Surf Ballroom & Convention Center

Not to be missed if you are interested at all in rock & roll history. I imagine this place looks much like it did back on that fateful night in 1959. Very nice museum full of rock memorabilia.

This review is purely on the museum aspect of the Surf Ballroom.
When I arrived on a Wednesday morning, I thought I would snap a few pictures of the building exterior and be on my way. I had no idea that when I pulled on the front door that it would open!
So inside I went and then I was transported in time back to the days when Buddy Holly, and his 1950’s crew were touring the midwest.
The interior has nearly been preserved to its original décor right down to the original booths in a U-​shape around the perimeter of the dance floor and the stage in three tiers to allow for optimum seating and dancing.
You can look all around the dance floor, the booths, the stage, the original stage and even the dressing room. The green room is worth your gander because the walls are signed by the musicians who have performed there. A sign gently reminds visitors that the walls are a historic area and to please not autograph them yourself.
The sign over the refreshment areas shows pop is $ 3. I’m used to the word soda, so I got a kick out of seeing that signage. In the bar area, the walls are decorated with guitars of the famous musicians who have played there, including BB King and ZZTop. They have a violin from Charlie Daniels as well. The walls are covered in the history of who has performed there over the past sixty decades and I wasn’t even aware that they still host musicians and bands there.
Although the museum aspect is free, there is a box for donations for the preservation and it is totally worth dropping in a $ 5 bill. There is a small gift shop area and getting a tee shirt seemed like the thing to do.
After you get your fill here, you’re probably thinking you should figure out where the actual crash site is and see the memorial to Buddy Holly, the Big Bopper and Richie Valens. And you may not know where the memorial is. No problem, the sweet lady in the office that greeted me gave me a half sheet of pre-​printed paper with the directions! It’s about 5 miles away, but also worth your stop!
I was amazed at how good the interior looked and that they still hold concert performances there! If I lived in the area, I’d totally want to see a concert even with the modern day musical acts just to say that I’d seen a concert there. But if you happen to be traveling in the area, this is worth a stop to see how they have preserved history!!!

Where do I start? My Mom and my Aunt’s used to go dancing at the Surf, back in the 1940’s. The grew up on a farm just 40 miles down the road. We’ve had family reunions there. Gone to concerts. It’s just the best venue ever. It does feel like you’ve stepped into Mr Peabody’s Way Back Machine! If those walls could talk. Be sure to get seating! A little side note. When you slip into your booth you’ll realize people were thinner back then! Never a bad time in that place!

My first visit to the Surf with the parentals to see one half of the Jan and Dean duo (RIP Jan). On a whim, we decided to hit the Surf post dinner. At $ 20 per person ($ 15 in advance — but we were being wild and spontaneous, so the increased price) we were treated to and hour and a half of classic music, a great show (the band AND the folks dancing) and an evening of entertainment in Clear Lake, IA.
While the acoustics are not state of the art, the venue is pretty amazing. They’ve done a great job of maintaining enough of the history where you are transported back in time. There are very few of these classic ballrooms in existence and you can imagine what it would have been like back in the day. If only I had cruised up in the 40 Ford (and not the Subaru), was wearing a poodle skirt (and not my yoga pants and tank top) and was sippin’ on a pop instead of a beer… oh wait, strike that last bit.
If in town, go to there. It’s completely OK to wander in with mouth agape with camera poised and clicking away to capture the nostalgia.
The only odd bits of the evening… purchasing drink tickets to trade in for beverages (water, soda, beer, mixed cocktails) and the popcorn. Was popcorn a thing back in the day?!
PS — I appreciated that this show was family friendly… so entire families could hang out together. The show was done by 10:30, so we were all in our PJs at a respectable hour:)

Saw George Thorogood here and it was awesome! Definitely get seating. We took a tour at another date and it was really neat! Go to the crash site while you are in town.

Amazing that a place with so much rock and roll history is still going after so many years and present in such a small town! This place is seriously rad!
We came over for a small festival and immediately wanted to come back for bigger show. The digs inside are a bit of a blast from the past, but fit really well with the place. Upon entering, you’ll find the original wallpaper décor –some lovely pineapples — fully restored. To the right is a hallway of signed pictures of many of the celebrities that have graced the hall. It’s an incredible walk down the boulevard of history!
The showroom has the original floor and is in a sort of U shape around the stage. The booths are original and pretty legit. There are areas under the tables to «hold your purse» that have long been a place to stash liquor so if you’re so inclined, that’s available…
If you’ve got the opportunity, ask if you can see the sign room to the left of the stage. Everyone who plays here gets to sign the wall and it’s pretty sweet. From Buddy Holly to ZZ top, if you’ve heard of them, they’ve probably played here. Behind the ballroom (opposite the stage) is another room with memorabilia up the yang and again, it’s very impressive.
Great place for a show or event if it’s held here and absolutely worth seeing if you’re around. For an even better journey down memory lane, check out here and «Where the music died» just north of town.

