Juneteenth 2022, what a weekend!

If you were downtown on the weekend of Juneteenth (June 18th & 19th), you may have seen the absolute outpour of activity all over our capitol city. Here on 9th St, Juneteenth in DA ROCK kicked off with its first 5K and what a success! Congratulations to all the runners who came out on that hot Saturday morning. The Friends of Dreamland were happy to provide some hydration to the 5K participants and y’all were delightfully curious about our mission and work. Thank you to our board members who volunteered to help facilitate tours of the Dreamland Ballroom throughout the Juneteenth celebration. And, of course, to all those who took the time to view this historic space. Your passion and generosity are inspiring!

What a weekend to be an Arkansan in the Little Rock area. 9th Street wasn’t the only hot spot in town. Pride celebrations on Main St. and a Juneteenth Parade on Broadway were also seminal features of the weekend’s freedom celebrations. We are so grateful for this incredible community!

Contact me to find out how you can volunteer, contribute, or learn more about the historic Dreamland Ballroom and the Friends of Dreamland. We already can’t wait for June 2023!

Keep Dreaming, Matthew McCoy

Maintaining Dreamland’s Character

As we move into the third phase of construction here at the Dreamland Ballroom, we have a lot to consider. This phase includes some of the largest historic restoration projects we’ve ever done in Dreamland, aside from Kerry McCoy’s complete renovation back in the early 1990s. The granted work this round will focus on big structural components primarily while including some smaller, mostly cosmetic, details as well.

Something folks on my tours often like to hear is our philosophy around the restoration effort. Our goal with any project in Dreamland is to “freeze it in time.” What I mean by this is to capture and/or maintain the current aesthetic and feel of the room. It’s crumbling plaster, chipped paint, exposed brick and lathe, graffiti, and general wear and tear. Not to say we won’t update where we must or reimagine certain elements as they were or may have been. Our goal is for the ballroom to tell the “full story” all on its own. The tale of its grandeur and its decline, it’s this complete, honest representation that gives the space its characteristic charisma. 

Keep Dreaming, Matthew McCoy

Juneteenth 2022 in one month!

Celebrate Juneteenth on 9th St. with Mosaic Templars Cultural Center at Juneteenth in Da Rock! Their celebration is on June 18th and will include all the usual excitement we’ve come to expect over the last decade. Food trucks, vendors, kids’ zone, plus live music, and entertainment. This year, MTCC will be partnering with the Little Rock Marathon for a Juneteenth 5K Walk/Run (registration required). More information on the event can be found on MTCC website and Facebook event page.

The Friends of Dreamland will setup a booth at the end of the 5K, in front of the new addition to Taborian Hall. We’ll be offering refreshments to 5K participants, tours to event attendees, and information about our organization.

Though Little Rock has been celebrating Juneteenth for years now, last year this holiday was made an official federal holiday. So, I think we can expect great things from this years celebration! Come celebrate freedom on 9th St with FOD, Mosaic Templars, and all of Arkansas this June and…

Keep Dreaming, Matthew McCoy