First Day Of Spring 2019: 5 Need-To-Know Dates In Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, NC — After a winter that seems to keep going and going, it’s hard to believe that springtime for the Queen City is right around the corner. Spring officially begins Wednesday, March 20.

Spring arrives when the vernal equinox officially arrives at 5:58 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on March 20th, according to Farmers’ Almanac. That's when the Northern Hemisphere starts to tilt toward the sun, bringing earlier sunrises, later sunsets, softer winds and green plants sprouting from the ground. In theory. Let's hope so.

Here are five need-to-know dates in Charlotte:

Time Change, Sunday, March 10: Daylight Saving Time actually arrives before the start of spring. Remember the maxim — spring forward, and set your clock ahead an hour. Most cell phones and devices will automatically update.

St. Patrick’s Day, Sunday, March 17: St. Patrick's Day, otherwise known as Corned Beef and Cabbage Day, falls on a Sunday this year. In Charlotte, uptown will turn green for the 23rd Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade, which kicks off at 9th Street and North Tryon Street at 11 a.m. The Charlotte Goes Green Festival, which features Irish dancing and music, runs from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. More information about the festival's entertainment schedule can be found here.

If you’re looking to amp up the celebration, head to Huntersville where there’s a two-day Celtic Festival, which starts March 16 at Historic Latta Plantation.

RELATED: St. Patrick's Day 2019: Mooresville Parade Set For March 9

Borrowing Days, begins Friday, March 29: According to ancient European lore, the last three days of March are stormy. The Scots think of it as a power grab of sorts where March extends its weather power, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. A Spanish legend, however, paints a picture of retribution: “The Spanish story about the borrowing days is that a shepherd promised March a lamb if he would temper the winds to suit the shepherd's flocks. But after his request was granted, the shepherd refused to deliver the payment,” the almanac said. “In revenge, March borrowed three days from April, in which fiercer winds than ever blew to punish the deceiver.”

Will Borrowing Days bring more stormy, blustery weather to Charlotte this year? It doesn’t seem very likely, according to Accuweather.com’s long range prediction for the month, which says the metro region can expect sunshine and pleasant temperatures in the high 60s.

Good Friday, April 19: This date marks important religious holidays for Christians and Jews. It's Good Friday, which begins the four-day Easter observance for Christians. For Jews, it's the beginning of the seven-day Passover observance.

Easter Sunday, April 21: If you think Easter seems later this year, you’re not wrong. The “moveable feast” of Easter Sunday is determined by the moon, celebrated the first Sunday after the full moon after the Spring Equinox, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

What other important events are scheduled this month? Let your neighbors know in the comment section.

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