Festivals, Cruises & Major Rock'n'Roll Events

This page also lists overseas festivals, so you can combine your next trip with some music and dancing fun.
 

Annual Festivals and Cruises

 When

 Festival

 Where

 What

CRUISE

2 January 2012

 

Midsummer Nights Rock Cruise

5 Nights Cruise from Fremantle to Esperance and Albany

Rock and Roll Lessons from Les and Carole,

dedicated Rock and Roll dance sessions

 

Exclusive group rate start from $1095.00 Twin share outside cabin *** Savings up to $150.00 per person ****

All fares are 'cruise only' inclusive of dance lessons, twin share accommodation with private facilities (bath with overhead shower), onboard entertainment and activities, meals, port charges and gratuities.
Please call Barbara to secure your booking: ONLINECRUISES.COM.AU
Phone: 9483 5568 Lic no: 9TA515 www.onlinecruises.com.au

FESTIVAL

January 9 - 13 2013

 

Parkes Elvis Festival

On the second week in January every year, the town of Parkes in Central New South Wales comes alive to the sounds of hip-swivelling Elvis Impersonators.

 

Parkes

New South Wales

Australia

Cooke Park comes alive on Saturday and Sunday with markets and non-stop entertainment on the main stage including Elvis tribute artists and competitions that the whole family can enjoy. Visit Elvis Central Store to buy your official festival merchandise along with some unique memorabilia items. With CountryLink providing fun all the way from Sydney to Parkes on the 'CountryLink Elvis Express' and Rex Airlines flying in the 'Priscilla Plane' the non-stop Elvis fun and entertainment will begin even before you arrive in town!

FESTIVAL

January 18 - 27  2013

 

Tamworth Country Music Festival

Tamworth NSW
Australia

Possibly the biggest party in the whole of Australia, the Tamworth Country Music Festival is celebrated for 10 days from mid January each year.

In January, the population of Tamworth almost doubles in size to 100,000 and the festival generates more than $40 million to the local economy.

FESTIVAL

February 7 - 10  2013

 

The Rockin' Race Jamboree Torremolinos, Costa del Sol
Spain
 

FESTIVAL

February 14 -17  2013

Boyup Brook Country Music Festival

 
Boyup Brook, W.Australia

Enquiries: phone/fax (08) 9765 1657 email

The line up of artists for the weekend is HUGE; with well over 150 artists.

countrymusicwa@westnet.com.au

FESTIVAL

February 15 -17  2013

 

Ballarat Beat Rockabilly Festival Ballarat First annual festival - cars, burlesque and Rockabilly music, fashion and dance.

0418 556 299

FESTIVAL

March 1 - 3 2013

 

Bright Rockabilly, Rat Rods, Rock'n'Roll Ink & Oil Festival Bright, Victoria
If you are into Rat Rods, Rockabilly and Rock'n'Roll, this is the perfect weekend for you at one of the most beautiful places in Australia.
Keywords - Rat Rods, Hot Rods, Rockabilly, Rock'n'Roll, Retro, Vintage, PinUps, Tattoos.
 
If you are into dancing, you are being catered for, if you are into cars you are being catered for, if you are into Rockabilly you are being catered for, if you are into kustom kulture you are being catered for and if you just want to boogie in the street, you are being catered for too.

FESTIVAL

March 8 - 10 2013

 

Kiama Jazz & Blues Festival

 

Kiama, Illawarra area, NSW

A FREE weekend of red hot jazz & blues! Over 50 Free Events at Over 20 Venues. 3 Nights 2 Days...No ticketing.

FESTIVAL

March 14 - 17 2013

Ararat Jailhouse Rock Festival Ararat, Victoria
Australia
17th Annual Jailhouse Rock Festival - Hotrods - Classic Cars - Motorbikes - Live bands - Street Vendors

FESTIVAL

March 22 - 25 2013

Shake Rattle and Roll Weekender Vauxhall Holiday Park, Acle New Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR30 1TB UK

 

FESTIVAL

March 20 - 24  2013

Beach Hop - #1 New Zealand Nostalgia Festival

Whangamata

New Zealand

Held in the popular seaside holiday resort of Whangamata, the 5 day festival celebrates the music, culture, fashion,  hot rods, motorbikes, dancing, dragsters, scooters of this golden era. The festival has grown from 4,000 to over 70,000 people in just 5 years. This makes it one of the largest events of its kind in the world. All proceeds raised are donated to emergency services in the area. Come along and enjoy all the non stop action!

