The Great Snyder Swing Festival
The gathering of people from all over the world to our small town of Snyder, Texas can only mean one thing - it’s time for the West Texas Western Swing Festival! For 26 years, thousands of people have traveled to northwest Texas to dance to the beat of classic country swing music!
Community
Snyder may be a small town, but the West Texas Western Swing Festival is no small feat! Over 1,500 guests attended this year’s event and you’ll be shocked to learn how far people have traveled! Past guests have visited domestically from California, Seattle, and New York and internationally from Germany, England, Canada, Holland, Iceland, and even Australia!
The festival is able to reach so many people because of the strong sense of community amongst swing dancers, also known as swingers. Social partner dancing provides a casual forum to meet and connect with people. Loyal fans who’ve attended the festival for many years love reconnecting with their fellow swingers so much that they call it a “family reunion” and consider Snyder a “home away from home.” Whether or not guests grew up here, the event emanates a hometown feel and welcomes anyone with a rhythmic soul.
Off to a Great Start
Thousands of people line up outside the Western Texas College Coliseum at the start of the festival eagerly waiting to claim a spot around the dance floor. The event spans three and a half days, beginning each morning with a jam session open to any local and undiscovered musicians. This is a wonderful opportunity for performers to share their talent and warm up the crowd!
The official event kick-off though is the Welcome Home Burgers and Beans Supper, hosted by the Snyder High School Theatre Department. Not only does this group cook dinner for over 300 Burgers and Beans guests, but they also prepare all of the concessions throughout the event. If you’re picturing hot dogs and candy, think again! The theatre students and their parents are up early mornings through late nights cooking all sorts of traditional western classics including chili, cornbread, brisket potatoes, pies, cobblers, cakes, and more, all homemade from scratch. The proceeds serve as the theatre department’s one and only fundraiser for the year and they work hard for every penny!
Swing Culture
There is never a dull moment on the dance floor, but how could there be with huge artists like Jody Nix and Rance Norton on the stage? Nine bands perform at each festival and keep the music flowing from sun up to sun down; music that pays tribute to traditional big bands, like Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, who invented the western swing genre. Other crowd favorites who’ve come to Snyder have been Billy Mata and the Rocky King Band.
Western swing began in the dance halls of small towns throughout the lower Great plains in the late 1920s but its popularity peaked in the early 1940s. A tax on night clubs in 1944 caused a major decline in social dancing which is why events like the West Texas Western Swing Festival are imperative in keeping the swing culture alive! No matter the level of experience, everyone has a great time dancing in Snyder. Newcomers are hooked from day one, ederly couples toss their walkers as soon as they hit the dance floor, and everyone enjoys the camaraderie in our friendly town. You can even take home all your favorite western goods from vendors selling leather works, metal art, turquoise and regal jewelry, spoon jewelry, western clothing, and joint pain relief!
Join Us Next Year
For decades, thousands of people have fallen in love with swing dancing and the community it entails. Huge artists, delicious food, worldwide guests, and hospitable hosts make the West Texas Western Swing Festival the perfect place to get involved in swing culture! Mark your calendars for next summer because the event takes place every 2nd weekend in June. We in Snyder, can’t wait to welcome you to town!
