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All 5 West Des Moines Attractions »

Val Air Ballroom

301 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines, IA
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3.0 of 5 stars 10 Reviews
Type: Historic Sites
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10 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
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    2
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Date Rating
West Des Moines, Iowa
Contributor
19 reviews 19 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 May 2012

i live within a block of this concert venue. Why bother paying the high price for a ticket? I have been able to hear every loud music concert from the comfort of my living room for the past 10+ years. Every down beat, every vibration, everything. Can't get a good night sleep until one hour or two after the concert... More

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See 10 more reviews by capitanajr for West Des Moines
Frozen Tundra
Contributor
11 reviews 11 reviews
Reviews in 5 cities Reviews in 5 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
2 of 5 stars Reviewed 11 May 2012

Went to see Marilyn Manson and had my purse searched and was frisked head to toe both front and back. My husband brought the camera and they told him to leave, but he explained that we didn't have a car there (we took a taxi) so instead she took the memory card out and kept it during the show. What... More

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slater
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 24 February 2012

experienced the Val Air for the first time a couple weekends ago... great dance floor, tables for the non-movers and shakers. option to stand right up front by the band and feel the vibes. so much fun!

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Ankeny, Iowa
Senior Contributor
29 reviews 29 reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
20 helpful votes 20 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 1 February 2012

Our teenagers love going to concerts there. Easy parking and not too big. Great sound.

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See 2 more reviews by 4IowaNatives for West Des Moines
Des Moines, IA
Senior Contributor
28 reviews 28 reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 January 2012

The history of this ballroom is fascinating. Some of the greatest names of the era played the Archer Circuit. They used to offer regular ballroom dancing, which of course wasn't really a money-maker, but a nice tip of the hat to the old days. This place was open air and cost a dime to get in. Now it's full of... More

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See 2 more reviews by itsme018 for West Des Moines
Des Moines
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
Reviews in 6 cities Reviews in 6 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 2 January 2012

There is a lot of history at the Val Air Ballroom. It's a great small venue and good acoustics for a building it's size.

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1 review
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 2 December 2011 via mobile

Went to bassnecture and it was crazy bartenders kept the bar going music was crazy and the people was nuts

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Omaha, Nebraska
1 review
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 March 2011
1
person found this review helpful

Travelled from Omaha to see the Dropkick Murphys, and had also hoped to check out the support bands who i knew nothing about. The doors opened at 7 so I made sure I was there on time to get in to see the first bands, but ended up having to queue outside for nearly 2 hours in the freezing cold... More

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Ames, Iowa
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 9 February 2011 via mobile
2
people found this review helpful

Attended a concert here last fall, it's what you would expect from a small concert venue. There was beer all over the floor and dirty bathrooms, but tickets were cheap, so value is not compromised. Overall, a fun concert.

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See 2 more reviews by Cyclonegirl29 for West Des Moines
A TripAdvisor Member
melbourne, Iowa
1 review
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
1 of 5 stars Reviewed 11 April 2004
4
people found this review helpful

If you are in a wheelchair or have a physical disability dont visit the val air ballroom, my husband and I had a horrible time getting my wheelchair bound 19 yr old son up tons of steps to get to the dance inside , the dance was for the pony express so it can raise money so crippled kids can... More

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