Ukulele Clubs And Camping 

Following Jimmy Buffet down to Margaritaville might sound tempting, but Ohio residents don’t need to venture far to find a taste of the tropics: The sweet, soothing sounds of Hawaii are just a short trip away in Akron.  

The Rubber Capital of the World, as it’s sometimes better known, is uniting ukulele players of all ages and skill level through numerous uke clubs, meet-ups and performances. One of those clubs, Rubber City Ukes, meets regularly in Akron to teach its members how to perform in a large group. They welcome all skill levels and pride themselves on being an ideal circle for musicians looking to gain live experience.  

According to their Facebook bio, they’re “all about having fun and bringing people together. While learning to play at home is important, getting a song ready to perform helps build skills, musicianship and confidence. This is a safe place to give it a try.” The group unites ukulele players of every level to enjoy the small but mighty uke through open jams, sing-alongs, and other events. And they welcome out-of-towners, too. While Rubber City Ukes is based in Akron, anyone from the city’s surrounding areas is welcome to join.

Another fervent club, the Northeast Ohio Ukulele Group, often meets with the Rubber City Ukes to participate in joint events. Meetings are held in various locations around Ohio (though usually in Olmsted Falls) on Saturdays. All levels of players are welcome to join in on the group’s strum and jam sessions to learn, play and sing, but new and returning members should check Northeast Ohio Ukulele Group’s Meetup and Facebook pages for specific information on locations, dates and times.  

Those with a taste for ukulele festivals will be happy to know that one lies just an hour away in Loudonville every year. The Ohio Ukulele Campout is the ultimate ukulele camping experience that usually runs from Friday through Sunday with non-stop music, food, and fun. Highlights of this festival weekend include open mics, campfire sing-alongs, porch jams, a Bloody Mary bar and – as odd as it sounds – an all-night bathroom jam. As the campout is usually held in September, the weather almost always turns out to be perfect with sunny skies and temperatures in the high 70s.