Published 3/4/26

The Ferndale Volunteer Fire Department’s noon whistle has been sounding over Main Street for generations, marking the rhythms of a town that takes its traditions seriously. This month, it’ll also signal the start of the 47th annual Foggy Bottom Milk Run — one of several reasons you should set your GPS for the Victorian Village this month. Whether you’re driving down from Arcata for the day or making the scenic five-hour trip from the Bay Area for a long weekend, Ferndale has more going on in March than most people realize.

Spring break is also coming. If you’ve been looking for somewhere to bring the kids that isn’t a theme park or a crowded beach resort, consider a genuinely different kind of adventure: to a working Victorian dairy town on the edge of California's famous redwood forests. Temperatures in March typically reach the high 50s, Fahrenheit — perfectly good for hiking, exploring, and thawing out. The heavy rains of midwinter are generally behind us by now, and with plenty of sunshine breaking through.

Foggy Bottom Milk Run, March 8

The Foggy Bottom Milk Run has grown considerably since its origin in Ferndale in 1978, but it still starts and finishes on Main Street, still winds through the town and surrounding farmland, and still brings together the community, ranging from serious runners to kids and families.

The 2026 race offers three distances: a 4-mile and 10-mile event starting at noon and 12:05 p.m. respectively, and a 2-mile run and walk beginning at 2 p.m. All start near the corner of Main Street and Ocean Avenue. Six Rivers Running Club describes the courses as “flat and fast.”

Pre-registration closes March 5 at noon (online at foggybottommilkrun.com, or by mail). Late registration and packet pickup are available at Ferndale’s Portuguese Hall on March 7 and 8 (see website for times). If you’re arriving Saturday, the Village Pub is offering a pasta dinner special starting at 3 p.m. — bolognese or shrimp with Calabrian butter chili sauce, by reservation. Not a bad way to carbo-load.

(See our dining page for all your yummy Ferndale food options, with Tuyas, Ferndale Pizza, The Ivanhoe, and Sitka Wine Lounge also open on Saturday nights this month).

Wild Sisters Book Retreat and Pop-Up Bookstore, March 11–15

Ever dreamed of setting aside a weekend — or an entire trip — just to catch up on your to-be-read pile? Visitors taking part in Wild Sisters Book Co.’s event will be doing just that, as the Sacramento-based bookstore hosts its inaugural reading retreat at Ferndale’s Victorian Inn this month.

The retreat itself is sold out, but good news for you: Wild Sisters is also opening a pop-up bookshop in the Victorian Inn parlor! It will run March 11–15 and stock a wide range of titles: bestsellers, kids’ books, romance, mystery, and more. Hours are 6–8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11; 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday; and 2–4 p.m. Sunday.

If you’re in town for the Foggy Bottom weekend and you’re the kind of person who never passes up a good bookshop, the timing works out nicely.

Redwood Region Logging Conference, March 19–21

The 88th Redwood Region Logging Conference comes to the Humboldt County Fairgrounds in Ferndale this year — and while the trade show floor is aimed at timber industry professionals, Saturday, March 21 offers several free public events that are worth seeing.

At 9 a.m., the John Iversen Invitational Lumberjack Competition brings logging sports teams from Oregon to San Luis Obispo to compete. Stick around after the competition to see the Past Presidents’ Axe Throw. Then at 1 p.m., the Log Loader Competition will put equipment operators through a timed skills test: stacking three lengths of logs for a chance at a custom trophy from local maker Mad Metals. Also on display throughout the conference: the Show ’N Shine, a competition of beautiful working trucks vying for a spot on the 2027 event T-shirt. All of Saturday’s public events are free.

Alash at The Old Steeple, March 21

You’ll find a unique cultural opportunity in Ferndale when the Alash ensemble — masters of Tuvan throat singing, a technique for producing multiple pitches simultaneously — performs at The Old Steeple on March 21 at 7:30 p.m. “Believing that traditional music must constantly evolve, the musicians subtly infuse their songs with western elements, creating their own unique style that is fresh and new, yet true to their Tuvan musical heritage,” per the artists’ bio.

The Old Steeple is Ferndale Music Company’s concert venue in the town’s former Methodist Church on Berding Street, next to the Ferndale Cemetery — a building more than 115 years old with intricate stained glass, 225 seats, and professional sound. It’s a visitor favorite! Get tickets at ferndalemusiccompany.com.

Spring Break with Kids

March in Ferndale makes a strong case for a family trip. Hadley Gardens opened in 2022 and has quickly become a local highlight — kids make a beeline for the Victorian replica dollhouse, and everyone finds the hobbit doors eventually. Russ Park, just steps from downtown, offers moderate hikes through 110 acres of Sitka spruce forest, with paths to the secluded Zipporah Pond. Firemen’s Park has swings, slides, basketball, and bocce, while Inlight Fitness offers a low-key workout environment and yoga classes. (Day access to the gym is $10; pick up a key at nearby Ferndale Liquors.) Ferndale is five miles from Centerville Beach, where pets run off-leash and the Lost Coast stretches out to the south. The Ferndale Museum has a working seismograph — the oldest in the U.S. — alongside Victorian room settings, natural history exhibits, and antique dairy equipment.

So this month, pick up a new book, lace up your running shoes, witness a Tuvan ensemble fill a century-old church with sounds you’ve never heard before, and let your kids run themselves ragged in the redwoods. Ferndale in March is ready for you!

Plan your visit today at VisitFerndale.com.