Upbeat piano music and rich, harmonious voices drifted up and down the streets of downtown Fullerton this past weekend for Ragfest’s 10th annual music festival.
As Southern California’s only festival of its kind, many ragtime aficionados traveled far for the all- weekend event which concluded Sunday night.
Ragtime enthusiasts and new- comers alike enjoyed more than 40 musicians and performers at the festival’s five venues.
Boisterous performances, songs and antics brought audience members to their feet as they recalled an earlier time when the musical genre was the craze of the nation.
Many performers and followers attended the event not only to appreciate the genre but also to keep it from being obsolete.
“The music is seldom heard these days. There’s almost no airtime in the media,” said Marea Boylan, performer in Those Syncopating Songbirds. “So it’s at these festivals that we get to keep this music alive and explore all the incredible songs that were written—funny songs, vaudeville, ragtime songs, sentimental jazzy songs—people don’t know the range of ragtime.”
Ragtime, characterized as having an upbeat, syncopated and ragged rhythm, enjoyed immense popularity in the early 1900s.
Most notable for its emphasis on unusual off beats, it quickly became a popular style to dance to.
Performers of ragtime back in its heyday were known for their enthusiasm, excitement and silly antics when performing. Ragfest’s present day performers were of no exception.
“The piano players are phenomenal. You can tell the performers are having a blast,” said Mariah Cannon of Yorba Linda. “Just by watching them, you have a great time.
Rag time is a fun and memorable time period and everyone joined together to appreciate it.
“Its refreshing to watch them be silly, goof around and do ridiculous things.”, Cannon said.
“You can see after listening to the performers, it’s not for the money, it’s for the love of ragtime music,” said Nick Batinich, a volunteer. “They really enjoy it and you can definitely see it in the way they perform.”
The West Coast Ragtime Festival—the nation’s largest ragtime music festival—will take place in Sacramento, Nov. 20-22.
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