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Feb.
2003: February
is prime time to get reacquainted with San Francisco’s tourist
Mecca, Fisherman’s Wharf:
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Recently augmented by a pair of relocated tenants, the Museum
of the City of San Francisco, and Musee
Mecanique, the vintage arcade late of the Cliff House, the Wharf
is sponsoring some choice events this month: Pier 45, Shed A
The
fishing fleet’s in, and reporting strong Dungeness crab yields,
just in time for the San Francisco
Crab Festival, (2/1-28). Saddle up at Nick’s or the Crab
Station on Taylor Street to crack a few, or slurp chowder from a
bread bowl.
Also,
auto buffs gather 2/7-9 for the historic Fisherman’s Wharf
Classic Car Exhibit, while Pier 39 bursts with 39,000 bulbs at Tulipmania
(2/22-3/2). Fisherman’s Wharf
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Further west, orchid aficionados will admire prize-winning paphiopedilums
and outrageous oncidium displays, before diving deep into the commercial
market at the Pacific
Orchid Exposition (2/20-23). Orchid fans are a devoted breed,
as evidenced in the current hit film “Adaptation.” This
year’s theme, “Gems of Nature,” highlights the hybridists
who nurture and cultivate rare species from around the world. Fort
Mason
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For some romance on the Wild Side, book a spot on the popular San
Francisco Zoo Sex Tour (2/14-16), Get behind-the-scenes access
to the inner workings of the zoo, with a focus on the mating habits
of varying species, and champagne and chocolates to boot. San
Francisco Zoo
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Indie rock takes center stage during Noise
Pop 2003 (2/25-3/2) six days of sets by underground faves like
Tortoise, the Mountain Goats, Folk Implosion, the Donnas, and the
newly-resurrected Camper Van Beethoven. Show prices vary, or buy
an All Festival Badge: $145 guarantees access to 20+ rock shows,
7 film screenings, and the sure-to-be hopping opening night party.
Citywide
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On tap at the Fillmore:
Icon Willie Nelson (2/10-13), jamband moe. (2/21-22), phrenologists
the Roots (2/23-24), Grateful Dead impresarios Dark Star Orchestra
(2/28-3/1). 1805 Geary Blvd.
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Filmmakers low budget and avant garde screen unique visions around
town, and celebrate independent filmmaking in raucous evening parties
during the San Francisco Independent
Film Festival (2/6-16), this year premiering the Horror and
Fantastic Film Festival. Citywide
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Surrealist suburbanites can pay tribute to master David Lynch at
the Castro Theatre
screening of his signature piece, Blue Velvet (2/21-26). 429
Castro St
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Bibliophiles can page through a number of literary options: Perusing
vintage tomes and hard-to-find printings at the California
Antiquarian Book Fair (2/6-9, Concourse Exhibition Center);
exploring America’s largest independent comics gathering at
the Alternative Press Exposition
(2/1-2, Fort Mason); learning the publishing ropes with information
sessions on circulation, marketing, design, and production at the
seminar How to Start and Alternative
Paper (2/7, Cathedral Hill Hotel.)
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Chinese New Year celebrations
continue with the Miss Chinatown USA pageant (2/8, Palace of Fine
Arts), and the Chinese New Year Parade, the largest such outside
Asia, with more than 100 floats (2/15, Second and Market Streets.)
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Finally, with war looming on the horizon, the Bay Area peace movement
has revved up again; regardless of your personal politics, attending
a mass political demonstration in San Francisco opens windows to
the city’s cultural soul: 2/16, Embarcadero and Market Street
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Jan 2003
• Dec 2002
• Nov 2002
• Oct 2002
• Sept 2002
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Jay Cooke is a San Francisco-based travel, food, and culture writer.
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