Venue: Surf Ballroom
Town: Clear Lake, US

The Surf Ballroom (also called the Surf) is a Historic Rock and Roll Landmark at 460 North Shore Drive, Clear Lake, Iowa, United States. The Surf is closely associated with the event known colloquially as "The Day the Music Died" - early rock and roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson gave their last performances at the Surf on February 2, 1959, as part of the "Winter Dance Party Tour". On September 6, 2011, The Surf Ballroom was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2021, it was named a National Historic Landmark. The original Surf Ballroom opened on April 17, 1933. It was named that because the original owners wanted patrons to feel like they were at a surf beach club. Murals were painted on the club walls depicting ocean waves, boats on the water, and palm trees. The furniture is bamboo and rattan, giving a South Sea Islands ambiance. Several fake palm trees rise on each side of the stage. Clouds are painted on the ceiling to give a feeling of dancing outdoors by the ocean. It burned down on April 20, 1947, at an estimated loss of $250,000. On July 1, 1948, it reopened, having been rebuilt across the street from its original location. It still hosts numerous events year round and has a seating capacity of 2,100 and a 6,300-square-foot (590 m2) dance floor. The facility includes a museum of music memorabilia, a Wall of Fame including many of the many famous artists who performed at the venue, and a souvenir shop. The Surf Ballroom is currently owned by the Snyder family of Clear Lake and is open to the public daily. The exterior of the ballroom has changed very little since the 1950s. Backstage, in an area known as "The Green Room," acts that have performed on the ballroom's historic stage, such as Little River Band, Loverboy, The Righteous Brothers, The Temptations, The Beach Boys, Waylon Jennings (before becoming a popular country musician, he worked as Buddy Holly's bassist during the infamous "Winter Dance