Preserving and Increasing FOD's Art Collection!

First things first, thanks to your contributions to the Artifact & Memorabilia Fund, we were able to frame another Brewer Painting! The largest one yet.

Recently, the Friends of Dreamland was lucky enough to receive another donated work of art from local artist John Goodwin. The donated painting, Dreamland, depicts what can best be described as the ‘feeling’ of the Dreamland Ballroom, especially if you know anything about its legacy and/or have seen it all dressed up for a party. The painting is an excellent example of Goodwins artistic focus on wonder and whimsy. This painting is featured in the 50th issue of Artistonish, a monthly art magazine.  We are so grateful to John for loving Dreamland and trusting us with his work. Another fabulous piece for our collection of Arkansan art!

John Goodwin earned a BFA in Graphic Design from Louisiana Tech University and lives in Little Rock. Most of his career was spent working in sales for the photography, pre-press and printing industries, where he specialized in fine art reproductions, but he is now working as a full-time artist himself.

His art is meant to convey a sense of wonder and whimsy, and his influences come mostly from music and pop culture. He is a collector of Silver Age comic books, and that graphic sensibility shows in his paintings as well. He uses strong, pure colors that pop and it’s not uncommon for him to use musical notes, impact marks, star shapes, swirls, and other graphic elements commonly found in comics. They add a touch of fantasy to an image that might be considered somewhat realistically rendered to create a fantasy realism.

John was the official artist for the world renown King Biscuit Blues Festival for three years in a row and has also produced poster art for other music festivals. His work has been featured in the Hot Springs Area Cultural Alliance's Arts & The Park outdoor exhibit, in the Fort Smith Regional Art Museum’s “Inclusive” exhibit, and in multiple online group exhibitions by Gallerium and HMVC Gallery New York. His artwork has been published in the international art magazine Artistonish, and he has paintings in the permanent collection of the Delta Cultural Center Museum.

Dreamland by John Goodwin

Frozen in Time

Construction Update!

If you’ve ever been on a tour of the Dreamland Ballroom with me, you’ve likely heard me say something like, “our aesthetic vision for the space is to ‘freeze it in time’ not necessarily take it back to what it looked like 80-100s years ago.” We love the old room and all its one-of-a-kind character. So, for us, that means leaving exposed brick and lathe, chipped and broken plaster and paint, and making sure the new and old blend. All while making sure everything is safe, sound, and up to code. It’s been quite a balancing act these last few years!

Right now, the new is being blended with the old. Distress painting of the new stage, sheetrock walls, and the big back balcony are all underway. Bringing a little color and life back to the old and new.

Molds are currently in progress as well for the 4 unique plaster ornaments around the stage proscenium. The large medallion missing from the top, the top and bottom border, and the small medallions that ensconce the round lights.

All is on track to be complete for this fall and we can’t wait to show off the work we’ve been doing!

Keep Dreaming, Matthew

Make sure you don’t miss Juneteenth in Da Rock!

Guided tours of the Dreamland Ballroom and Taborian Hall will run at 11 AM and 1 PM on Saturday June 15th. Tours generally last about an hour. We are very excited to share the legacy of this historic space with you on Saturday and hope to see you there!

 If you can’t make the tour times, volunteers will be stationed in the ballroom from 11 AM-4PM to show off the many improvements and restore features the Friends of Dreamland have been working on since our first grant award in 2018.

See you Saturday and keep dreaming, Matthew McCoy

Tour the Dreamland Ballroom!

Sharing the legacy of Dreamland Ballroom is a core aspect of the Friends of Dreamland mission. One of the best ways to do that is by offering tours of this incredible space. We do have a limited staff here so scheduled tours are highly recommended. We cannot guarantee someone will be available for a drop-in tour. So, contact us for more information and to set up a tour time for your group or organization and learn a little more about Little Rock and Arkansas history!

