Portland’s Haunting Music Hall - The Crystal Ballroom

This week, we head to Portland’s Crystal Ballroom, the haunted concert venue that inspired the eclectic, art-filled vibes of the Crystal Hotel. Owned today by McMenamins, this iconic building has been everything from a debutante’s playground to a psychedelic rock stage—and it has the ghost stories to prove it.

Originally opened in 1914 as Cotillion Hall, the Crystal Ballroom has seen it all: flapper-era scandals, jazz-fueled controversies, Lola Baldwin’s crusade to shut it down (yep, that Lola—the first female police officer in the U.S.), and the unstoppable spirit of Montrose Ringler, who once moved the party onto a boat to dodge a shutdowns. Seriously.

We’ll walk you through the building’s many lives—from hosting acts like Tina Turner, James Brown, and the Grateful Dead, to falling into disrepair and being resurrected by McMenamins in 1997. Today, it’s famous for its floating dance floor (one of the last in the country!), legendary concerts, and—oh yes—its resident spirits. 👻 

Special appearance by Shea & Jody from Rainy Day Rabbit Holes!

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