from March 2^nd – March 23^rd

Time Out Market is in need of judges for their boozy mix master competition, so they’ve decided to let the public choose the winners. Using the Chicago Flag as inspiration, the contestants will be creating custom concoctions in four different categories: Chicago Fire (Mezcal), Fort Dearborn (brandy or cognac), Columbian Exposition (gin), and Century of Progress Exposition (vodka). Every Monday night from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., eight bartenders will present their signature cocktails to the public and a panel of judges in hopes of becoming the crowd favorite. Two finalists from each category will go head-to-head to determine the winner, with their signature creation becoming a fixture on the spring menu. So stop in and get some complimentary cocktail samples and cast your vote for the best boozy bartender.

Jurassic Quest

When: March 6^th – March 8^th

Grab the kids and go back in time to the Jurassic era at this three day exhibit at Navy Pier. Explore over 100 prehistoric creatures in a way you haven’t seen before with gigantic animatronic dinosaurs. Take a ride on a T-Rex, take photos with the fifty foot Megalodon shark, and stand amongst the Velociraptors. Kids will enjoy digging for fossils, face painting, science and craft activities, as well as a bouncy house. You haven’t experienced a day of dinosaur fun like this before.

Chiditarod

When: March 7^th

Do you want to have a day of fun all while giving something back to the community? Well then get your team together and participate in Chiditarod, Chicago’s 100% volunteer driven mobile food drive. The teams are made up of five people, four pullers and one musher, all decked out in creative and hilarious costumes. This is more than your typical food drive, as the Chiditarod is also a shopping cart race, pub crawl, costume contest, talent show, and fundraiser all created to benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository and the Chiditarod Foundation. Whether you join the race or simply come out as a spectator, you’ll certainly have a great time!

Chicago Beer Festival

When: March 14^th

Just in time for St. Patrick’s Day, the Chicago Beer Festival is returning to the Field Museum’s Stanley Hall. With over 60 breweries represented, you’ll be able to sample brews from brew masters at Maplewood, Half Acre, Whiner, as well as many others from the Chicago area and beyond. Your ticket will provide you with 40 tasting vouchers, but be sure to purchase them ahead of time as they won’t be available at the door.

Dyeing of the Chicago River

When: March 14^th

Bear witness to the dyeing of the Chicago River for St. Patrick's Day, a tradition since 1962. Each year the Journeymen Plumbers Local Union 130 pour a vegetable-based dye into the river on the morning of the St. Patrick’s Day parade, turning the water a festive shade of green. The dyeing takes place between Columbus Drive and State Street, with the Michigan Avenue bridge and the outlying Riverwalk being the best place to view.

Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade

When: March 14^th

After the dyeing of the Chicago River, the St. Patrick’s Day celebration continues with the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which is amongst the largest in the country. The parade is held on Columbus Avenue between Balbo Drive and Monroe Street. Enjoy a festive and lively procession of bagpipers, drummers and Irish dancers in a sea of green.

Enjoy the month of March and all the events Chicago has to offer!!