Houston: Eldorado Ballroom

The Eldorado Ballroom is a century‑strong emblem of Black joy, artistry, and resistance in Houston’s Third Ward.

Black entrepreneurs Anna and Clarence Dupree founded the ballroom in 1939. With a Art Moderne design by Lenard Gabert Jr., it was built across from Houston’s Emancipation Park. For more than 30 years, it reigned as “Home of Happy Feet.” It showcased blues, jazz, R&B, talent shows, cigarette‑filled sock‑hops, and society balls — shining as a pillar of Black performance and social life during the Jim Crow era.

Legends such as Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, B.B. King, Ray Charles, I.H. Smalley, Arnett Cobb, and Lightnin’ Hopkins graced its stage. It also launched regional stars that included Johnny “Guitar” Watson, Peppermint Harris, and Joe Hughes.

In recent years, Lucille’s Hospitality Group (led by chef Chris Williams) and Project Row Houses relaunched the Eldorado Ballroom as a vibrant cultural center under. The ground floor hosts the Rado Market & Café, Hogan Brown Gallery showcases Third Ward artists, and the Dupree Room and patio is used for meetings, workshops, markets, and events.

The second–floor ballroom hosts live music, dance nights, comedy, symposiums, weddings, and community celebrations with modern AV. Eldorado Ballroom features its original wood floors and historic character.

The reimagined design seeks to establish a strong aesthetic that pays homage to a storied history steep in music and arts.