Be on the lookout for tour times for Juneteenth in Da Rock on Saturday, June 15th. We will preschedule 2 or 3 tours between 11 AM – 4 PM during Mosaic Templars Juneteenth Celebration here on 9th St.

Keep Dreaming, Matthew McCoy

Be on the lookout!

As we get closer and closer to the end of the current construction effort, we are working hard to put together all relevant information for event rentals in Dreamland. The ceiling tiles are almost all up and from there we’re working on various finishes; floorboards, painting this and that, plaster, etc. It’s an incredibly versatile space and we are excited to open it up to the public for the first time in 50+ years!

So, keep up with us on Facebook, Instagram and of course these emails!

Keep Dreaming, Matthew McCoy

THANK YOU! From Friends of Dreamland

Another fabulous year for Dancing into Dreamland! So, so many came together to make the event possible. Dancers, volunteers, board members, patrons, judges, emcees, sponsors and more! We can’t do it with out and we wouldn’t want to!!

Our winners for the evening: Judges Choice: Hot Springs Dance Troupe – People’s Choice: Mirana Eastern Dancers

We’ll see y’all again at Dancing into Dreamland 2025!

 Keep Dreaming, Matthew McCoy

What you can expect on February 17! DID'24

Doors open at 6:45 PM, program starts at 8 PM.

The line-up for Dancing into Dreamland 2024

Emcees: Poolboy & Will Trice
Judges: Joey Lauren Adam, Brian Earles, & Christen Burke Pitts

The Dancers:
1st Act Exhibition by Desi Indian Dancers (2023 DID winners!)
Bachata by Avery Wall & Carlos Casasola
Ballet by Allison Stodola Wilson, Lucy Busfield, Reese Hinton, & Randi Renfro
Jazz Duet by Hayley Mitchell & Makenzie Mears
Hot Springe Dance Troupe
**INTERMISSION (15 min)**
2nd Act Exhibition by Rick & Sarah Pinedo (2016 DID winners)
Middle Eastern Dance by Sahnnon Sahr
Cha-Cha by Daniel Felts & Juliet Newman
Hula Hoop Routine by Katie Sunshine & Co.
Ballet Folklorico Quetzalli by Leticia Rena

Keep Dreaming, Matthew McCoy

Thank you for another dreamy year!

Historic restoration is very often detailed work, steeped in bureaucracy and requiring a skilled, thoughtful set of hands and minds to execute. The Friends of Dreamland thank you for your unending support as we move to make the necessary improvements to and restore the character defining features of the Dreamland Ballroom! We can’t do it without you!

Happy New Year and Keep Dreaming, Matthew McCoy

Giving Tuesday is Nov. 28th!!

The most generous day of the year kicks off the year-end charitable season. We have plenty of options for whatever level of giving suits your gracious spirit:

  • Sponsor the Dream with a ticket or table for Dancing into Dreamland 2024.  Order on Nov. 28 and get your General Admission ticket for $73.50, 25% off!

  • Buy an inscribed brick paver and complete the walkway to the Dreamland Ballroom with our ever steady Pave the Way program. 

  • Partner up with Arkansas Flag and Banner and donate any amount to the Matching Campaign! 

The Friends of Dreamland exist to save and share the legacy of the Dreamland Ballroom! Help us preserve this intention for years to come so we can continue to celebrate this historic place!

Keep Dreaming, Matthew McCoy

What’s Taking So Long?

The short answer? The nuances of construction in an old building and bureaucracy.

As many who follow us know, we’ve been doing major construction since 2018. When we first received a half million dollar grant from the National Parks Service (NPS). To date, we’ve been through three phases of this major construction and have been awarded this NPS grant two more times. Phases one and two were primarily dedicated to ADA compliance: elevator, bathrooms, HVAC, and the like. Phase three, currently the biggest perpetrator of bureaucratic delays, is where we’ve been able to do some actual historic restoration: ceiling tiles, lighting, floors, and plaster. COVID related shutdowns and supply chain issues in this time certainly haven’t helped.

