Around Town

Clarendon Ballroom Is Closing

(Updated on 12/13/19) Clarendon Ballroom will be closing after one last New Year’s Eve Bash on Dec. 31.

The long-time Clarendon nightlife venue announced via social media Wednesday night that it will be shutting down for good after ringing in the new year (and the new decade).

“It has been our pleasure to be part of the Clarendon community for the last 20 years,” the business said on Instagram. “This area has changed a great deal since we first saw a furniture and fabric store built in the 1930’s as a Woolworth Department store and thought that it would make an excellent music and events venue.”

The Ballroom was perhaps best known as a live music venue and a nightclub with a popular rooftop, but it was also a private event venue that hosted everything from weddings to ceremonies to community events.

Peter Pflug, one of the owners of the Ballroom, declined to give a reason for its closure.

“For now we are not commenting further than the fact that we are closing,” Pflug told ARLnow. “Instead we are focusing on making the last weeks fun and memorable.”

The business appears to be preparing to auction off its gear in early January.

“Iconic night club is shutting its doors and making a complete liquidation,” says a page on a local auction company’s website. “Audio equipment, very large kitchen, catering equipment, several bars & much more. Arlington, VA local pickup only.”

More on the closure from the Instagram post:

To our Clients, Vendors, Patrons, and Friends:

After over 19 years in business, the Clarendon Ballroom will be closing in January. Our 20th New Year’s Eve Bash on December 31st, 2019 will be the last night that we are open for business.

It has been our pleasure to be part of the Clarendon community for the last 20 years. This area has changed a great deal since we first saw a furniture and fabric store built in the 1930’s as a Woolworth Department store and thought that it would make an excellent music and events venue.

A big thank you to all of the special event clients, nightclub patrons, vendors, and most of all, the staff (seems like a poor word – after you work with the same people for 20 years, you feel much more like family) that joined us and supported us in this adventure.

To go out with a bang, we have planned a couple special closing events leading up to our New Year’s Eve Bash. Please come out and help us say goodbye:

On December 27th, one of the greatest bands to every play the room, Mr. Greengenes, is playing a final show for us. Please see Here for details and start resting up now!

On December 28th, our House DJ and the man responsible for way too many legendary nights, DJ Lil Fos is playing with some of his other DJs, so you can show off your dance moves on the floor one last time (No cover for this show). And if you really want to say goodbye the way it all began–our first night open to the public was New Year’s Eve in 2000–get your tickets now for our big gala. We will be featuring an awesome band–Liquid A–and DJ Lil Fos. This one has sold out every year for 19 years, and we hope you can join us, so get your tickets now.

Thank you again for helping us become a part of the community, and we hope you come see us before our “last call.”