Slow Art Day San Francisco

80s kid Ferris Bueller once said: "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." These words are particularly salient in our world today, because USA life in 2013 is 100mph. In a major international city like San Francisco, it can be particularly difficult to get a moment to yourself, the streets can be jammed with noisy and your head is cluttered with all of life's worries. That is why it is important to take a step back, relax and enjoy the finer things in life.

One co-operative organisation that understands the importance of dislocating yourself every once in a while from the trappings of modern life are the organisers of Slow Art Days, SFMOMA. This is a creative grass roots group that is heavily involved in the modern art scene in San Fran, and they are setting art lovers a challenge.

On Saturday April 27th they want you to join Open Space stalwarts like Tess Thackara, Emily Wilson, and Duane Deterville for an art experience like no other: A slow-look session in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. This sounds peculiar, but the organisers want people to really engage with 5 unique pieces of artwork, so they ask you to look at a single piece of art continuously for 10 mins each. Then afterwards you will be able to discuss your thoughts and enjoy the refreshments they have allocated for guests.

Modern Art is too easy to scoff at and many detractors say that it is pointless or useless. But that is what is brilliant about modern art, it challenges the status quo, makes you think about things differently and disgruntles the unimaginative. Slow Art Day is an international movement that embraces long contemplation of art. Enjoying art slowly is a joy in itself, and this helps to promote deep thought and also allows you to engage with art from multiple angles. For more information about the event you can follow this link: http://SlowArtDay.com.

Sundance Film Festival

The USA is where the silver screen was born. Nothing says Hollywood glamour like the old school movie reels of films like Gigi, From Here to Eternity and There's No Business Like Show Business. And who could forget matinee idols like James Dean, Cary Grant and Errol Flynn? They are etched into the conscious of USA life. The films of this era were broadcast all over the world and created a style and mythology which has lingered up until today. Now movie stars are idolised like gods.

The award ceremonies for film stars have a very prodigious background, like the older and more traditional ceremonies like the Oscars to more underground ones. They exude the quintessential style that is so obvious in Hollywood flicks and film noir from the 50s. But one that is particularly important to the film making elite, the glitterati of the sunset strip, is the Sundance Film Festival.

Sundance started out under another moniker in Salt Lake City in '78, and back then it was known as the Utah/US Film Festival. This was more an effort to publicise Utah to potential directors and producers and to advertise its locations for shoots. But it was in '85 when the modern day Sundance we know and love came to fruition after Sterling Van Wagenen took over management and changed the name.

Sundance stands alone, because it is the largest independent cinema festival in the USA. And you can guarantee top quality judges and discernment when even the founder and chairperson is a Hollywood A-lister and legend of the screen, Robert Redford. It has a very good reputation for celebrating the work of American and International filmmakers, particularly work that is not of the mainstream.

The festival occurs annually in the month of January brings together a list of categories for dramatic and documentary movies made in the USA and abroad. Using the Sundance Film Festival as a springboard, the Sundance Institute has done lots of excellent work in the creative community for aspiring filmmakers.

Boston Pops Firework Special

The 4th of July Independence Day celebrations in the USA are synonymous with huge firework shows. But the city of Boston stand out from other destinations because they are the originators of this proud tradition and in many ways the City of Champions remain the trend setters for spectacular rocket displays.

Way back in 1973 David Mulgar proposed a novel way of rejuvenating the Esplanade concert which was struggling to capture the people's imaginations. After a discussion with the head of the Boston Pops Orchestra Arthur Fielder, his brainwave was to combine music with a new spectacle. This included playing Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" and adding some very loud surprises.

The next year's festivities went off with a huge bang with the addition of howitzer cannons, rockets and the ringing of church bells. This signalled the birth of the modern day firework display as Fielder wanted to create a spectacle that sounded like the gates of hell had broken loose over the Charles River.

4 decades later the Boston Pops firework extravaganza is going stronger than ever and is widely regarded as the only place to see fireworks on the 4th of July. Hundreds of thousands of people make the journey from all over America and from further afield to stand on the banks of the river and celebrate the birth of the nation. But this number is dwarfed by the number of people who tune in on TV. Over seven million watch the 1-hour broadcast on CBS every year.

The Boston Pops has a rich and varied history having branched off from the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1885. Although most of their musicians are affiliated with the BSO, they approach their music with a more contemporary style with particular emphasis on light classical and popular music.

Grand Haven Coast Guard Festival

Many people often describe movie stars or recording artists as heroes. But this is an erroneous description; the real heroes in the USA are the emergency response teams like the fire and ambulance service who save people's lives every day. Do these people get the recognition they deserve for their heroism? That is debatable.

One state has a special festival to honour these good Samaritans who dedicate their lives to keeping people safe in American waters is Michigan, with The Grand Haven Coast Guard festival. This event goes back a long way, as far back as 1924 when it started as modest picnic for Coast Guard personnel and their families. The local Coast Guard station was on the water and they started to hold boat races for all the service men in the local area for some light entertainment. The word obviously got out and it started to grow. Yet it was not until August 1971 as the festival expanded more did it become accredited as an official day of celebration and got its name.

To mark the fact that Grand Haven has such a high esteem for the Coast Guard service Congress give it the title of "Coast Guard City, USA" which was signed by President Clinton in 1998. The carnival comprises of two rousing parades and finishes with a magnificent firework show which explodes across the sky and is reputed to be one of the most impressive in the country. The event will take place this year between July 26 - August 4.

Anyone who participates in the Coast Guard Festival gets some special privileges such as an exclusive tour of the Coast Guard cutter. There is also a brilliant midway carnival, as well as a range of boat tours, jet-ski demonstrations, carnival games and live music. And just when you think organisers cannot provide any more entertainment they saved their trump card in the Street Dance. Music comes from Soul'd Out and is extremely popular with both young and old people.