Prior to these grants, restoration was even slower. While the ballroom was made “sound” around 2012, the lack of an elevator and those other necessary ADA compliances meant Dreamland could not host the wide array of public events it was designed to hold. Events that would help raise awareness and funds for the restoration effort. Our one city-sanctioned fundraiser, Dancing into Dreamland, was, and still is, the primary means of fund- and friend-raising for the Friends of Dreamland (FOD).

This event and the additional donations from the Pave the Way program help us pay for routine maintenance, keep our board insured, and pay to keep the ballroom relatively clean; those little things that preserve it on a day-to-day basis. And in a good year, a bathroom could be installed, or lights put in or AC window units set up; those little improvements that made it more hospitable for the times we could use it.

Before the founding of FOD in 2009, Kerry McCoy slowly restored the building herself. From 1990 to 2009, working up from the basement (after putting a roof on it). Restoring each floor for the sake of her growing flag and banner company. Eventually realizing she would never be able to restore the building to its former glory on her own and therefore founding the 501-(c)3 and turning over Dreamland’s revitalization to a board of directors.

So, I guess that’s a version of the long answer. Lack of funds, of manpower, of awareness. Years of seemingly insurmountable compliance issues. A building falling apart, one with a story as beautiful and inspiring as it is sad, painstakingly put back together over 30+ years.

Keep Dreaming, Matthew McCoy

It’s Spooky Season!

Over the years, many have explored the Dreamland Ballroom and Taborian Hall for supernatural activity with varying results. So, leading up to Halloween, I’ll share some of the ghost stories of Taborian Hall that we know. No need to fret! As far as anyone can tell, our specters are as benevolent as they come.

I’ve spent a LOT of time in this old building over the years. Workdays and evening events, of course, as well as hours spent here on days and nights when very few or no other people are in the building. Ghost hunters, folks who routinely travel and search for the supernatural, have come in with all their tools and instruments to give the building a once over. And while the building can be rather spooky late at night or when the wind whistles through the old brick walls, it would seem the ghosts of Taborian are quite hard to pin down. Or they just don’t want to be found, only appearing within specific circumstances with almost all the stories centered around music. Hearing music from nowhere or seeing someone, who does not seem entirely corporeal, while music is being played.

I’ll start with a personal story about an evening, a few years ago, when I spent the night in Taborian Hall with two ghost hunter friends of mine and their various tools for locating and communicating with the deceased. It firstly must be noted that almost all the paranormal activity in Taborian Hall occurs in the Dreamland Ballroom. Even the dank and dark basement shows low readings on the instruments ghost enthusiasts tend to have. So, on this night, we did some obligatory rounds through the basement, the 1st, and 2nd stories of the building with some activity. But nothing that couldn’t ultimately be contributed to something else, a nearby outlet or rattling window, that kind of thing.

We settle in the ballroom. My friends break out a few of their gadgets, most of which I can’t name or tell you the purpose of. The results from these did get them excited. One friend saying that he believed there was a child among us, just a feeling though. At one point, one of them wandered into the very center of the ballroom with an EMF meter, a device used to read ambient electromagnetic energy. This is presumably the stuff ghosts are made of, but also what is emitted from outlets or wires or electronics. So, we had to be careful because the meter was going crazy!

Out in the center of the ballroom, no outlets or electronics were nearby. I ran down to the second floor to look up at the ceiling. There’s no drop ceiling there so you can see any wires running under the floor of the ballroom. Remarkably, there are no wires running down the hallway where we were getting the strong reading above.

