Lucky you. You just found NOVAtoday’s Plan Ahead, a list of some of the biggest events to plan for that are taking place throughout Northern Virginia each month.
Take out your calendar, grab your day planner, or text all your friends — these are the top events we recommend heading to this month. Psst: Don’t forget to bookmark this page and come back; we update our guide monthly.
(Don’t see anything you like? Check out our full events calendar.)
Concerts
Journey: “Final Frontier Tour” | Wednesday, March 4 | 7:30 p.m. | Capital One Arena, Washington, DC | $89+ | Don’t miss this legendary band as they make a stop in Washington, DC on their “Final Frontier Tour.”
Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel: “Mozart and Friends” | Sunday, March 15 | 7 p.m. | George Mason Center for the Arts, Fairfax | $38+ | Hear Jeffrey Siegel perform pieces on the keyboard by renowned artists like Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, and Hummel.
For more upcoming concerts, check out this guide.
Don’t miss this St. Paddy’s Day parade in Alexandria. | Photo via Flickr
St. Patrick’s Day
Ballyshaners St. Patrick’s Parade | Saturday, March 7 | 12-3 p.m. | Downtown Alexandria, Alexandria | Free | Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in true Irish spirit at Alexandria’s lively parade kicking off from the corner of King Street.
Greater Manassas St. Patrick’s Day Parade | Saturday, March 14 | 11 a.m.-1 p.m. | Old Town Manassas along Center Street, Manassas | Free | Honor Irish history at this parade. It will be happening rain or shine, so dress accordingly — we recommend something green.
Clarendon’s St. Paddy’s Day Bar Crawl | Saturday, March 14 | 3-10 p.m. | Clarendon Ballroom, Arlington | $7+ | Take a tour of Arlington’s Clarendon neighborhood by stopping at numerous bars for St. Patrick’s Day.
Women’s History Month
BWR 15th Annual Women of Power National Summit | Wednesday, March 11 | 1 p.m. | Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington | $40+ | This five-day gathering is focused on empowering Black women through leadership, advocacy, and community action.
Women’s Storytelling Festival 2026 | Thursday, March 19-Sunday, March 22 | Times vary | Sherwood Community Center, Fairfax | $35+ | Hear from 10+ women and non-gender-conforming storytellers for the sixth year of this festival.
Women’s History Month Breakfast | Friday, March 27 | 8:30 a.m. | The River View at Occoquan, Lorton | Free | Registration for this annual event will open soon — join them in celebrating Women’s History Month while enjoying a delicious breakfast.
Don’t miss the cherry blossom trees this spring. | Photo via Flickr
Cherry blossom season
Pink in the Pool | Saturday, March 21 | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center, Arlington | Free | Enjoy this family-friendly swim event along with a variety of art activities.
Opening Ceremony for Cherry Blossom Festival | Saturday, March 21 | 5-6:30 p.m. | DAR Constitution Hall, Washington, DC | $5+ | Kick off the National Cherry Blossom Festival with this event, featuring a variety of performances.
Pink Beats | Thursday, March 26-Thursday, April 9 | 5-8 p.m. | Water Park, Arlington | Free | Savor this outdoor happy hour with a DJ on Thursdays from March 26 to April 9.
Sports
Spring Backyard Burn Trail Run | Sunday, March 1 | 9 a.m. | Wakefield Park, Annandale | $55+ | Tackle the trails in either a five-mile or 10-mile race through trails in Annandale.
The Harlem Globetrotters: “100 Year Tour” | Sunday, March 8 | 3 p.m. | EagleBank Arena, Fairfax | $50+ | Watch the world-renowned Harlem Globetrotters as they take on the Washington Generals for their centennial celebration
Washington Wizards vs. Golden State Warriors | Monday, March 16 | 7 p.m. | Capital One Arena, Washington, DC | $70+ | Root for your Washington Wizards while they play against the Golden State Warriors at home.
Washington Capitals vs. Ottawa Senators | Wednesday, March 18 | 7:30 p.m. | Capital One Arena, Washington, DC | $42+ | Celebrate cherry blossom night with the Washington Capitals — all tickets include a Caps Cherry Blossom tumbler.
Capital Backyard Ultra | Saturday, March 28 | 7 a.m. | Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area, Lorton | $200 | This event is a type of ultramarathon where runners complete a roughly four-mile loop every hour, on the hour, repeating it until only one participant remains.
Have an event of your own you want to share with us? Follow these easy steps to add your events to our calendar:
- Go to our Events page.
- Click “Add Event” in the top right-hand corner.
- Make sure to include a link and fill out important information like the date, time, location, and price of your event.
- Click “Submit,” and you’ve just added an event to our website calendar.