ARARAT - Ararat is set to shake, rattle and roll this weekend with the 16th annual Jailhouse Rock Festival.
Throughout the weekend the city will rock to the sounds of the 1950s and 60s' music and the roar of gunning hotrod engines as thousands of festival-goers take to the streets.
The Festival was launched on Wednesday at the Ararat Regional Art Gallery and continued yesterday with youth events including a Battle of the Bands and `Rockin' at the Astor Cinema.
Festival president Bernadine Streeter said much of Ararat's accommodation was already booked out for the festival which promised another full program for people of all ages.
''Today is traditionally the day that the hot rods and classic cars start arriving in town,'' Ms Streeter said.
''Entries for the Hotrod run are still rolling in and we're expecting some new entries to line up alongside our old local favourites.''
The hotrod theme continues into the Cruise Night tonight, with Ballarat band the Shy Boys entertaining the Ararat Performing Arts Centre crowd. Around the corner, the Ararat RSL will also host a live band and dinner dance.
Ms Streeter said both ends of Barkly Street would be closed to through traffic tomorrow, but open to live music, food stalls, dancing, hot rods, classic cars, motor bikes and memorabilia from the 50s and 60s.
The entire city is set to jive to the Jailhouse Rock Festival with the annual Jam Session to be staged on the truck trailer near Queen Street throughout tomorrow afternoon.
Tomorrow night the hot rod dance will be held at the YMCA with the aptly named 1950s' band the Fender Benders set to rock the crowd. The Cruisers will play the Performing Arts Centre with live bands in hotels throughout Ararat.
On Sunday the Festival all comes together at Alexandra Oval in a colourful display of cars, motorbikes, rock and roll music and dance.
''The Jailhouse Rock Festival is one of those fabulous, fun events that everyone genuinely looks forward to,'' Ms Streeter said.
Ararat Rural City Mayor Cr Gwenda Allgood agreed, saying she hoped more young people would become involved to ensure the longevity of the festival.
''There are always such small groups putting on these events,'' she said.
''But the thing is that most of them are doing these things in their spare time as volunteers.
''We're now finding - what with the hospital celebrations last weekend and all the events happening in Ararat - so many people are volunteering their time to benefit all of Ararat. It's remarkable.''
Cr Allgood said the Jailhouse Rock Festival was great for Ararat, with the influx of tourists meaning most accommodation was booked out.
''That's exactly what Ararat needs,'' she said.
Cr Allgood was also pleased to see new events popping up at the festival each year.
''Every year someone comes up with something different,'' she said.
She was happy to see younger people becoming involved in a variety of the events and said she believed young people were realising the value of the town and that they could become involved, injecting new ideas.
''I'd just like to congratulate the committee,'' she said, highlighting the fact that it was a small committee, one of many involved in the community.
''It happens all over town, only five people doing extraordinary things and I just think it's incredible,'' she said.
''I know the community in their own way is grateful, but I just hope they come out and show support and try and get onto these committees to actually give those people who are doing such a lot of hard work on their own some encouragement.
''Because that's all you need - one pat on the back can take you through another six months.''
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