So, we proceeded to ask the potential specter questions. A beep for yes and a silence for no. And this is when things got weird. The meter became silent the moment we posed these “yes or no” parameters. And for every question we asked, “Are you an adult?” silence, “are you a child?” an immediate beep. And this is how it went. The immediate responses to the questions were just too much! That a beep never came in the middle of a question or hesitated after a question was ask. It was either silence for “no” or an immediate short beep for “yes.” “Did you live around 9th St?” beep “did you come to this building often?” beep, “did one of your parents work here?” silence, “are you a girl?” silence, “are you a boy?” beep. Until “do you want to play a game?” beeeeeep! This was the only response that was drawn out. “Ok,” we had some chairs around, “how about musical chairs?” beep! We set up the chairs with one stool and said, “you’ll start at the stool,” and we put the EMF meter there. It instantly lit up with a drawn-out beep like he was standing there. And when the music started, the beeping stopped like he was walking around the circle with us. And when the music stopped, the meter on the stool lit up and the drawn-out beep started again. Needless to say, he won the game. We played a couple more times with the exact same results until nothing. The beeping stopped completely, and we never got another reading for the rest of the night.

Was this really the ghost of a kid that lived in the area who knows how long ago? Or just my friends and I playing a silly game while our imaginations ran wild. I don’t really know. But I loved thinking about that kid. What his life was like, maybe he had a parent who played music in the area, and they did a show in the ballroom a few times. Or he regularly came to Gem’s Pharmacy for a coke and candy. He said his parents didn’t work in Taborian. So maybe he came to visit a friend. A kid whose parent(s) worked here in an office on the second floor, or as a custodian, or served at a private club or restaurant in the building. As kind of a history nerd, what I love about spooky things like this is building a narrative. What their lives were like, what did they do, who did they know and love, why they or anyone would haunt this place? My friends and I spent the rest of the night talking about this kid and his community. Whatever it was, it was a good time.

Keep Dreaming, Matthew McCoy

 

         THE PLAYERS ON DREAMLAND’S STAGE

Dreamland Ballroom has hosted an incredible array of musicians and performers in it 105 years on West 9th Street. The 1930s – 1950s featured some of its most iconic shows. Performers were local, regional, national, and international. Below you will find a very comprehensive list of these performers with their Dreamland Ballroom performance dates.

“I know, ‘cause I was there.”

Most of the records for these performances are found via newspaper articles from the Arkansas State Press, the black owned and operated newspaper that was printed next door to Taborian Hall. Other articles, as well as oral histories, contributed significantly to our knowledge of life on The Line. The dates provided are primarily from those that attended the event. Many of the oral histories give date ranges. Usually something like: ‘Oh, I saw Otis Redding in the summer of 1937 or ’38 … maybe it was earlier, in the Depression, 1932 or ’33 …” So, while these accounts are usually detailed and match other similar oral reports that confirm Otis Redding played in the Dreamland Ballroom, it is difficult to know the exact dates.

Pinpointing the venue

This list also only notes the performances that we know took place in Dreamland. Since the ballroom in Taborian Hall has the longest legacy of any other venue on West 9th Street, many of the accounts can be a little confused. Did they perform at the Dreamland or right across the street at the Flamingo Club ... or maybe it was down at the Mosaic Templars or the Gem Theatre or any of the other numerous small and medium size venues that came and went on 9th Street. Newspaper articles and ads show us that in the late ‘40s and ‘50s, a lot of black musicians were being booked at the Robinson Auditorium. A 9th Street promoter did most of the booking for Robinson at the time. For example, Ella Fitzgerald only played once in the Dreamland Ballroom but she came to Little Rock regularly throughout the 1940s playing at Robinson.  

The Lengthy Musician List and Performance Dates

  • Duke Ellington – Appears in Dreamland in 1936 with several other performers: Fats Waller and W.C. Handy.

  • Miss Etta Motan, Noble Sissle, Andy Kirk, Chick Webb appear with lesser known artist in 1937.

  • Jimmie Lunceford – the played in 1937, 1940, 1941, 1945, 1946.

  • Cab Calloway – played in Dreamland in 1934 and 1937.

  • Johnny Otis and Little Ester – played in 1952.

  • B.B. King – Played Dreamland in both 1952 & ‘53 with Billy Harvey & Orch.

