Summer Jamboree 2009 in Senigallia, Le Marche

The annual summer Jamboree in Senigallia is almost upon us again and this year will be my fourth consecutive visit to this wonderful week long event, which celebrates 1950’s American music and culture. This year is the 10th anniversary and as before the main events are being held in the Piazza del Duca from the 14th to 23rd August. As in all the previous years it is completely free and as always it spills out throughout the town, with many parties and events also held on the wide sandy beaches and in the beach front bars and restaurants. The event is growing in size and scope each year and has become increasingly popular over the 10 years that it has been running.

There are more than 100 artists planned to perform this year in over 30 concerts which will be held throughout the town over the week long period. Most of the artists playing at the Jamboree are from the USA and Italy, but there are also acts from the UK, Germany, France, Spain and even Switzerland.
The artists from the USA appearing include Carl Mann, Dale Hawkins, Johnny Powers and Ray Sharp.
In the evenings it is possible to let your hair down and join in with the dancing at the swing parties and some of the dances included are Jive, boogie woogie and lindy hop.

Visitors can also attend dance workshops in the town centre, get an authentic 1950’s haircut or hairstyle at the various salons and also visit the vintage market stalls that sell all types of 50’s memorabilia.

The local population as well as the many visitors really get into the swing of things and many dress up as Teddy boys and the girls wear typical 1950’s skirts along with scarves, stockings and 1950’s shoes. The hair do’s are also typical of that period and seen close up it is great to see how colourful clothes of that era really were, not just black and white as in the old TV films!!

There are also dozens of period American cars and motorbikes positioned in the Piazza del Duca as well as the cars driving slowly and parading down the Lungomare on the sea front most of the evening.
One thing though that they have not got quite right so far is the fast food in the main Piazza! Italians don’t do fast food well and they would be better to use Mc Donald’s to supply the fast food stalls than to try to do it for themselves. But that is really only a minor quibble and then of course Italian ice cream or Gelati are the best in the world and available at Ice cream parlours all over the town until the early hours of the morning.

Senigallia outside of Jamboree time is a very popular coastal resort on the Adriatic coast in the central Italian region of Le Marche. I personally think it is by far the nicest seaside resort and town in the whole of Le Marche, though Porto san Giorgio comes a close second! The town is always full of life, colour and music and all year round there are fairs, festivals, concerts and parties to entertain both residents and visitors alike. In the main shopping are there are numerous popular bars and in the summer you can sit outside and be served in style with drinks and a wide variety of snacks and meals. I also like to visit the many art galleries and museums dotted around the town and some of my favourite restaurants in the whole of Italy are to be found here, including the wonderful Da Uliassi restaurant overlooking the sea.
So don’t miss coming to the Jamboree this year if you are in Le Marche this August and or put it in your diary for a visit next year if you already have other plans, you wont regret it!!