March in New England: Top Events and Travel Deals

As much as I love New England, March is the one month with the muscles to push me out the door. Two Marches ago, I jetted down to Puerto Rico to embark on a Virgin Voyages cruise. Last March, I spent a memorable week in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, with Amy Traverso, Yankee‘s senior food editor. But this March, my nearly 20-year-old cat Boomer is keeping me grounded.

And that’s A-OK because as you will see, the lineup of things to do in New England in March has never been more robust. New Hampshire is even launching a new MUD season campaign in mid-March, where MUD means Making Unique Discoveries, not getting your shoes dirty and your vehicle stuck in the soft earth.

It won’t be long before warming weather jolts tree sap into motion, and once we turn clocks forward an hour on March 8, I hope you’ll feel inspired to experience events and adventures that make March days as sweet as maple syrup for anyone willing to come out of hibernation ahead of schedule. Yankee‘s March/April issue is filled with even more ideas if you’re ready to embrace this month when winter yields to spring.

Yankee Out and About in March

Providence Culinary Collective | Providence, RI

Yankee is a media partner for this month’s Providence Culinary Collective, a three-day celebration of food and wine in one of New England’s top foodie cities. From March 26-29, you’ll be able to savor a variety of culinary experiences, and we’ll soon share details about a special appearance by Amy Traverso, Yankee‘s senior food editor and host of Weekends with Yankee.

New This March in New England | 2026

The Bedford by Martha Stewart | Mashantucket, CT

The wait is over in March for Connecticut’s most anticipated restaurant opening of the year. The Bedford by Martha Stewart at Foxwoods Resort Casino officially opens to the public on Saturday, March 14, and reservations are already tough to come by. Don’t let that deter you from planning a spring pilgrimage to Martha’s second restaurant—her first on the East Coast—inspired by her iconic 1925 home in Bedford, New York. You can stop in for breakfast seven days a week, and no one will judge you if you order a Martha-rita to go with your Maine Grains oatmeal (I hear tell it will be among Martha’s local favorites on the menu).

International Soccer at Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, MA

March Madness for soccer fans? Even before World Cup action gets underway at Gillette Stadium in June, the venue will host its first international match in a decade. Get tickets for the Road to 26 exhibition game between France and Brazil on Thursday, March 26, at 4 p.m.

Weekend of March 7-8, 2026

Spring Bulb Show | Northampton, MA

It’s my favorite cure for the March blahs! The annual Spring Bulb Show at the Botanic Garden of Smith College is a vibrant, fragrant, floral feast that kicks off on Saturday, March 7, and runs for two full weeks through Sunday, March 22. Admission is free, but a $60 membership gets you inside the greenhouses an hour before the crowds arrive (and parking gets a bit zany on weekends), so it’s a worthwhile investment particularly for photographers. Plus, membership here includes free admission and discounts at 380 gardens across the country.

The Circus Spectacular | Brattleboro, VT

Did you know there’s a circus school in Vermont? The New England Center for Circus Arts invites the public to four ticketed performances of The Circus Spectacular on Saturday and Sunday, March 7 and 8. You’ll see world-class acrobatics and artistry and support programs that empower young talents. You may even find yourself wanting to return for a drop-in flying trapeze class.

Celtic Art Across the Ages at Harvard Art Museums | Cambridge, MA

It’s opening weekend for a new exhibition showcasing Celtic creativity from 800 BCE through today. Admission is free to see Celtic Art Across the Ages, which runs March 6 through August 2. You’ll admire an array of exquisite metalwork, from weaponry to jewelry, along with textiles, imagery, and objects that reveal this culture’s artistic history and traditions.

Weekend of March 14-15, 2026

Old House & Barn Expo | Manchester, NH

If you love old houses, and especially if you live in one, the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance’s Old House & Barn Expo at Saint Anselm College’s Sullivan Ice Arena is the place to be the weekend of March 14 and 15. Admission (save money by purchasing tickets online in advance) includes access to more than 20 educational sessions and more than 50 vetted exhibitors, plus opportunities to try your hand at traditional building crafts.