  • Louis Armstrong – brought his All Star Esquire Combo: Earl Hines, Sidney Catlet, Jack Teagarden, Barney Bigard, Arvel Shar & Velma Middleton, to Dreamland in 1949.

  • Etta James – Came to Club Morocco in 1956 with Floyd Dixon and Orch.

  • Sammie Davis Jr. – played the Dreamland Stage in approx. 1936.

  • Peg Leg Bates – played in Dreamland during the Depression years, exact year unknown, came back the Dreamland Stage in the early 1940s.

  • Red Foxx – performed in Dreamland in 1937. Oral histories suggest regular visits to 9th St for many years.

  • Ella Fitzgerald – plays in Dreamland in 1940 with Chick Webb and again in 1946 with Dizzy Gillespie & Orch.

  • Count Basie – played the Dreamland stage in 1940 with his Orch, James Rushing and Helen Humes. Again in 1942 for the Ninth St USO in Taborian. This time with Tiny Bradshaw, Erskine Harkins, Les Hite, Lucky Millinder, Noble Sissle, and Doc Wheeler.

  • Lil Green – 1947 - ’48 with Cornshucks & Johnny Otis, Roy Milton, Harlem Hep Cat Orchestra, Big Joe Turner, and Snookum Russell.

  • Sister Rosetta Tharpe – AR native, comes to Dreamland at the height of her career in 1942 touring with Lucky Miller and Orch. and Trevor Bacon. She played again in 1943 with Lucky, Trevor, The Ink Spots, and Peg Leg Bates.

  • Dizzy Gillespie – possibly played Dreamland 1940 but definitely in 1945 with this 18 piece Orch., Pattison & Jackson, June Echstine, and Lovey Lane. Also, in ’46 with Ella Fitzgerald.

  • Ida Cox – brought her Elaborate Road Show to the USO Dreamland in 1942 with her Darktown Scandals

  • Louis Jordan – played with Claude Trenier in the 9th St USO in 1942

Others that Played the Stage

  • Otis Redding

  • Al Hibbler

  • Sam Cook

  • Lightnin’ Hopkins

  • Willie Mabon

  • Pigmeat Markham

  • Albert King

  • T Bone Walker

  • Big Maybell Walker

  • Clarence Carter

  • Joe Simmon

  • Sonny Thompson

  • Tab Smith

  • Chuck Young

  • Roy Brown and His Mighty

  • Ruth Brown

  • Willis Jackson

  • Betty (Miss Blues) Ford

  • Joe Turner

  • Christene Henderson

  • Willie Johnson

  • Jimmie Liggins

  • Herman Manzy

  • Lewis and Parker

  • The Little Rockers

  • Chester Guyden

  • Shirley Lee with Roland Cook

  • Woody Herman and the Third Herd Orchestra

  • Jimmie Lofton

  • Satchel Mouth Baby

  • Atomic Mama

  • Groovie G

  • Just One More Drink

  • Erskine Hawkins

  • Cootie Williams

  • Jack McVea

  • Howling Wolf

  • Erksine Hawkins

  • Buck and Bill Douglas

  • Lionel Hampton

  • The Rockets

  • Harlan Leonard

  • Ike Barlett's Vamping Babies

  • Pha Terrell

  • Doctor Clayton

  • Andy Kirk and his 12

  • Clouds of Joy

  • June Richmond

  • Benny Carter

Keep Dreaming, Matthew

Our Mission: Friends of Dreamland celebrates the community of historic West Ninth Street, shares the legacy of Dreamland Ballroom, and preserves the original intent of Taborian Hall.

DONATE to our mission and FOLLOW us Facebook and Instagram.

WHY THIS PLACE MATTERS!

