Calendar: events for March 2008

ARIZONA

Sedona International Film Festival & Workshop

This central Arizona fest, now in its 14th year, has a roster of 130 films and includes appearances by Helen Hunt, who makes her directorial debut with “Then She Found Me”; actor Diane Ladd; director Roger Donaldson and his film “The Bank Job”; and Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne introducing classic films. Among changes for this year’s fest is a series of small, free workshops in the Festival Pavilion, giving the public a chance to interact with filmmakers.

When, where: Thursday to March 2, mostly at Harkins Sedona 6 Luxury Cinema, 2081 W. Highway 89A, and the auditorium of Sedona Red Rock High School, 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Road.

Cost: From $10 for a single-film ticket to $500 for a pass to all films, activities and parties, plus priority seating.

Info: (928) 282-1177, www.sedonafilmfestival.com.

CALIFORNIA

Museum Day

Sure, you’ll find pastries and wine tastings, but the Santa Ynez Valley shows it has more to savor. Six already-low-cost museums put out the banner to encourage visitors to discover their cultural offerings on the free-admission Museum Day. The museum crawl includes a host of tidbits on Hans Christian Andersen at the author’s namesake museum, the horse-drawn vehicles and running model train exhibit at the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Society Museum, and art and history with a Danish American twist at the Elverhoj.

When, where: Saturday at Buellton Historical Society History Room, 376 Avenue of Flags, Buellton; Elverhoj Museum of History & Art, 1624 Elverhoy Way, Solvang; Hans Christian Andersen Museum, 1680 Mission Drive, Solvang; Los Alamos Historical Display, at Bell and Helena streets; Los Alamos Santa Ynez Valley Historical Society Museum, 3596 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez; Wildling Art Museum, 2329 Jonata St., Los Olivos.

Cost: Free.

Info: (800) 742-2843.

CANADA

CelticFest

A single-day St. Pat’s didn’t suffice for Vancouver, which turned the holiday into a five-day bagpipe-and-bodhran affair. (Bodhrans are traditional Irish drums.) More than 50 events are scheduled at dozens of venues and three outdoor stages, starting with the World’s Greatest Ceilidh. The traditional dance party is headlined by Battlefield Band, a bagpipe-fiddle-keyboard- guitar combo. Other highlights: the Big St. Pat’s Night Out with Celtic Fiddle Festival, a group of three fiery fiddlers; Whisky Kiss -- A Journey of Taste, a Scotch tasting; Battle of the Bards, a pub tour featuring actors playing Dylan Thomas, Robert Burns and William Butler Yeats; and Artists’ Lounge, a late-night music jam.

When, where: March 12 to 16 at various venues in downtown Vancouver.

Cost: Many events are free; tickets $5 to $35.

Info:www.celticfestvancouver.com.