Dave Bennett and the Memphis Speed Kings perform at the 2016 Seaside Jazz Festival.

SEASIDE — The audience for Dave Bennett and the Speed Kings at the Seaside Elks Lodge Thursday night was ready to dance. As soon as the group launched into their rockabilly jazz set, the crowd erupted and flocked to the floor.

Bennett brought the dancers to a frenzy with Chuck Berry’s “Roll Over Beethoven,” before heading into the Jerry Lee Lewis hit “High School Confidential” and “Crazy Arms” by Ray Price.

This was just another Seaside Jazz Festival night, an annual event featuring 14 bands through Sunday at venues throughout town.

Drummer Hal Smith from Searcy, Arkansas, and Gino Meregillano from San Diego, California, joined leader Bennett and bassist Joe Jazdzewski onstage for the Seaside festival’s debut night.

“We always have a good time at this fest,” Meregillano said. “Lots of dancing, lots of enthusiasm for ’50s and ’60s rock — Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, early Elvis Presley.”

“A lot of Sun Records,” Smith said. “And a lot of clarinet. We play some Benny Goodman and Charlie Christian.”

Dancers are among the most passionate audience members.

Steve Gillyatt of the town of O’Brien in southern Oregon came to the Seaside festival after an event in Fresno, California, two weeks ago. “Not only are they having the traditional Dixieland and jazz stuff, they’re adding variety,” Gillyatt said.

Becky Armistead of Coos Bay is a board member of the South Coast Clambake Jazz Fest, which at 25 years old, is a contender with Seaside for the state’s most venerable jazz festival. Armistead goes to at least four jazz fests a year, including Seaside.

Barbara West of Washougal, Washington, has attended 10 Seaside jazz festivals. “Great bands — good town, lots of fun tonight.” She indicated a preference for swing, fox trot and slow dances.

Lowell and Shirley Weiss of Vancouver, Washington, have been married 55 years and have come to the Seaside Jazz Festival since 1982, drawn by the dancing, friends and music.

“It’s the whole scene,” Lowell Weiss said. “We never miss it. It’s just like a family reunion after a while. Everybody likes everybody, there’s no complaining, people are here smiling, having a good time.”

Dennis Phillips, also of Vancouver, Washington, was drawn by the music of Bennett’s Speed Kings. He and his wife, Valerie, were joined by four of their best friends, attending the Seaside event for the first time.

“We’re here for Dave Bennett, but we are going to enjoy the rest of the activities here,” Dennis Phillips said. “If somebody asked me five years ago if I liked jazz, I would have said ‘no.’ But then I learned there’s a lot of different kinds of jazz, and there’s certain kinds I like. The neat part is you can walk in and if you don’t like the music, you can go to another place. We like the choices — and the drinks at the Elks club.”

Dean Martin from Indio, California, pays a stop at every jazz festival he can on the West Coast. “I rank this very, very high,” Martin said. “I like to visit Seaside, and the environment’s so casual and friendly. You can’t beat it.”