“This event raises money to provide scholarships for parents who want to send their kids to music camps like fiddle camp, which is still alive and well in Texas, teaching and trying to preserve old-time fiddle styles, Texas-style fiddling and Western swing music,” said Seth Darby, local point person for the event.
Darby estimates that at last year’s event, roughly $20,000 was raised for scholarships.
The Western Swing Music Society has facilitated similar dances around the country and has assembled a group of bands from a variety of states to perform, including local acts Lonesome Express and The Honkytonk Renovators.
While swing music is less common than it was in its heyday, Darby said people are still trying to maintain the tradition, especially in states such as Texas and Oklahoma.
“It’s not as huge as it was 50 years ago or more, but we're trying to keep this tradition alive and find young people that may not have ever been exposed to it,” Darby added. “It's a slice of Americana that we want to show reverence to, but also maintain. These kinds of things just remind me of a simpler time. Maybe there's something to learn from that in our super fast-paced life.”
The event will take place from 10 a.m. to roughly 10 p.m tonight, Friday, and Saturday. Tickets are $15 for nonmembers and $10 for members and will be available at the door.
For more information on the society, visit their website.
