Geelong will rock you

The who’s who of local rock and roll will throw on their best dancing shoes for the 20th annual Geelong Jukebox Rockers festival this weekend.

A not-for-profit organisation, Geelong Jukebox Rockers is the only group in Geelong dedicated to the revolutionary genre.

And with more than 300 members, club secretary Julianne Rogers said she’s seen plenty of new faces walk through the doors in the four years she’s been involved.

“We’re trying to encourage younger people to come along. Our demographic is probably from about 40 onwards, but it’d be nice to have a new generation of rockers join the club,” she said.

Ms Rogers said she joined the club after separating from her husband in 2011.

Despite not being a founding member, she said she was passionate about contributing to the club’s mark on the community.

“I always wanted to do rock and roll from a very young age.

“I was born in 1953, grew up in the ‘50s and ‘60s and rock and rolled with my brother and sister. As I grew older, my husband and the people I was associated with weren’t involved in it.

“I signed on with the club about four years ago and have loved every minute of it since.”

The festival is Geelong Jukebox Rockers’ biggest fundraising event of the year, and the majority of profits are allocated towards the club’s social nights, weekly lessons and monthly dances.

Ms Rogers said it was increasingly challenging to find a dance venue that plays rock and roll music aside from Malop Street’s Pistol Pete’s, and that most events are held in Melbourne, Ballarat, Bendigo and Colac.

“We create our own dances and bring in our own bands. If you want to dance, you have to go out of Geelong.

“Swing dancing is also very underappreciated, and there’s not many places where you can go and do swing.”

Each year the club elects a charity to donate a portion of its profits to, with the Geelong RSL and Geelong Mums among past recipients.

This weekend’s festival will see Fender Benders, Smokin Wingtips, The Rockin’ Tones and The Moonlighters take to the stage.

It is being held from January 3-5 at White Eagle House, 46-48 Fellmongers Road, Breakwater.

For booking information and the full line-up, head to geelongjukeboxrockers.com.