For the Teen set there were always the Friday or Saturday night Sock Hops of the Fifties and Teen Dances in the Sixties. In 1957, the weekly Harris Hop, hosted by TV and Radio Personality, Lee Harris, was started and turned into the place to be over the next few years of summer friday nights.. The later KIOA and KSO dances also were great draws and often presented the best of local bands as well as occasional national name talent.
The 1957 ad announcing the beginning of an era for the Riviera... Lee Harris starts his Friday night Record Hops.... During intermissions, the teens attending the dance get to ride park rides for free.
A couple of fellows that played guitar could get together and learn their favorite Venture songs....find a drummer to join in....and the result could be some Magic called Rock And Roll. Watch this next 1964 clip sent in to us, of a very young group sharing their own Magic in the ballroom.
A couple of Drake University and Iowa State University sponsored concert/dances were held at the Riviera and recorded for broadcast in the mid 60's. Enjoy all the recovered excerpts.
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Remember ?? A dance where you met that special one...
Many area High Schools had their Proms at the Riviera. Are YOU in this medley of Prom clips taken from 1955 to 1968
A Harris Hop night 1958
Following the death of Elvis Presley in 1977, Ronnie McDowell came out of nowhere to dazzle the world with his heartfelt and self-penned tribute song "The King Is Gone". Ronnie drew 14,000 people to Riverview on a Sunday afternoon performing his Elvis tribute at the KSO free country concert at the park in 1977 The performance had to be moved to an outdoor stage because of the massive crowd that showed up.
View 1977 Ronnie McDowell's "The King Is Gone"-
Numerous name pop talents played the ballroom over the years. Many recording artists in the early years included The Riviera in their whirl wind tour schedules of one night stands. From The Everly Brothers, Bobby Vee, and many more until the end of the era when Chicago made a stop at the Riviera as did Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.
Also many young local bands from around Iowa and the Midwest were favorites over the years..Many booked and brought in by the local radio stations that were sponsoring and promoting the weekly dances......Dominic and the Dominoes, The Cavaliers, The Spartans, The Pendletons, The Road Runners, The Echoes, The Novelles, The Missing Links, Tommy Tucker and the Esquires, The Pete Klint Quintet, Sir Richard and the Squires, The Rhythm Masters, The Pelican Peace Band... and the list goes on and on.
Watch two 1965 Dance / Concert clips featuring some crowd pleasers.
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When The Park was closed by Adventureland many of the rides and attractions were moved to Adventureland Park. All of the remaining buildings except the Riviera Ballroom, the Merry Go Round Pavillion, and the park office building were torn down. The property was sold (donated) to the city of Des Moines for $1.00.
The abandoned Riviera was burned down by suspected arsonists in August of 1981. Sadly it was slated for possible inclusion onto the official list of Iowa's Historical Sites just prior to its destruction.
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