Attended Garlic Storm on Friday night. Plenty of parking and easy entry. Coat check for $ 1. Bathrooms are huge and it is appreciated that the mirrors are in a separate room from the toilets as it keeps traffic moving well. Large ballroom area surrounded by booths. Nice stage and ambiance. Two bars to choose from. A museum to check out if it’s open. A great venue and historic… Worth a visit!

This review is simply on the museum aspect of the Surf Ballroom. This place is just so neat and a special little place for the history of music. I was so impressed that a business that was previously burned down to still have awesome artifacts in such great conditions.
The inside is certain a flashback and definitely makes you feel like you have stepped through a time machine in the greatest way possible. Unfortunately I had arrived a few minutes before the building closed so I wasn’t able to really enjoy the surroundings, but I definitely intend on making a second trip out to give myself a little more time to see all the eclectic items inside. And possibly even come back to see a show or two.

So Bye Bye Miss American Pie … Yes, the Surf Ballroom was the last place they played before the music died. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper (JP Richardson) may have died in a plane crash on February 2, 1952, but their spirits live on at The Surf.
If you are anywhere within 100 miles of this place, it is worth a visit. They have preserved the history, the spirit and the flavor of the era for folks like me who remember Buddy Holly, etc. and for new generations.
We had full access to explore the ballroom, including going in the green room and up on stage. There are so many mementos of not only that infamous night, but also of other great performers who graced the stage over the years. It was quite impressive as well as educational.
The Surf Ballroom is still a performance venue, but during the day it is open to the public (free admission) to explore and enjoy. I highly recommend a visit.

Very cool to see a place where the legends played.

I cannot urge you enough if you love concerts — -by all means — try to get to one at the Surf while it is still a part of our history. The surf is an old venue and the place Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens performed at before they died in a plane crash which lends itself to an essence of housing some greats throughout the years… I had the thrill of seeing my absolute favorite female Miranda Lambert here before a lot of people knew who she was — I have been following her since the days of Nashville star and I saw she was performing on my birthday so of course I just bought those tickets for myself. It is first come first served. You get in line and get your ticket and they open the doors and you need to haul ass… I am quite stealthy so I got right up front and could touch the stage which is were I stayed all night long… It was marvelous… The little town of Clear Lake is charming and quaint so if it is summer take your boat and cruise around the lake too… You will love it!

I really enjoy watching concerts here, especially when they get some of the legendary singers and bands from the 50’s and 60’s which they do quite often. At one time I came down here three years in a row for 50’s in Febuary. This is an event they hold here every year in honor of Buddy Holly, who along with Ritchie Valens and JP Richardson (Big Bopper) performed here just before they died in a plane crash at a nearby cornfield back in 1959.
Well in my opinion there would be no Rock n Roll if not for Buddy Holly, he’s one of the best musicians in history. I only stopped going because you now have to buy tickets for the entire weekend, and while Clear Lake is a nice place to be in the Summer, it is the coldest, windiest place in the middle of Winter, so I really can’t see myself wanting to stay in this area for prolonged periods of time. I’ve beared the cold to see the wreck site which is about 5 miles from the ballroom, there is a plaque marking the spot. You have to walk a long ways in from the road so dress up or you might die there too.
Some 50 years ago and it is still considered one of Rock n Roll’s biggest events, even called the day the music died. It’s a cool place, all the history, the tons of photos and personalized autographs from famous people hanging on the walls. There also just aint many places you can dance while at a concert anymore, and there absolutely aren’t many places from this era left. This is definetely the most famous old ballroom near the Twin Cities, it’s not even as far as Duluth.
My only concern is that while I’m into it, at the shows I’ve wen’t to here I don’t think more than 25% of the people were of my age. I hope they got a plan for after all the old people that they currently focus on entertaining die. While I like chatting with seniors most of the time, you really gotta think of ways of marketing this great old tyme music to younger people. No I don’t mean making a silly rap version of the songs like some people attempt to do. There are many amonst us who like Rock n Roll and just don’t wan’t it to feel like a nursing home karoeke contest.
Another thing is that while the concessions at the ballroom are dirt cheap, I’d be happy to pay extra for more variety and quality. After all it’s a night out that I’m sure only happens once or twice a year for most people. As it is now I think your best off eating at the Half Moon Restaraunt next door to the Surf before seeing a show, the steak there is really good.

Famous for being the site of the February 2 1959 last concert of Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Ritchie Valens before their ill-​fated flight and crash in a field just outside of town. You can take a self-​guided tour or they have a guided tour. Call ahead for hours of operation. The Ballroom still has concerts and has been restored
When in town ask for directions to the crash site AKA, «Where The Music Died».