Taborian Hall, the stately three-story building that now-a-days houses the Dreamland Ballroom and Arkansas Flagandbanner.com, has been a fixture in downtown Little Rock for over a century. Its history is steeped in the well-known struggle black Americans experienced in the Jim Crow south and Civil Right Movement of the 20th century. But even more so, Taborian is a standing testament to Arkansas’ version of “Harlem” or “Black Wall Street.”. W. 9th St. was the state’s major center for commerce and entertainment for the black community during the late 19th century and early to mid-20th. Built by the Knights and Daughters of Tabor as their international headquarters, the building was the most expensive one constructed in Little Rock in 1918. From then through the 1970s Taborian provided retail shops, restaurant fronts, professional office space, a place for community organization, and R&R for WWI and WWII officers. As well as hosting legendary musicians, travelling comedians, dance troupes, and a myriad of local acts. Taborian Hall weathered the devastating effects of Urban Renewal in the 1960s and ‘70s and 11 years of vacancy before Kerry McCoy and the Friend of Dreamland began their restoration effort in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Explore the links below to learn more about the history of the one-of-kind structure and why we have spent over 30 years restoring is beauty and legacy.

The History of W. 9th St.

The History of Taborian Hall

The Legacy of the Dreamland Ballroom

Kerry’s McCoy Love Affair with Taborian and Dreamland

Excerpts from “Temple of Dreams” by Berna Love

The history of your city is worth preserving and investing in your community is important. A gift to the Friends of Dreamland can accomplish both!

There are many ways to donate!

Dancing into Dreamland – Save the Date February 17, 2024!

Corporate Matching Campaign – Get your contribution in before the end of the year!

Pave the Way – a great holiday gift!

General Fund – Give any amount!

Keep Dreaming, Matthew McCoy

Matt and a Hot Tin Roof

Nearing the end of July 2023 and we are making some substantial progress in the work currently underway in the Dreamland Ballroom. The custom tin ceiling tiles have been ordered and are in production, the light fixtures have been ordered as well - can’t wait to show y’all more on those!

The stage apron is looking phenomenal! We knew the new floors would look good but wowy-wow they look good!

Another feature we never really expected to look so great: The wall enclosing the recently installed air conditioning units in the attic story. Put in simply to hide the units and maybe trap some heat, the wall is simultaneously out-of-sight and a good-lookin’ envelope for the front of house.

I can’t say much here yet, but be on the lookout for some more good news for Dreamland’s restoration in the weeks to come.

Taborian Hall is 105!

From July 14th through the 20th in 1918, the Knights of Tabor celebrated the completion of their newly constructed headquarters in Little Rock, AR. Taborian Temple (Hall) was born! A place that would serve its 9th Street community for five solid decades. Facilitating a staggeringly diverse host of entrepreneurial, professional, and artistic endeavors.

History of Taborian Hall-An African American Achievement

In 1916, the fraternal organization The Order of Twelve, the Knights and Daughters of Tabor, began building the Taborian Hall to serve as their international headquarters. The building was entirely funded and erected by the black community in Arkansas.

Taborian’s spacious design made it an invaluable multi-use building on 9th Street. In addition to the headquarters for the Tabors, it offered room for community organizing, entertainment, retail businesses, and professional office space. As one of the two largest buildings on 9th Street, Taborian was hugely significant in the functionality and growth of the African American commercial district in the early 20th century. The street became known as ‘The Line,’ filled with Black owned businesses and professionals.

The Effect of the Great Depression

The Great Depression put a financial strain on the residents and business owners on and around 9th Street. Regular dues to the Knights of Tabor dropped considerably and the organization was forced to relinquish many of their assets, including Taborian Hall. During the 1930s and early ‘40s, the building’s ownership is hard to track. Businesses still ran in Taborian, but we do not see the buildings ownership unified again until World War II.

WWII brings Soldiers to Ninth Street

In 1942, America was fully entrenched in the war effort and young officers were training at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock, many of whom were African American. Segregation laws mandated that when they left their camp, they patronized specific business in restricted areas. For many, that meant crossing the Arkansas River to 9th Street in downtown Little Rock. Ninth Street had a reputation as an entertainment district, making it more enticing than the other black district, North Little Rock’s Washington Ave. At the height of the war, Camp Robinson supported tens of thousands of trainees at any given time and the nightly influx of these young men to 9th Street was both beneficial and stressful to the locals of ‘The Line.’  

