Follow the beat
Music lovers, take a tour of some lively festivals this year
If you have been following our recent articles listing activities RVers can do with their grandchildren, you will probably be tired just planning for all of that, and need a break. So, here are some things for you and your partner to do all by yourselves. Oh, I forgot—you have to like music!
An ideal way to get the old bones moving is to listen to lively music, and there is nothing more lively than fiddle music. Fiddler conventions abound in Kentucky and Tennessee, but there is one much closer to home in Weiser, Idaho. Fiddlers come from near and far to exhibit their talents. The third weekend in June is usually when the music starts. There are rounds for adults, small fry, juniors and young adults—by the final day, the auditorium is really jumping.
For those of you who are “winter Texans” and like gospel music, Rockport, Texas is the place to go in January. Here you will find two full days of gospel music playing from early in the morning to late at night, non-stop. Well-known groups like Rockport’s Gospel Force—as well as newcomers—appear here, presenting their specific type of music to a
packed hall.
Festivals with flair
Just up the road from the Rio Grande Valley is San Antonio, Texas. No, we are not suggesting you go to the Riverwalk for sightseeing, but instead we want you to attend the International Accordion Festival in early October. During three days, you can stamp your feet to real Czech or Polish polkas; slap your hands to the rhythm of Chicano, Arabic, hip-hop, Latin fusion or Cajun music. Workshops and contests abound, along with open mikes and jams. The event is held in LaVillita, just a short distance from the Riverwalk.
Since you are in the area, you might as well stop in and listen to Jim Cullum’s Riverwalk Jazz Band, Live from the Riverwalk, at The Landing Jazz Club.
For RVers on the Gulf Coast, you are not very far from the capital of jazz, New Orleans, Louisiana. Madi Gras is a must. Just standing on the sidewalk trying to catch the trinkets that are tossed your way is exciting, not to mention the music.
For smaller crowds, try Preservation Hall, open nightly and in business since 1961. This is the soul of New Orleans jazz. And if you are really into jazz, like Marguerite is, you can wander into and out of the many clubs on Bourbon Street that offer this unique type of American soul music.
Country classics
For those of you who live in British Columbia or Alberta, you might want to go home from New Orleans by way of Nashville, Tennessee. The Grand Ole Opry is a landmark there. Country music is on tap, all the time. If you are into Blues, try the B. B. King Blues Club or Blues City Café on Beale Street. Just down the road is Memphis, where “Elvis has been seen” may be a phrase you will hear. Graceland is where you will see Elvis; maybe not in the flesh, but certainly in the music.
Last but not least is Tony’s favorite type of music—classical. Most large cities that you pass on your way home will have a symphony. Winter Texans will find plenty of classical music in Houston‘s Jones Hall, almost all year long. You can hear works written by Handel, Bach, Mozart, Strauss and Paul McCartney.
They will even throw in a little of Bugs Bunny for those of you who like something “a little lighter.” Canadians heading back home should try for a concert in Benaroya Concert Hall in Seattle, Washington, or at Symphony Hall in Portland, Oregon. Of course, there is the Vancouver Symphony at the East Cultural Centre, which is a first-class venue. Start off with the Masterworks series or Symphony Sunday. Finish off your adventure with a taste of Empire—Last Night of the Proms, in early June.
Depending on your preference, you are sure to find the type of music you enjoy not very far from your location—music that will soothe and relax you and prepare you for the next delightful round with your grandkids!
CONTACTS
- Fiddler’s Convention (208) 414-0255
- Rockport Gospel Festival (361) 205-2789
- International Accordion Festival
- The Landing Jazz Club (201) 223-7266
- Preservation Hall (504) 522-2841
- Grand Ole Opry (800) SEE-OPRY
- Beale Street Historic District (901) 526-0115
- Blues City Café (901) 526-3637
- Graceland (800) 238-2000
- Houston Symphony (713) 224-4240
- Seattle Symphony (206) 215-4800
- Oregon Symphony (503) 228-1353
- Vancouver Symphony (604) 684-9100
