A Guide to Iowa Ballrooms and Dance Venues

Once upon a time, ballrooms were THE place for socializing and going to see live music. In some respects, that day has come and gone, but lately folks have rediscovered these old halls and they've become fashionable all over again.

Iowa in particular has numerous ballrooms and dance venues across the state. Across the upper Midwest, there is a network of gyms, ballrooms, and National guard armories that people flock too. The stories are legendary and so are the names who've graced the stages at these venues. Here is a partial list of some of the great ballrooms, in Iowa, in no particular order.

The Surf Ballroom - Clear Lake Iowa (http://www.surfballroom.com/). This venue in North Central Iowa was built in 1933. It still stands today and hosts concerts, weddings, and dances. Most notably, it is the site of the final concert that Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper played at in February of 1959. The three were killed in a plane crash soon after the concert north of the city. The venue was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1947. The wood floor and the coat check are the same now as they were back then. If you go to the Surf, come early just to hang out and see all the memorabilia.

The Val Air Ballroom - Des Moines (http://www.valairballroom.com/), open under various owners since 1939, the Val Air another famous hall on the Midwest circuit. Big bands and rock acts have played there.

Lake Robbins Ballroom - Woodward IA. One of the oldest wood floor ballrooms in America. Still hosts events to this day. (http://www.lakerobbins.com/)

Laramar Ballroom, Fort Dodge IA (http://www.iowaballroom.com/p/active/laramar.html) - also a famous IA venue, this ballroom was also on the Itinerary of the ill-fated 1959 Winter Dance Party.

Lakeside Ballroom, Guttenberg IA (http://www.nbea.com/lakeside.htm), built in the 1920's. Structure looks like a cross between a old church and a Quonset hut.

Lakewood Ballroom, Lake View IA (http://www.nbea.com/lakeside.htm) - located in NW Iowa. Currently closed, seeking new management

The Coliseum, Marshalltown IA (http://www.communitylink.com/us/ia/marshalltown/profile/history.htm) - Anyone from the Midwest, especially Central Iowa, should know the Coliseum. Located in downtown Marshalltown, the venue has hosted decades of bands and events.

The Electric Park Ballroom, Waterloo IA (http://www.nationalcattlecongress.com/) - Home to the National Cattle Congress, this ballroom is sometimes forgotten amongst the more famous IA venues such as the Surf, Val Air, and Lake Robbins.

So there is a starter kit, if you will, of some classic Iowa ballrooms. The Upper Midwest has scores of these great old venues across its landscape. I hope you visit some of them the next time you pass through the region!

www.iowadance.com

www.iowaballroom.com