FESTIVAL

March 23 - 24 2013

West Coast Blues'n'Roots Festival The Fremantle Park

Western Australia

 

FESTIVAL

March 22 - 24 2013

 

Kurri Kurri Nostalgia Festival Hunter Valley Region, NSW
Kurri Kurri is located in the Lower Hunter Valley Region of NSW.

The weekend attracts over 40,000 people to the region and town centre and is all about Rock n Roll, Classic Cars, Hot rods, Fashion and the 50's and 60's.

There are lots of great 'rock n roll' and 'rockabilly' dances put on throughout the local clubs and pubs and on Saturday and Sunday the main street and Rotary park is transformed into all the glory of a bygone 50’s and 60’s era.

There’s a classic car and hot rod 'Show and Shine' both Saturday and Sunday with over 400 cars on display, entertainment, rock n roll dance workshops, main stage entertainment, talent quests, feature bands, markets stalls, Vegas wedding renewals, side show alley and much more.

FESTIVAL

March 28 - 31 2013

Viva Las Vegas The Orleans Hotel
4500 W. Tropicana Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89103

Rockabilly Party Weekend

tom@vivalasvegas.net

FESTIVAL

Labour Day long Weekend QLD

3 - 6  May 2013

Garterbelts and Gasoline

http://www.moonshinetraders.com.au/garterbelts/

http://www.myspace.com/garterbeltsandgasoline

 

4 days and nights of Hotrods, Music, Pin-ups and Art on Tamborine Mountain, based on the beautiful Gold Coast Hinterland

GARTER BELTS AND GASOLINE is a rockabilly rod and kustom show celebrating many of the things from the 1950s still held close to so many peoples hearts, even after half a century.

At the show you will find many cool rods and kustoms, drag cars, vintage bikes and low riders, lots of pretty pin up girls, burlesque dancers, pin stripers, kustom kulture artists and of course last but certainly not least some fine rockabilly bands.

Hosted by Paul and Amanda Biagini the show is held each year and is aimed at families with a friendly and laid back atmosphere.

The show is held in Queensland's Gold Coast hinterland.

FESTIVAL

April 25 - 28 2013

Good Rockin' Tonight #11 Attignat (01) - FRANCE,
a village which is 5 km North of BOURG EN BRESSE (01)
Jack Scott, Sleepy La Beef and many more ...

FESTIVAL

May 12 2012

 

Arkansas Delta Rockabilly Festival Helena
Arkansas USA
 

FESTIVAL

May 4 - 5 2013

Riverland Rock'n'Roll Festival

 

McCoy Street
Waikerie
South Australia 5330

 
The Riverland Rock 'n' Roll Festival is a weekend of rock 'n' roll dancing, live bands, entertainment, markets, street parade, fun and entertainment for the family to enjoy together. 

FESTIVAL

May 3 - 5 2013

Beale Street Music Festival Tom Lee Park,
Memphis Tennessee
a three day music festival that has both a mix of big-name stars performing side by side with local musical acts
headline act - Jerry Lee Lewis

FESTIVAL

10 - 13 May 2013

Hemsby Rock'n'Roll Weekender  Hemsby,
Norfolk

England

Rockabilly Weekend

FESTIVAL

18 - 20 May 2013

Rock'n'Roll Weekender

Soccer 4 You
Gewann Haagen 7
D-69168 Wiesloch
Germany

 
FESTIVAL

3 - 9 June
2013

Screamin' - Rock & Rhythm Festival Calella

Barcelona

Spain

Easy to explain; sun, beach and 50's Rock and Roll...The Screamin' festival are here once more; a crazy, funny, wild... Week of record hops, live music, all kind of parties and party, party, party.
This event has been growing year by year with attendance by people from over 20 countries. This is not just a weekender, this is not just a festival, this is not even just a holidays, this is a real R&R vacation; imagine: you can enjoy beach, sun, pool or all that and at the evenings and nights record hops, live 50's R&R music, beach parties, Hawaiian parties
.

