March arrives with a lot to say. Women's History Month fills the calendar with voices worth hearing — poets, photographers, painters, and community builders who remind us that art has always been how Riverside tells its own story. Throw in a few unforgettable nights of live music, some hands-on creativity, and a one-year anniversary worth celebrating, and you've got a month that moves. Check our community calendar for even more ways to get out and get involved.
Event details can shift and change. We recommend checking with each venue and organization directly for the most current information before attending.
Arts & Culture
Mar. 4 — Fortuitous Encounters: A Conversation with Lenard Smith and Rebecca Morse
- 6:00 p.m. (doors at 5:30 p.m.), California Museum of Photography & Culver Center of the Arts
- Free ticketed admission
- Lenard Smith — first-generation Ghanaian-American photographer whose work is held in the collections of LACMA and the Getty — joins curator Rebecca Morse and UCR ARTS Head of Exhibitions Kathryn Poindexter-Akers for a conversation about his first solo museum presentation. His studio-based work weaves together still life, assemblage, and questions of Black identity and culture. A rare chance to hear an artist of this caliber speak right here in Riverside.
Mar. 5 — Voices of Cultura
- 6:00–7:30 p.m., Riverside Main Library Community Room, 3900 Mission Inn Ave.
- Free, open mic to follow at 7:00 p.m.
- Inlandia Institute, in association with the Riverside Public Library and the Cultura Sin Fronteras committee, presents four talented women and gender non-conforming poets, authors, and speakers from across the Inland Empire for Women's History Month. Featured voices include Juanita Mantz, Natalie Sierra, Consuelo, and Sammy. An open mic closes out the evening — sign up and add your voice to the night.
Mar. 6 — The Body of Freedom: Exhibition Opening & Live Performances
- 6:00–8:00 p.m., The Center for Social Justice & Civil Liberties, 3855 Market St.
- Free and open to the public
- This large-scale collaborative project unites the Center for Social Justice & Civil Liberties, Ramona High School's Arts Magnet Program, Division 9 Gallery, the City of Riverside, the Riverside Community Arts Association, and the Mission Inn Foundation. Over ten free community workshops — from paper mâché and mural painting to community quilt-making and mosaic art — were offered to the public through fall and winter. Opening night brings it all together with live performances and a celebration of the artists and community members who made it happen.
Community Events
Mar. 7 — Riverside Reads Kick-Off Event | Virtual Author Screening: Chantha Nguon
- 12:00–3:00 p.m., Main Library, 3900 Mission Inn Ave. | (951) 826-2184
- Free
- Riverside's community reading program launches for 2026 with an afternoon centered on Chantha Nguon, author of Slow Noodles — a memoir about survival, memory, foodways, and rebuilding life after displacement as a Cambodian refugee. The event features a virtual interview screening with Nguon, followed by space for conversation and connection. Food trucks will be set up outside the library to keep the afternoon going. This is just the beginning — Riverside Reads programs and book discussions continue through April 8. A meaningful way to start a month already full of voices worth hearing.
Mar. 8 — Together, We Create: International Women's Day
- 12:00–2:00 p.m., Fairmount Park, 2901 Bowling Green Dr.
- Free and family-friendly | RSVP by March 5
- The Human Migration Institute invites the whole community to this joyful, intercultural afternoon in the park. Expect bouquet making, embroidery, mini canvas painting, a strength bracelet studio, henna art, a kids' creativity zone, and an appreciation open mic. All skill levels welcome — come to create, to connect, or simply to enjoy the afternoon alongside your neighbors. For questions or to get involved, contact Allison at SAS@hmir.org.
Mar. 8 — Run Club: Root//ed
- 12:00 p.m., Thompson Brewing Co., 9900 Indiana Ave., Unit 7
- RSVP required
- Start your International Women's Day with a run. Root//ed brings the community together on foot — a good way to begin a day already built around showing up for each other.
Mar. 21 — LiTEArature: A Fairy-Themed Afternoon Tea
- 2:00–4:00 p.m., Heritage House, 8193 Magnolia Ave. | (951) 826-5273
- $25 per person | Tickets via Eventbrite only — will NOT be available at the door
- Heritage House's beloved whimsical tea party returns, this year celebrating the Victorian fairy craze. Stroll the gardens, enjoy tea, finger sandwiches, and sweet treats among the fae — costumes encouraged, good spirits mandatory. This one has a loyal following and tickets are already gone — but you can still JOIN WAITLIST on Eventbrite.
