The Surf Ballroom

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Last month I got the chance to stop by The Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, IA. This beautiful building has been carefully restored to it's 1948 splendor. It serves today as a small museum to rock and roll and still hosts various concerts and events. However it is best known as the last place that rock and roll pioneers - Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper would play before boarding an ill fated plane that crashed only a short distance outside of Clear Lake - a day which became known as "The Day the Music Died" in the song of the same name by Don McLean. So... let me just say that this place is awesome. It has a "beach/tiki" theme to it. It's huge, and has this massive dance floor, then along the side and back of the dance floor are booths, with a massive mural depicting waves and a tropical beach. The fixtures look to be art deco, and there is a stylized teal and white "awning" on the ceiling making it look more "beachy". When mom and I went there was a Big Band playing. Now Big Band music is ok - but hearing it live was simply amazing - a whole different experience. We even got asked to dance :-) Worth stopping at if you are near by. Photo is mine