FESTIVAL

June 12 - 16 2013

Calella Rock & Roll Holidays

 

Calella,

Barcelona

Spain

"One week of Rock & Roll in the sun..!!

One complete week with daily action !! Live bands, DJs,swimming pool parties, beach parties, tattoo artist, 50's fleamarket, record stalls, etc! For more details (booking information; how to arrive; etc) please check out: www.calellarocks.de.tl

Classic Rock&Roll, Rockabilly, Teddyboy Rock&Roll,
Doo Wop, Rhythm & Blues and Surf!!!

myspace

FESTIVAL

31 May to 10 June 2013

 

Cooly Rocks On

http://www.facebook.com/coolyrockson
Coolangatta and Tweed Heads
Queensland
Australia

The festival, which is set to SHAKE, RATTLE and ROLL the streets of Coolangatta and Tweed Heads in 2012! Classic Cars, Rock'n'Roll, Dancing, Nostalgia and more!

 

FESTIVAL

31 May to 4 June 2012

 

Tear it Up!! Croatian Rockabilly Festival, Medulin

Tear it up!! is the first rockabilly festival on the beautiful coast of Croatia. 2013 will be our 6th edition and let us say that we're very excited about this, we're so much looking forward to the good times and good music! The festival is free during day for all visitors, so don't hesitate and make room in your calendar for this rockin' event! If you decide to come with your vintage American car (produced until the year 1960), the festival WILL PAY FOR YOUR ACCOMMODATION (for car owner, 2 nights)! Please contact us in advance at info@tearitupfestival.net

FESTIVAL

June 13 - 17 2013

Rockabilly Rave Pontins Holiday Centre

New Lydd Rd
Camber Sands
East Sussex TN31 7RL England

Four nights of Red Hot Rockabilly

At the last Rave, an American girl came over to me after walking around the site on a beautiful sunny afternoon. She had seen all the cars and bikes, the BBQs, the Midsummer parties, band practices and jam sessions and had met rockabillies from all over the world! 'Hey Jerry, this is just like Rockabillyland'! she said. And of course, she was right!
Part of the huge success of the Rave, is the fact it is all together one self contained site, completely taken over by like minded rockabilly fans. No outsiders, just the rockin crowd enjoying their scene. A melting pot of the latest ideas, trends in clothes, new recordings, hot new bands and cool old trucks and cars...
There are many good weekenders around the world, but there is nothing that comes close to the atmosphere of this, the original rockabilly event.
Welcome to the Rockabilly Rave, welcome to Rockabillyland!

FESTIVAL

July 4 - 8  2013

 

Wildest Cats in Town Pontin's Pakefield Seaside Village
Lowestoft, East England

 
The Ultimate 1950's Rock 'n' Roll Weekender
Great line-up including Sonny Burgess and the Legendary Pacers

 

FESTIVAL

July 20 - 29 2012

WC Handy Music Festival The Shoals - Florence

Alabama USA

W.C. Handy, known as the "Father of the Blues", was born in a simple log cabin in Florence, AL on Nov. 16, 1873 and lived there until he was nineteen years old. Handy composed the famous tunes "St. Louis Blues", "Memphis Blues", "Yellow Dog Blues" and "Beale Street Blues". Click here to read a biography of W.C. Handy written by Terry Pace, educator and Muscle Shoals music historian.

FESTIVAL
July 19 - 22 2013

The Shakedown Rock'n'Roll Weekender Tumpy Green Lane, Cam, Dursley, GL11 5HZ
England
 

FESTIVAL

August 2-3 2013

 

Motorcycle Gang Jamboree Parco Della Resistenza
San Lazzaro Di Savena (Bologna)
ITALY

Best rock'n'roll & rockabilly party with special guests from USA Texas 50's rockabilly legend mr. SID KING & BILLY KING, from UK the fabulous JETS and more international bands ...

