Arrive Magazine - March/April, 2008

OCEAN DRIVE STYLE

The Avalon Hotel puts the excitement of Ocean Drive at your doorstep. Experience the acclaimed classic seafood grille, “A Fish Called Avalon”.

700 Ocean Drive Miami Beach, Florida 800-933-3306

book online for best rates: www.southbeachhotels.com

BEACHFRONT LOCATION

The South Seas awaits you. Indulge yourself in our trendy South Beach neighborhood. On premise, enjoy the casual poolside cafe & bar.

1751 Collins Avenue Miami Beach, Florida 800-345-2678

St. Peter’s Fiesta

Gloucester, Mass
June 25– 29
stpetersfi esta.org

Every year, Gloucester, Mass., plays host to a weekendlong festival celebrating the Feast of St. Peter. But don’t think for a second this fiesta is your run-of-the-mill outdoor event. Sponsored by the Italian-American fishing community of Gloucester, St. Peter’s Fiesta is a true extravaganza that brings together old-world tradition and plenty of wild, new-world fun. Begun nearly a century ago by many of the Sicilian families who settled as fishermen in Gloucester, the festival honors one of the culture’s most important figures, St. Peter—the patron saint of fishermen—and since 1927, the town has devoted several days to drinking, eating, boat racing and, best of all, the event’s beloved Greasy Pole contest. Here, a heavily greased 45-foot telephone pole is hung 200 feet over the water. At a quick sprint or slow and steady, each contestant attempts to make his or her way to the end

to secure the red flag before falling into the water. After numerous rounds, the winner is taken around town on the shoulders of the competitors. Contenders, be prepared for some stiff competition ... the Greasy Pole is the jewel of this annual New England tradition.

again. Someone might be watching ... maybe even entire audiences.

A few years ago, two comedy writers and film buffs, Joe Pickett and Nick Prueher, decided to turn our videotape castoffs into a traveling film festival and comedy show.

“In high school, I found a training video in the break room of a McDonald’s that I worked at in Wisconsin,” says Prueher. “It was called Inside and Outside Custodial Duties, and it featured an annoying, perky crew trainer and an extremely dopey custodial trainee. I couldn’t believe how profoundly stupid this video was, so I took it home and showed it to my friend Joe. Soon it became this cult thing among my friends, where Joe and I would pop in the video and make fun of it for the entertainment of our pals. We figured, if there are videos like this right under our noses, imagine what else is out there, so we started scouring out-of-the-way places for more videos.”

Today, the Found Footage Festival takes audiences on a guided tour

—complete with comedic commentary— through the duo’s expanding collection of celluloid oddities. “Only now, instead of showcasing these videos for an intimate group of pals in a living room,” says Pickett, “we’re showing them in front of 300 people in a movie theater. It’s a lot of fun.”

Pickett and Prueher find their material at thrift stores, garage sales and in Dumpsters throughout the country. In addition to the custodial instructional video, the festival includes clips of Stairway to Stardom, featuring an amateur dancer on public access television, and a video praising the merits of a “terrifying” cosmetic device called the Rejuvenique Face Mask.