For a Few Hours, I Lived in the 1950s: My First Rockabilly Festival in Medulin

There are places that have the power to surprise you.

And then there are events that make you travel through time.

That is exactly what happened to me during one of my days in Medulin, a seaside town in Istria that transforms into a true open-air stage every summer.

If there is one thing I learned during this week between Pula and its surroundings, it is that music here is not simply entertainment.

It is part of the region’s identity.

You find it everywhere.

In the Pula Arena, among the ancient stones of the Roman Quarries, in cultural centres, seaside bars and restaurants, and in the town squares that fill with people as soon as the sun goes down.

And it was music that led me to one of the most fun and unexpected experiences of this trip.

It is called the Tear It Up!! Festival, and it is one of the most important rockabilly events in the region.

For four days, Medulin completely changes its appearance.

The streets fill with full circle skirts, pompadours, polka dots, shiny shoes, vintage American cars and melodies that seem to come straight from the 1950s.

The moment I arrived, I felt as if I had stepped into a movie.

I am not exaggerating.

At times, I genuinely expected Patrick Swayze to appear around the corner and suddenly find myself on the set of Dirty Dancing.

Every detail helped create that magic.

The music, of course.

But also the people.

Actually, above all, the people.

I cannot remember the last time I saw so many people enjoying themselves with such genuine passion.

There were incredible dancers spinning effortlessly across the dance floor, couples who looked as though they had been dancing together their entire lives, and groups of friends who had travelled from all over Europe to share the same atmosphere.

I could hear Italian, Croatian, Slovenian, German and English all around me.

Every now and then, an American accent would drift by, making the whole experience feel even more surreal.

And yet, despite the different languages, it felt as though everyone was speaking the same one.

The language of music.

The language of passion.

The language of fun.

One of the things that impressed me the most was the attention to detail.

The women looked stunning.

Perfect dresses, colourful skirts, flawless lipstick and hairstyles styled to perfection.

Every shoe, every handbag and every accessory seemed to tell a story.

But the men were just as impressive.

Vintage shirts, suspenders, hats, polished shoes and carefully curated outfits that you rarely see nowadays.

I must admit that I spent quite a lot of time simply observing.

I could not stop.

My eyes kept moving from one detail to another, trying to capture every nuance of that world.

And naturally, my phone suffered for it.

I seriously think I came close to filling up my entire iCloud storage with photos and videos.

But it was impossible to resist.

Every corner deserved a photo.

Every dance deserved a video.

Every smile deserved to be preserved.

The festival features live concerts, DJ sets, vintage car exhibitions, retro markets and countless events dedicated to rockabilly culture.

Some evening events, held around the harbour area and beneath Medulin’s iconic windmill, are free and open to everyone.

Others take place within the main festival grounds, which can be accessed with either a day ticket or a full-event pass.

But beyond the programme itself, what I am taking home most of all is a feeling.

The feeling of having witnessed a community coming together around something they truly love.

In a time when we are often rushing from one thing to the next, watching people of all ages dedicate their time, energy and passion to what makes them happy was perhaps the greatest gift of all.

If the videos I shared sparked your curiosity, know that this festival returns to Medulin every year.

And I can assure you that experiencing it in person is something entirely different.

As for me, I am leaving this festival with hundreds of photographs, a few too many videos, and a huge smile on my face.

And with the certainty that Istria always finds new ways to surprise me.

Because people do not come here just for the sea.

Sometimes you arrive for a holiday.

And end up dancing your way into the 1950s.

Goodbye, Medulin.

I am already looking forward to my next journey through time.

Collab Tourist Board of Medulin Municipality

Ph copertina @TZOM