Cycling, Tuscany, Italy
Sweeping through gorgeous Italian countryside on ancient roads, L’Eroica is a cycling race with a difference – only bikes made before 1987 can enter. Each October, thousands of competitors, many of them dressed in vintage costumes (think woollen cycling jerseys and leather shoes), flock to the event which starts in Gaiole in Chianti. The full route is 205km, but competitors can choose from four distances, starting at 38km. This year a UK version, E’Eroica Britannia , launched in the Peak District.
• 5 October 2014, eroica.it, registration costs from €47.50
Dancing, Near Stockholm, Sweden
There are hundreds of retro dance camps around the world, but one of the biggest and oldest is, perhaps surprisingly, in Sweden – the Herräng Dance Camp, dating back to 1982. Focusing on lindy hop and swing, the camp runs for five weeks each summer with lessons, plenty of entertainment and accommodation choices to suit your budget. All levels are welcome.
• July 2015 (dates TBC), herrang.com, weekend beginner programmes from about £130pp
Vintage by the Sea, Morecambe, UK
The art deco Midland Hotel that curves along Morecambe’s seafront is the setting for this weekend’s Vintage by the Sea festival. Morecambe boy Wayne Hemingway is at the helm of a retro extravaganza of fashion, art and music from the 1920s to the 1990s, with a market, hair and beauty salons, music from funk to ska, and events including a glamorous dinner dance at the Torch Club and workshops on everything from quilting to traditional printing.
• vintagefestival.co.uk, 6-7 September, tickets £14.55
1960s mods, Spain
Mods may be as British as the Queen but the subculture still thrives across the globe. Spain has a strong community and Euroyeye, an annual mod and 1960s rally held in Gijón in Asturias, (euroyeye.es, first weekend of August) celebrated its 20th anniversary this year with more than 100 bands, dozens of Mod-inspired films and exhibitions and thousands of well-polished scooters. Later this month devotees will meet on the beach for the Rhythm and Beach Mod and 60s Weekender at Grao de Castellón, north of Valencia (19-20 September), where admission to events is free.
Shopping and car races, Austin, Texas, US
For its concentration of genuine vintage shops, colourful Austin takes some beating. Among the best is Flashback Vintage (1805 S 1st Street), a cute blue and pink clapboard bungalow with authoritative staff and serious bargains. For cowboy boots and women’s eveningwear, Roadhouse Rags (1600 Fortview Road) is a good bet, while stalwart Blue Velvet (217 W North Loop Boulevard) has been on the scene for 20 years. The city hosts the annual US Vintage Racing National Championships in October at the Circuit of The Americas, with cars dating back to the early 20th century.
• 10-12 October, Vintage Racing National Championships, circuitoftheamericas.com, general admission from $59