Rock and Mineral Show at Whiting Mills | Winsted, CT

Natural wonders and handcrafted artistry collide during a weekend that brings together 30 professional dealers displaying rocks, gemstones, fossils, and healing crystals from around the globe. During the weekend-long Rock and Mineral Show, you’ll also meet jewelers and other artists who work with earth materials including Tina Puckett, owner of Tina’s Baskets and Woven Art, which occupies suite 305 at Whiting Mills: the repurposed factory home to one of Connecticut’s most active artist communities. Admission is free.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade | Newport, RI

Boston isn’t the only destination for a thoroughly Irish immersion this month. Newport’s 70-year-old St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday, March 14, is a two-hour cavalcade of pipe bands, marching bands, reenactors, and leprechauns, and there are many more Irish-themed happenings presented by local pubs and community organizations like the Museum of Newport Irish History.

Weekend of March 21-22, 2026

Maine Maple Sunday Weekend | statewide, ME

The 43rd annual Maine Maple Sunday kicks off on Saturday, March 21, because it’s just too massive a celebration to be contained to one day. Visit sugaring operations statewide—they all compete for visitors with fun activities, maple-y treats, tours, live music, and other special offerings—and you’re in for a sweet experience wherever the sugarhouse map takes you.

Spring Celebration: Flowers, Fromage, and Farm-Fresh Beer | Northford, CT

I love this collab between Kent Falls Brewing, Fairy Meadow Flowers, and New Curds on the Block! On Sunday afternoon, March 22, savor the finer things in life during a Spring Celebration featuring innovative beers, cheese sampling, and the chance to make-your-own arrangement with locally grown flowers.

Dueling Pianos at Pelham House Resort | Dennis Port, MA

If you’re spending the first official weekend of spring on Cape Cod, include a memorable piano battle in your plans. OK, I know… these pianists are actually collaborating to entertain guests (and fulfill song requests) when Pelham House hosts Dueling Pianos on Saturday evening, March 21. Secure your tickets in advance. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.

Weekend of March 28-29, 2026

Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival | Vineyard Haven and West Tisbury, MA

Plan a long weekend around the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival, which runs Thursday, March 26, through Sunday, March 29. Two venues, more than a dozen indie movies, and a pay-what-you-can ticketing policy make the trip offshore a must for film buffs.

Dark Reads | Providence, RI

Horror literature lovers will find kinship on Saturday, March 28, when Providence’s WaterFire Arts Center hosts Dark Reads. Head to the city Edgar Allen Poe and H.P. Lovecraft called home to meet more than 50 authors and publishers, attend talks, have your cards read, and avail yourself of wicked photo ops. GA and VIP passes available.

Best March Travel Deals in New England

March Refresh Offer at the Viewpoint Hotel | York, ME

Book two or more nights in March at the Viewpoint Hotel on the coast of Maine, select the March Refresh Rate at checkout, and you’ll receive a code in your confirmation email that will save you a whopping 40% on spa treatments of an hour or longer. Rates start at $264 per night for two adults.

Ski Degree Package at the Hanover Inn | Hanover, NH

It’s been an incredible ski season here in New England, and the Hanover Inn is celebrating with a new getaway package that includes free midweek skiing 20 minutes away at the Skiway, operated by Dartmouth College. Available until the bitter end of the ski season, the Ski Degree Package includes one complimentary lift ticket per registered guest (Tuesday through Thursday). On weekends, guests can save 20% on rentals, lessons, and lift tickets at the Dartmouth Skiway. A welcome gift including glove and boot warmers, trail maps, granola bars, and sunscreen will be waiting for you. Rates start at $239 per night, double occupancy.

Kim Knox Beckius

Kim Knox Beckius is Yankee's travel & branded content editor. A longtime freelance writer/photographer and Yankee contributing editor based in Connecticut, she has explored every corner of the region while writing six books on travel in the Northeast and contributing updates to New England guidebooks published by Fodor's, Frommer's, and Michelin. For more than 20 years, Kim served as New England Travel Expert for TripSavvy (formerly About.com). She is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and is frequently called on by the media to discuss New England travel and events. She is likely the only person who has hugged both Art Garfunkel and a baby moose.

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