Calendar: Central Coast museums offer free admission March 6

Also: Academy of Friends Academy Awards Gala in San Francisco is March 7; barrel tasting will be held in Sonoma in March; Taste of Solvang Food & Wine Festival will be in March

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY, CALIF.

Free Museum Day

When, where: March 6, throughout Santa Ynez Valley

Highlights: Seven Central Coast museums offer free admission during this third annual event. Participants include Buellton Historical Society’s History Room (in Andersen’s Pea Soup Restaurant), Los Alamos Valley Historical Display & Depot (chronicling California’s Old West history), the Wildling Art Museum in Los Olivos (wilderness-themed art) and Solvang’s Hans Christian Andersen Museum.

Cost: Free

Info: (805) 686-0053, https://www.santaynezvalleyvisit.com

SAN FRANCISCO

Academy of Friends Academy Awards Gala

When, where: March 7, Fort Mason Center

Highlights: Can’t be in L.A. for the Oscars? No worries: S.F.’s glamorous gala is always a see-and-be-seen affair of food, drinking, raffles and live (and on-screen) entertainment.

Cost: $250; proceeds benefit HIV/AIDS charities.

Info: (415) 995-9890, https://www.academyoffriends

SONOMA, CALIF.

Barrel tasting

When, where: March 6 and 7, 13 and 14, throughout Sonoma County. Some wineries will also be pouring on March 5 and March 12.

Highlights: During this 32nd annual event, meet vintners, sample wine directly from barrels at more than 100 wineries and buy “futures” at discounted prices.

Cost: $30 a person per weekend, $20 if purchased in advance

Info: (800) 723-6336, https://www.wineroad.com

VANCOUVER AND WHISTLER, CANADA

2010 Paralympic Winter Games

When, where: March 12-21, various venues in Vancouver and Whistler

Highlights: Get your inspiration fix while watching 600 of the world’s top challenged athletes from 40 countries compete in five sports, including ice sledge hockey, skiing and wheelchair curling. The torch relay starts March 3 in Ottawa and ends in BC Place on March 12, along with parties, live music, athlete demos, free ice skating, an electricity-generating dance floor, cultural exhibits and craft displays.

Cost: Tickets start at $15

Info: (925) 798-8100, https://www.vancouver2010.com/paralympic-games

SOLVANG, CALIF.

Restaurant Week and Taste of Solvang Food & Wine Festival

When, where: March 14-18, March 19-21 throughout Solvang

Highlights: For the third year, restaurants in the Danish-themed town offer three-course prix-fixe menus. There will also be a dessert reception March 19, a “walking smorgasbord” with 50 taste stops and a wine-tasting-room walk March 20 and the Bring Your Own Picnic on March 21 with free live entertainment.

Cost: $20.10 per prix-fixe meal, not including tax, tip or beverages. $25 for the dessert reception, $30 for the walking smorgasbord, $35 for the tasting-room walk. A weekend passport costs $70 and includes a wine glass and tote bag.

Info: (800) 468-6765, Ext. 105, https://www.solvangusa.com

—Avital Binshtock

[email protected]