Make Something
Mar. 11 — Paint & Pints
- 6:00 p.m., Thompson Brewing Co., 9900 Indiana Ave., Unit 7
- Tickets required
- Brush in one hand, pint in the other. A casual, creative evening hosted by Muse Market — no experience necessary.
Mar. 14–15 — Mosaic Art Fundraiser: Create Your Own Raincross Masterpiece
- Sat. Mar. 14, 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. | Sun. Mar. 15, 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
- Mission Inn Foundation Visitor Center + Museum, 3598 Main St.
- $100 per person, all materials provided
- The Mission Inn Foundation invites you to roll up your sleeves and make your own mosaic Raincross stepping stone. All materials are included in the ticket price, and proceeds support the Foundation's work preserving and sharing Riverside's history. Whether you attend Saturday or Sunday, you'll leave with something genuinely one-of-a-kind — and a good story about how it got made.
Mar. 15 — Bonsai Workshop
- 1:00 p.m., Thompson Brewing Co., 9900 Indiana Ave., Unit 7
- Tickets required
- Learn the art of bonsai from the folks at The Bonsai Bar. A grounding, hands-on afternoon — and you take your tree home.
Music & Performance
Mar. 6 — Alice in Wonderland
- 7:30 p.m., Riverside Community Players, 4026 14th St.
- Tickets available online
- Riverside Community Players presents a new adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic. Alice tumbles into a topsy-turvy world of talking caterpillars, mad hatters, and a no-nonsense queen with a very short fuse — all while searching for something she can't quite name. A fun, theatrical night for families and anyone who's ever felt a little lost in a strange world. Check with Riverside Community Players for the full run schedule.
Mar. 9 — REEF's Best Event Ever! Take 9!
- 6:00–9:00 p.m., Fox Performing Arts Center, 3801 Mission Inn Ave.
- $10 students | $10–$75 general | Tickets available online
- REEF — the Riverside Educational Enrichment Foundation — brings its annual student showcase back to the Fox for a ninth year, and if the name hasn't gotten more modest, the show certainly hasn't gotten smaller. Expect academic achievements, student art installations, dance, and vocal and instrumental performances from RUSD students whose talent tends to leave audiences genuinely floored. A night that reminds you exactly what's possible when kids are given the resources and the stage.
Mar. 10 — Jam Night at Route 30 Brewing
- 8:00 p.m.–12:00 a.m., Route 30 Brewing, 11620 Sterling Ave.
- Sponsored by Frets Music Shop
- The second Tuesday of every month, Route 30 opens up the stage for an easy, open jam session. Come play, come listen, or just come hang with good people over craft beers. No pressure, good vibes. Next dates: 4/14, 5/12.
Mar. 14 — Marlon Funaki: Half Moon EP Release Show
- Doors 5:30 p.m., show 6:30 p.m., Farmhouse Collective, 1393 University Ave.
- With support from Brendon B | All proceeds to Foster Army Animal Rescue
- Marlon Funaki drops his Half Moon EP with a live show at Farmhouse Collective, with support from Brendon B. Every dollar from the door goes to Foster Army Animal Rescue. Good music and a good cause — that's a Saturday night worth showing up for.
Mar. 28 — Trish Toledo: Farmhouse Collective 1-Year Anniversary Concert
- Doors 6:00 p.m., Farmhouse Collective, 1393 University Ave.
- All ages | Tickets on sale now
- One year ago, Farmhouse Collective opened its doors with a vision for what live music and community could look like in Riverside. On March 28, they celebrate 365 days of unforgettable nights with Trish Toledo — a night of soul under the backyard lights. If you've been part of Year One, you already know. If you haven't made it out yet, this is the one to start with.
Mar. 30 — Sip with a Scientist
- 5:00–6:00 p.m., Bar Ni Modo, 1393 University Ave.
- Free | Complimentary appetizers, craft cocktails available for purchase
- Bar Ni Modo and UCR team up monthly to bring science out of the lab and into a barstool conversation. Each one-hour session puts a UCR faculty researcher in front of anyone curious enough to show up — college students, locals, regulars — for an open, no-pressure dialogue about real research happening right here in Riverside. No lecture, no slides, just good questions and good company. The March installment closes out what's been a full and rewarding month on a fittingly curious note.
March doesn't ask you to slow down — it asks you to show up. To the open mic, the gallery opening, the jam session, the park on a Sunday afternoon. Riverside has always been a city that makes things: art, music, community, the occasional mosaic stepping stone. This month gives you plenty of chances to be part of what gets made. We'll see you out there!