Ww aircooled, american cars (pre ’80) & bikers meeting...
Vintage & biker stalls, food & drink and much more!!!
FREE ENTRY!!!!

FESTIVAL

August 1-4 2013

Satchmo Summerfest New Orleans, Louisiana

USA

Festival to honour New Orlean's son Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong.

FESTIVAL

August 3-11 2013

 

Summer Jamboree Senigallia,
Adriatic Riviera,
Italy

The Hottest Rockin' Holiday on Earth / Festival Internazionale di musica e cultura dell'America anni '40 '50. Special version di BURLESQUE NIGHT SHOW con tre artiste internazionali Deluxe per due ore di strip, cabaret, concerto con backing band live. 200 ore di CONCERTI GRATUITI IN PIAZZA e Dj set. WORKSHOP DI BURLESQUE.

FESTIVAL

August 2-4 2013

GreazeFest Kustom Kulture Festival Brisbane
Australia
The GreazeFest is Australia's annual kustom kulture weekender.

The GreazeFest is all about celebrating rockabilly and psychobilly music, custom cars, vintage bikes and lowriders, pinstriping, low brow artwork, tattoos, dancing and fashion.

Now in it's eleventh year, the GreazeFest has become a yearly pilgrimage for rockabilly fans and kustom kulture devotees from all parts of the globe. 

FESTIVAL

August 9 - 11 2012

International Rockabilly Music Festival Jackson, Tennessee, USA
hometown of Carl Perkins
The World's Largest Gathering of Rockabilly History makers In the city where it all began!
 
FESTIVAL

August 9 - 12 2012

International Route 66 Festival Victorville, California, USA

The theme California Dreamin on Route 66, the Festival will attract many 66 enthusiasts from across the nation, from foreign countries as well as local car clubs and residents. Each year, one of the eight states through which Route 66 runs is selected to host the event. Victorville, California has a California Route 66 Museum that attracts thousands of visitors per year. Victorville is centrally-located along the 318 miles of historic Route 66 that crosses California from Needles to Santa Monica, making it convenient to visit other key Route 66 towns and attractions. The Festival will feature a rally, a classic car show, daily entertainment, the taste of 66, a car cruise to a drive-in theatre, 66 themed vendors and other special events. Pre and Post events are also being planned including a poker run planned in the towns along California Route 66. The Historic Green Tree Inn www.GreenTreeInnVictorville.com in Victorville is the official site and host hotel and will have special packages (limited availability) for our 66 travelers. Located on historic Route 66, the Green Tree incorporates a Route 66 theme and is a popular stop for travelers along the Mother Road. For more information, visit the Festival website www.Route66Festival2012.com.

FESTIVAL

4-8 September 2013

The High Rockabilly - the Spanish Weekender  Calafell,

Barcelona

Spain

 

http://www.myspace.com/highrockabilly

FESTIVAL

September 14-15 2013

 

Toop & Toop Rock'n'Roll Festival Victor Harbor, Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia  

FESTIVAL

September 28 -30 2012

 

Harvey Dickson's Country Music Show WESTERN AUSTRALIA 6244
5 km out of BOYUP BROOK on the ARTHUR RIVER Rd
Phone/Fax:- (08) 9765 1125
 
 

FESTIVAL

28 Sep -1 Oct  2012

 

Kings of Rock'n'Roll Sand Bay Holiday Village
Beach Road
Kewstoke
Weston-super-Mare
North Somerset UK
Featuring Gina Haley, Linda Gay Lewis, Jive Romeros, Phil Haley & His Comments and many more

 

FESTIVAL

October 26 - 28 2012 

Chromefest NSW Memorial Park, The Entrance, Central Coast California Cruisin Inc. presents Chromefest, a tribute to classic American autos, hot rods and Rock & Roll. This event has retro market stalls, Saturday afternoon cruising, Sunday Show n Shine with trophies and dancing all weekend.

