THE ANNUAL WINTER DANCE PARTY

AT THE SURF BALLROOM IN CLEAR LAKE, IOWA

MORE PHOTOS FROM THE 2002 WEEKEND

All photos on this page are by John Lindquist
except those marked * which are by Harry P.

who has set up every one of the increasingly multi-media Friday
night sock hops since the Mad Hatter's Second Tea Party in 1981.

Click on images for full view in separate windows.



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12 & 13 – On Thursday night (Jan. 31) while the snow fell and drifted about, The Whitesidewalls from Minneapolis entertained the crowd. Personnel in the group have been changing over the years (like the Drifters), eventually replacing all of the members who appeared at the 1979 show.

14 – As more poured into Clear Lake for the weekend, the perennial sock hop packed the Surf on Friday night.

15 – A scene from the dance floor. Second prize winners in the dance contest – Lourdes and EJ, my new friends from Louisiana – are in the foreground and are also seen here.

16* – Randy Chesterman once again doing an outstanding job hosting the sock hop. Here he toasts the crowd prior to the playing of "Proud To Be An American," a most moving patriotic video offering. Made me overjoyed we could all carry on and be together again at this event. A view of Harry P's stage setup is shown here*.

17* – This is the control center where the Friday night sight and sound extravaganza is coordinated. A wider view looking out to the ballroom floor is shown here*.

18 – Ritchie Valens' nephew Ernie with Steve Brown, Web Editor and Membership Chairman of the Iowa RockNroll Music Association.

19 – Backstage in the Surf's dressing room.

20 – Here is Tommy Allsup with his Grammy which was awarded for his country instrumental work in 2000.

21 – Meeting new friends was the highlight of this year's "reunion" for me. On the right is the legendary "Troom" from the Mad Hatter's KZEV radio show of a couple decades ago. An example of his work as a U.S. Navy photographer is shown here.

22 & 23 – Legendary eating establishments abound in the Clear Lake area. The Starboard Market deli on Main Street had me coming back for more of what is seen in 22. At the Best Western on the east edge of town, one must experience the Sunday Brunch with the expertly- prepared omelettes (23) and hash browns, a partially-eaten plate of which is shown here.

24 – Here the sun comes up over Mason City on Sunday, Feb. 3, our last day of another legendary weekend. Sadly, we must pack up and move back to our normal way of life for another year.

25 – Here the sun goes down on Sunday, Feb. 3 as we head toward Madison. Can't wait till 2003! (I was often saying that on the way to Clear Lake this year! Always looking ahead.)


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 Return to first 2002 page.

Page put on web 2/21/02 and last
modified on 2/3/03 at 4:45 PM, CST.
John Lindquist: homepage&e-mail,
complete site outline.