The Lights of Leamington festival began in 1951, as Leamington Spa was emerging from post-war gloom. Rationing was still in place, and a few years earlier the streets of Leamington were lit by gas lamps. As the decade wore on, the town witnessed some extraordinary social changes. So, grab a partner, put on your best outfit, and get ready to dance to the tune of the big bands playing by the lake, or learn to jive to the a strange new sound coming from America – Rock and Roll.