FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Matthew McCoy
Executive Director, Friends of Dreamland
matt@flagandbanner.com
501-255-5640
Taborian Hall Opens Its Doors During "Beyond the Divide"
Discover Dreamland Invites the Public to Explore Little Rock's Historic West 9th Street
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.
April 8, 2026
As Little Rock's historic West 9th Street comes alive this spring with the month-long Beyond the Divide demonstration project, Taborian Hall — the last original building standing from the street's storied heyday — will open all three floors to the public for Discover Dreamland, an open house experience celebrating the history, art, and culture of one of Arkansas's most significant landmarks.
Located at 800 West 9th Street, directly across from the Beyond the Divide vendor corridor, Taborian Hall is just steps away from the street-level activity. Visitors are invited to step inside and go deeper into the history of Little Rock's West 9th Street; the community once known as "The Line," a thriving center of Black culture, commerce, and music that drew legendary performers including Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, B.B. King, and Ray Charles to its crown jewel, the Dreamland Ballroom.
What's Inside
First Floor — Dreamland Lounge Soft Opening
Thursdays through Saturdays, 5–10 PM | April 9 – May 2
The Dreamland Lounge, a new cocktail and coffee lounge anchored by a stunning antique Art Deco bar from the early 1900s, will hold its soft opening throughout the Beyond the Divide event. The lounge is open Thursday through Saturday evenings, 5 to 10 PM.
During the opening weekend of April 9–11, the lounge will operate as a cash bar on a donation basis, with all proceeds benefiting the Friends of Dreamland 501(c)3. Available offerings include a Whiskey Sour, Pink French 75, beer, wine, and soda. Water and coffee are complimentary. There is a $5 cover charge for the opening weekend.
Beginning April 16, the lounge will offer an expanded cocktail menu with additional selections.
The Dreamland Lounge is a project of Kerry McCoy, owner of Taborian Hall and founder of Friends of Dreamland, who has spent decades restoring the building and preserving its legacy.
Second Floor — Art Gallery
Fridays, April 10 & April 17 | 6–8 PM
A curated art gallery on the second floor will feature works selected by Friends of Dreamland board members, with a special focus on the work of Little Rock artist Betty Turner.
Now in her 80s, Turner brings a meticulous oil technique and a sharp, biting sense of humor to her signature "Art People" — life-sized cutout figures painstakingly hand-painted with layered imagery drawn from stereotypes, pop culture, and social commentary. Each piece tells its own story. Turner's work is as thought-provoking as it is technically remarkable, and this exhibition offers a rare opportunity to experience a significant body of her work alongside pieces from other local artists.
The gallery is free and open to the public at 6 PM on both Friday evenings.
Third Floor — Dreamland Ballroom Tour
Fridays, April 10 & April 17 | 7 PM | Free, No RSVP Required
Friends of Dreamland Executive Director Matthew McCoy will lead guided tours of the historic Dreamland Ballroom on the third floor — the very stage where the greatest names in American music performed as part of the legendary Chitlin' Circuit. Tours begin at 7 PM on April 10 and April 17. Admission is free, with no reservation required.
About Taborian Hall & Friends of Dreamland
Built in 1918 and commissioned by the Knights and Daughters of Tabor, Taborian Hall was entirely funded and constructed by Little Rock's Black community. It served as a hub of professional offices, retail businesses, community organizations, and entertainment for decades and its third-floor Dreamland Ballroom became one of the premier music venues in the South. After years of decline and near-demolition, Kerry McCoy purchased the building without any prior knowledge of its history in 1991 and began its restoration. During the slow but steady rebuilding, she learned more about this historic treasure and in 2009, she founded Friends of Dreamland, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to preserving the ballroom and sharing the legacy of West 9th Street. Today, Taborian Hall is the only original building remaining from the era of the street's cultural peak.
Friends of Dreamland is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Donations are tax deductible. Learn more at dreamlandballroom.org.
Taborian Hall is located at 800 West 9th Street, Little Rock, AR 72201 — directly across from the Beyond the Divide vendor area.