Rarin’ To Go Festival – 2026

I packed up and headed for Long Beach to the Rarin To Go Festival knowing full well it was going to be a great weekend. The band lineup alone guaranteed that. German bands like The Round Up Boys and Cherry Casino were absolutely stellar. (Why is it that German rockabilly bands are typically the best? It’s weird, but true.) Other standout acts included The Mean Devils from Portugal, Rampage from England, The Desperados from Long Beach, our own local favorites Downhill Fast, and Sweden’s The Go Getters, who closed out the weekend. Add in great DJs like Woof, Topper, Jezebel, Jeanne, and many others, and there was never a dull moment.

The festival kicked off with an off-site record hop at a local tiki bar and kept rolling until Sunday night. One of my favorite parts was the Sunday afternoon vintage flea market by the pool—a perfect way to spend the afternoon before another night of music and dancing. And kudos to whoever parked that beautiful 1956 Mercury right at the entrance. You couldn’t help but admire it every time you walked by.

While the festival is centered around live music and dancing, there’s no official car show—but bringing your hot rod is definitely encouraged. You don’t see many ’55/’56 Mercs these days, and there were plenty of cool rides scattered throughout the weekend.

The weekend was superb! A big group of us made the trip from Phoenix, and we’re already ready to book our rooms the moment the 2027 dates are announced.
A huge thanks to Topper, his family, and the entire team for putting together another fantastic event.

I’m already looking forward to next year. If you’ve never been, put the Rarin To Go Festival in Long Beach on your 2027 calendar.

I’ll see you there…