Glen Echo Park’s historic Spanish Ballroom is turning 80, making it a perfect focal point of Montgomery County’s upcoming Heritage Days celebration.
The Ballroom was built in 1933 and hosted big Big Band era names, including Tommy Dorsey in 1954. The Glen Echo Park Partnership says more than 60,000 dancers participate in the park’s 350 dances each year, which take place in the Ballroom, Ballroom Annex and nearby Bumper Car Pavilion.
The Ballroom will be open for free tours from the National Park Service from 11:30 a.m. to noon and from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 29. A history exhibit will be on display from noon to 4 p.m. and there will be free family dancing, contra dancing, swing dancing and waltz dancing lessons throughout the afternoon.
The famous Dentzel Carousel, built in 1921 at the Park (7300 MacArthur Blvd., Glen Echo), will be open at noon and rides will be $1.25.
Other Heritage Days sites in the area include the Clara Barton National Historic Site just near Glen Echo Park at 5801 Oxford Rd. and the county’s Josiah Henson Historic Site at 11420 Old Georgetown Rd.
Fore more information on any Spanish Ballroom events or Glen Echo Park, visit the Park website. Visit the Heritage Montgomery site for more participating sites throughout the county.
Photo via Glen Echo Park Partnership