A huge variety of market stalls to keep you interested. Rock & Roll music all day, dance floor in front of stage. Band at the top pub. Band on second stage near the pub and Fishermans Wharf. Dance demonstrations by local rock roll dance schools. Trophy presentations at 3 pm.

FESTIVAL

October 26 - 28 2012

 

Camperdown Cruise Rock-A-Billy Festival Camperdown, Vic
Australia
phone: 0418 556 299
The stunning town of Camperdown plays host to a 50's Rockabilly weekend.
There will be ten rockabilly bands performing across three days, morphing the custom car event into a rockabilly 50's festival and a great family weekend.
 

CRUISE

Nov 3 - 10  2013

Maltshop Memories Cruise

The fun continues down memory lane as you:
  • Mix and Mingle with the Stars -  Befriend  your favorite artists, outside of the spotlight
  • Full Ship Charter - Music-filled vacation with Doo  Woppin' cruisers
  • All Concerts & Meals Included
  • Special Events - The Sock Hop, Beach Party,  The Prom, dance contests and lessons, Elvis  contest with a $2,500 cash prize & more
  • Vegas-style casino, hot tubs, two pools, mini golf  course, full service spa, fitness center & more
ex Ft Lauderdale,
Florida USA

+1-877-700-6525

You'll enjoy live on board performances by your favorite '50s and '60s artists


 

CRUISE

October 19 2013
- 9 nights on board

Rock the Boat Exit Sydney  enquires@rocktheboatcruise.com.au

http://www.rocktheboatcruise.com.au/

FESTIVAL

Nov 8-11 2012

Ubangi Stomp 

https://www.facebook.com/ubangi.stomp

Hotel Bali, Benidorm, Spain American Roots music festival: Blues, Country, Swing, Hillbilly, Rock'n'Roll, Rockabilly, Doo-Wop, R&B, Fingerpicking, Surf.

FESTIVAL

2 - 11 November 2012

Adelaide Rock 'N' Roll Festival Adelaide

South Australia

Each year the Adelaide Rock 'n' Roll Club arranges a week-long festival of Rock 'n' Roll and Swing Dancing with daily events featuring bands and dancers from around Australia. The festival culminates in a day-long outdoor event at a public reserve in Glenelg, a popular beachside suburb, which is free to attend. The dancing is flashy, fast and furious as thousands of members of the public get to see just exactly what Rock 'n' Roll is all about.

FESTIVAL

9 - 11 November 2012

Blues at Bridgetown Bridgetown

Western Australia

The Blues at Bridgetown Festival is an annual blues music event held over three days in the spectacular settings of the Bridgetown town site, 272kms south-east of Perth.  The Blues at Bridgetown Festival has been held annually on the second weekend in November since 1993. The program showcases an all-embracing and diverse range of blues music for in excess of 170 hours of music at various venues around the town.
CRUISE

Nov 11 to 14 2012

 

"The King" Tribute Cruise. Elvis themed cruise.
13 Elvis tribute artists.
Exit Sydney 3 days on Pacific Ocean Known as the 'ship of light'. Rhapsody is sleek and modern with a warm atmosphere throughout its 11 decks of entertainment. Warm woods, sun-filled atriums, marble staircases and buttery leathers all help contribute to a feeling of relaxed elegance.
16 - 19 November 2012

Rhythm Riot

Pontins Holiday Centre

New Lydd Rd
Camber
East Sussex TN31 7RL England

1950s Rhythm & Blues and Roots Rock'n'Roll Weekend
3 days and nights of 1950s music & mayhem.
With 3 music venues, massive dance floors, top-quality international line-up of bands and DJs, huge vintage clothing mall, specialist record dealers, classic and custom car cruise, free vintage bus service, beauty parlor, rockin' barber, Rhythm Riot TV, Rhythm Riot Radio, Lady Luck lounge and burlesque room, pin-up photographer, late, late bars... and LOTS LOTS MORE!!!
CRUISE

Nov 14 to 18 2012

 

The 60s & 70s Music Cruise. Exit Sydney 4 days on Pacific Ocean   14 various acts - see the website for details

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