The Avalon Ball on Catalina Island

The Avalon Ball is one of my favorite annual events with Dean Mora's orchestras. It's a twenty-six mile ferry ride from Long Beach, but Catalina Island is a world away. The Avalon Casino (casino in the Italian sense—a "social gathering place"—no gambling, please) is an Art Deco masterwork. French doors ring the ballroom and open onto a balcony walkway framed by Moorish arches (pictured below) for fresh air and moonlit strolls...

The Avalon Ball is presented by The Art Deco Society of Los Angeles, with Master of Ceremonies Maxwell Demille. Dean Mora and the Avalon Ball Dance Orchestra, along with fellow featured vocalist Kayre Morrison and me, will present live music from the 1920s and 1930s.

Los Angeles Magazine writes: "Expect plenty of silk, chiffon, and crepe de chine around Santa Catalina this month as the Avalon Ball unfolds in the island’s casino. The cavernous art deco hall was designed to accommodate more than 1,000 energetic jitterbuggers. At the ball its cork-cushioned floor will be packed with Jazz Age enthusiasts in vintage finery showing off their moves to the music of Dean Mora’s 12-piece orchestra. Just don’t let the pre-Depression time warp give you the willies."


The Avalon Ball
May 15, 2010

6:00 - 10:00 PM


Tickets are available for $38 for ADSLA members and $48 for non-members. For tickets and more information visit the Art Deco Society of Los Angeles.