San Francisco : 36th Annual San Francisco Blues Festival
Posted by admin on Sep 8, 2008
San Francisco Blues - Courtesy bergoiata.org
San Francisco does beckon you again and again. There’s much to do and enjoy. Once is certainly not enough. I do the place every once in a while to keep discovering endless possibilities. Honestly speaking I like to indulge this wonderful city bit by bit – for nostalgia’s sake. Its not just the events here that attract you but the general feel and atmosphere that remains largely unchanged.
This time I return for the 36th Annual San Francisco Blues Festival, the oldest blues fest in America. Every September it manages to bring together the best blues artists in the world. On Friday, September 26, the fest kicks off with a waterfront concert at Justin Herman Plaza. Which is when I will be around to be part of the summer end festivities. Which is why my heart keeps singing the decades old refrain – If you’re going to San Francisco… yes I am sure to be wearing flowers in my hair! After all I had been part of the flower power brigade!
It all happened a while ago in sunny San Francisco, the biggest city of California well known for its liberal community, scenic beauty and ethnic and cultural diversity. It’s unique hilly terrain, quaint architecture and foggy summers – all mark it out as a piquant picturesque place by the Pacific. These unusual facets make it a very attractive destination for people from all corners of the globe. Every one wants to do the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island and scour China Town for inexpensive memorabilia. Now it stands tall as cyberscape city where software dreams come true. So its still California dreaming…
Its a city of friendly neighborhoods with a decidedly big city environment, especially around the financial districts in downtown. Streets here often go straight up and down hills that suddenly open up to breathtaking views. The exercise does you good especially when you take in the many stairway walks scattered throughout the city. San Francisco is a huge city, spread out wide with much sightseeing, restaurants and exciting nightlife. Famous for its hills you may be surprised to learn that more than fifty hills are within the city limits. As are several islands and significant stretches of the Pacific Ocean!
Tourism is indeed the backbone of the San Francisco economy. The setting of countless movies, songs and popular culture every body wants to come to San Francisco. It attracts the fourth-highest number of foreign tourists of any city in the U.S. Last year nearly 16 million visitors arrived in San Francisco to pump in nearly eight billion into the economy. Thats an all-time high for the city. With a large hotel infrastructure and world-class facility in the Moscone Center, San Francisco remains high on destinations for conventions and conferences also. It can get terribly busy and so making all kinds of reservations ahead of time through the Downtown San Francisco hotel site can be a big relief.
Actually the wonderful weather is part of the magic. Strongly influenced by the cool currents of the Pacific that bring in moderate temperature swings and produce a remarkably mild climate, San Francisco enjoys little seasonal temperature variation. Yet for all the sun here the wind and fog can set in a fierce chill within no time. Layering yourself is the perfect way to keep the elements at bay. Being surrounded on three sides by water the weather can go from warm to chilly very quickly indeed.
English remains the dominant language here, besides Spanish, Mandarin and Cantonese Chinese. The city has a comprehensive public transportation system, one of the best in the United States. Some neighborhoods are named after the hill on which they are situated like Nob Hill, Pacific Heights, Russian Hill, Potrero Hill and Telegraph Hill. San Francisco is characterized by its culturally rich streetscapes that anchor around central commercial corridors that attract residents and visitors alike. The mainland within the city limits roughly forms a “seven-by-seven-mile square,” a common local colloquialism referring to the city’s shape.
Shopping, dining and exploring the water front are other activities besides indulging in the popular wineries and cellars. Whats San Francisco without its famous wines. It would do well to go through the September calendar of events in San Francisco to find out all the interesting happenings that are to take place. Ranging from Free Shakespeare in the Park to musical feats that includes SFJazz Summerfest, San Francisco Fringe Festival, Autumn Moon Festival, San Francisco Opera Concert Festival and the San Francisco Blues Festival, there is a lot on the cards. While you may like to participate in the Folsom Street Fair you might also like to enjoy Comedy Day featuring five hours of 30 comics on one stage for a million laughs. Every things in - in Gay San Francisco! Enjoy some of its finest weather along with events that are bringing summer to an end and welcoming the fall.
'Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair' - Courtesy www.sfbg.com