The month of March begins on Friday. As we leave February's cold winter weather behind, there are many reasons to look forward to March.
From March Madness, the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball tournament to warmer weather, spring and special holidays, March is a great month.
March is the month when Mother Nature bursts forth in bloom. Spring flowers you can already see in bloom include crocuses and daffodils.
Soon they will be joined by tulips, hyacinths and many varieties of blooming trees and shrubs. The streets of Lynchburg will be lined with blooming pear trees and forsythias and azaleas will be in bloom in many yards.
March is also a month for spending more time outdoors. With the warmer weather, families will be out at parks and trails on the weekends.
Start the month of March right by joining the Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club for a family hike on Saturday, March 2. Meet at the Ed Page Entrance to the Blackwater Creek Bikeway, off Langhorne Road, at 1 p.m.
Spring sports kick into gear in March. Softball, baseball, soccer, lacrosse and track and field will keep athletes and sports parents on the go during March.
This is the 75th year of March Madness. The tournament starts March 19. Bookmark the link above to follow the madness all the way to the national championship game on April 8.
Dr. Seuss' birthday is celebrated on March 2. Celebrate the life of the author of "The Cat in the Hat" and many other beloved children's books by joining in Read Across America.
You won't want to miss the Green Valley Book Fair, which will be held from March 9-24. This is the first of six events held just south of Harrisonburg, Va. at Mt. Crawford. You will find more than 500,000 discounted books in over 60 categories.
Daylight Saving Time will begin on March 10. We will have more sunlight and more hours to enjoy being outdoors.
St. Patrick's Day is celebrated each year on March 17. In Roanoke, the annual St. Patrick's Day parade will be held on March 16 in downtown Roanoke. The parade and the Shamrock Festival, which begins at 10 a.m., are managed by Downtown Roanoke, Inc. so there may be some changes.
The first day of spring is celebrated with the Vernal Equinox at 7:02 a.m. EDT on March 20. On this day, day and night are equal everywhere.
Many people also celebrate the season with spring cleaning in their homes, opening windows to let in fresh air after a winter of having the windows closed.
There are important religious holidays at the end of March. Passover is one of the most sacred holidays observed by those of the Jewish faith. Passover begins at Sundown on March 25 and lasts for eight days in the U.S. The holiday, which celebrates the flight of the Israelites from Egypt, is celebrated with many important rituals and time spent with family.
Christians around the world will celebrate Holy Week, the week leading into Easter, at the end of March. On Palm Sunday, March 24, many churches will hold processions with blessed palms to celebrate Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem.
At the end of the week, the Easter Triduum of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday observe the death and resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday, March 31.
This is the holiest time of the year for Catholics and other Christians. Easter is also celebrated in many families with Easter egg hunts, baskets and other rituals.
March is a month of weather extremes. It's said that March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. March is a great month to celebrate as winter ends and warm weather appears.
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