Symco Shakedown, Symco, WI

Old cars, vintage campers, tattooed rockabillies, and 1950s fashion have converged on the tiny up-north town of Symco for the past four summers. Music, beer, food, concessions, haircuts and the Miss Symco Pinup Contest are all part of the scene. The Symco Shakedown drew 7,500 people in August 2012 with the aim of re-creating the feel of "pre-1964" according to the event web site. In the center of Symco (pronounced simco) is a collection of old buildings such as a tavern, barber shop, bank -- a modest version of Henry Ford's Greenfield Village. The Symco Shakedown is staged in and around these buildings to celebrate vintage Americana mainly through the veneration of vintage automobiles. Bits of modernity seep in despite the organizers best efforts. Going back in time to an America before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 can be a little scarey if you're not a white guy with a beer.