How to Attend a Rockabilly Festival
The music takes center stage at a rockabilly festival, where you will find not just rockabilly, but also western swing, doo-wop and other mid-century musical forms. And it's not just for people who lived through the 1950s-young fans and musicians predominate at many of the festivals.
- Difficulty:
- Moderately Easy
Instructions
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1
Locate one of the numerous rockabilly or 50s festivals that take place throughout the world. Visit a rockabilly website, like Rockabilly Central, to find a festival near you.
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2
Book your tickets and lodging early. Some festivals sell out weeks in advance, and inexpensive lodging can be difficult to find if you wait until the last minute. If the festival is in a hotel, get a room in that hotel. You won't want to miss a minute.
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3
Familiarize yourself with the music. A rockabilly festival is all about the music; everything else is just an accessory to it. If you're not already familiar with the music, you can learn about rockabilly at websites like the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. In addition to Hall of Famers, there are plenty of younger musicians out there, too.
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4
Learn to dance before you go to the festival. Take a crash course in swing or jive. Either of these dances will give you the basics. Many festivals have dance lessons on the schedule, so take advantage of those if you don't know how to dance when you arrive. Bring some comfortable shoes along.
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5
Show off your vintage clothes at a rockabilly festival. Anything from the 1940s through the late '50s will fit in perfectly, but you can incorporate other eras as well.
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6
Get a tattoo to show off at the festival. Traditional tattoos are the standard at rockabilly festivals. Choose a piece of vintage flash to fit in with the masses.
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7
Be prepared to spend some money. Most festivals have vendors, selling everything from CDs to clothes to hot rod gear.
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