Welcome to the Historic Valencia Ballroom in downtown York, Pennsylvania

Early records indicate that the back portion of The Valencia and the hardwood dance floor were constructed in 1911.  It was called the Coliseum and operated for 17 years.  The Tasia family who owned a produce business in the building next door bought the Coliseum.  Original plans called for making a cold storage plant out of the building for their produce, but that plan fell through and the family decided to resume operation as a dance palace.

Major renovations followed in 1928, along with a major public relations drive hoping to increase business.  The dance hall was renamed The Valencia.  The murals you see along the walls of the ballroom depict Valencia, Spain.  The murals were commissioned at a total cost of $10,000 dollars.  A few years ago, it was decided to clean and repair the murals – at a cost of $10,000 dollars EACH!!!  Needless to say the murals remain in their original condition.  In 1931, air conditioning was added, and the ballroom became the first air-conditioned ballroom in the United States.  Another first for ballrooms is the spring-loaded dance floor of The Valencia, built to ease fatigue of the dancers, for no tables or chairs were found in the ballroom.

Business increased under the ownership of the Tasia family, and The Valencia became one of the premiere dance facilities in the Eastern United States.

Major renovations occurred again in 1934, with the addition of the Rainbow Grille, located in the basement of the building.  The Rainbow Grille had a nightclub atmosphere, where alcohol was served.  Mrs. Tasia insisted that the ballroom remain dry.

Many major big bands of the day performed here, including Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Ozzie Nelson and even Frank Sinatra.  The largest crowd to gather at The Valencia was in 1939 for the Kay Keyser Orchestra – over 1000 enthusiastic dancers packed the ballroom.

After 1948, The Valencia saw a decline in ballroom dancing, due to rock n’roll, increased travel and television.  The Tasia family was unable to retain ownership and the ballroom closed in 1960.
The building remained closed until 1970, when a church leased the building for services.  Carpeting was nailed over the dance floor and movie theater style seating was installed.

The Valencia was sold to the Dutch Club, a social club in York, in the mid Eighties.  Ambitious plans for $1.5 million dollars in remodeling were begun.  But plans were bigger than the budget and the Dutch Club filed for bankruptcy in 1990.  Renovations continued by Kinsley Construction, the company which now leases the ballroom to Altland House Catering.
Altland House Catering is the exclusive caterer of The Valencia Ballroom.  The Valencia is rented for weddings, class reunions, proms, business affairs, trade shows, and bus tours.  The ballroom is a very busy place seating up to 500 guests on the main floor alone.  The Valencia kitchen prepares over 2,000 meals daily for contract services including meals on wheels for York, Adams and Lebanon Counties.  Last week alone, including catered events and contracted meals; the Valencia prepared over 20,000 meals!!!

And yes, ballroom dancing is still very much alive at The Valencia.  Two different ballroom dance groups still meet monthly at The Valencia.

Listen close and you can still hear the sounds of the Glenn Miller Orchestra.