To help contain this flood of soldiers, the Ninth Street United States Officers Club was opened in Taborian Hall in January of 1942 and was an instant hit.

“The USO Club is located in the New Dreamland,” the State Press reported, “and occupies five rooms of the second floor, including the Lounge which is used for the Soldier’s Lounge and for small parties. Other rooms are used as game rooms, reading rooms, and offices, etc.”

The End of an Era

After the end of WWII, the USO sold Taborian Hall. From this point on, it does not seem to have a singular owner. The building’s title became muddier and muddier. Many businesses, professionals, and private clubs operated out of the building. Sharper W. Tucker owned several businesses on 9th Street. His promotion company, Tucker’s Promotions, operated out of Taborian for years. After his death in 1948, management continued under his partner until 1960. Private clubs like the Bronze League and the Twin City Club occupied the building from the 1950s through the late ‘70s. Gem’s Pharmacy operated out of the southeast corner of the building from the late 1920s to the 1960s. Many lawyers, dentists, and doctors held offices on the second floor throughout Taborian most active years. The last tenant in Taborian is the Twin City Club, vacating the basement in about 1979.

A New Beginning

In 1982, the building is put on the National Register of Historic Places with its sister building, Mosaic Templars. Kerry McCoy bought Taborian in 1991 for her business. Presently the building houses the Dreamland Ballroom on its third floor and the offices and facilities for Kerry McCoy Enterprises including FlagandBanner.com, OurCornerMarket.com, Brave Magazine and Up In Your Business Radio Show.

Another Juneteenth Success!

A big thank you to the few that came out for the tour of Taborian Hall and Dreamland Ballroom on June 17th. It was hot but we got through it and learned something on the way. Great history, great conversations, great folks, another great Juneteenth! A special thank you one of our long-time Friends, Ryk St. Vincent, for performing for us.

Keep Dreaming, Matthew McCoy

Juneteenth in Da Rock, June 17th, 2023

Saturday June 17th, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center will be throwing their annual Juneteenth celebration. The day starts with a marathon and continues all day, up and down 9th street, with food, music, and fun of all kinds. More information on events leading up to the day and Juneteenth in Da Rock at Juneteenthlittlerock.com

As for Friends of Dreamland, we’re ready to show off some of the amazing work we have been doing. Join us at 1 PM for a tour of Taborian Hall and the Dreamland Ballroom. During the marathon that morning and up until 3 PM we will also host an open house. So, plenty of opportunities to view the Dreamland Ballroom on June 17th.

Keep Dreaming, Matthew McCoy

We’re approved!

While we were awarded these funds well over a year ago, we’ve only just now had the plans approved by the National Parks Service and our local historic offices. Phew, what a process!

So, make sure to stay in touch with us here and on our social media accounts (linked below) for progress updates, pics, an open house or two, and more.

Just as a reminder, this round of funding is the first in a while to go toward some actual historic restoration. Some plaster work around the stage and box seats, returning the stage apron to the front of the stage, as well as some much-needed stage repairs, historically accurate house lighting, and reestablishing the pressed tin ceiling tiles above the front of house.

Keep Dreaming, Matthew McCoy

Progress at last!

We are finally moving along with the granted work in Dreamland Ballroom. The National Parks Services has reviewed and submitted our bids and plans to our local, Arkansas, preservation office for their review. In our experience, this phase goes quite a bit faster with some back-and-forth between us and the local agents. Once they have reviewed that everything meets Arkansas’ preservation standards, we’ll be able to rock-and-roll!

So, be looking out for some big news, pictures, and updates about tin ceiling tiles, a new stage front, plaster work, and more!

This is why we Keep Dreaming, Matthew McCoy