The Clinton Annual Ball Turns 150!
The lights go down. A swish of colour swirls around the hall. Heels click on the wooden floor. A melodic laughter carries above the band. Welcome to the sights and sounds of the Clinton Annual Ball - a magical evening that has returned to Clinton, B.C., (population 650) for 150 consecutive years. A party as old as our country, the Clinton Annual Ball is the longest running event of it’s kind in Canada.
The 150th Anniversary Ball, held on May 20, 2017, played host to 250 ladies and gentlemen all dressed up in their finest entered with tickets purchased over a year in advance.
Waltzing into History
The first ball was held on New Year’s Day in 1868. Canada was not even yet a country. British Columbia had not yet joined confederation and the railroad had not yet made it this far west. Clinton was a tiny and remote dot on the map but the Clinton Hotel was known as the “Finest stop on the Cariboo Road.”
The Clinton Hotel was purchased by Joseph and Mary Smith and their business partner, Tom Marshall, in 1862 and operated by the Smiths. The ball was Mary’s idea. She is credited with arranging the first one in the lobby of the hotel.
In the early years the invitation-only event lasted up to a week and featured dancing every night. It was the place to be seen and fashion was a high priority. Gowns were ordered from Victoria, San Francisco, and even Europe and outfits were planned months in advanced with some of the ladies changing multiple times during the evenings.
People travelled by foot, horseback, or horse and buggy. Since it was a winter event in those days just getting to the hotel could involve treacherous journeys on roads and trails that were often impassable. In 1914 the PGE Railroad made its way to Clinton and travel to the event became easier for some.
Although the first ball was held in the original Clinton Hotel, a need for more space was immediately apparent. The venue for the second Ball, in 1869, changed to Mr. Bell’s new warehouse, adjacent to the Hotel, which accommodated more people. The event moved again to the courthouse after it was built in 1892.
1920 saw the construction of the Clinton Memorial Hall by the citizens of Clinton. A Memorial to those lost in the Great War, the hall and its legendary sprung dance floor became the new home of the ball. Made of maple hardwood, the sprung floor is one of the few remaining in Canada. According to the website, “It is said that the floor rises up to meet the happy feet of dancing couples.” It has served as the home of the Clinton Ball until 2017 – the 150th ball, where demand was so high for tickets organizers had to move to the 47 Mile Sports Complex. The 151st ball will return to the Clinton Hall.
150 years
The 150th ball unexpectedly sold out three weeks before the 149th ball even happened, leaving a lot of regulars without tickets. The organizing committee scrambled to solve the problem of over 80 people on the waiting list and thanks to a lot of work behind the scenes, moved to the larger 47 Mile Sports Complex to accommodate the bigger group.
Looking Ahead
The Clinton Annual Ball has survived the hard times of the pioneer era, the great depression, two world wars, and the invention of Rock n’ Roll. While demographics have changed, the ball sticks to it’s traditions. Its spirit survives and dances long into the night along side ladies in elegant gowns and gentlemen in broadcloth suits.
If you find this geocache, maybe try a little twirl or a waltz at the cache site as a nod to this 150-year-old tradition.
Bibliography and Sources
Warner, C. Personal interview. May 30, 2017.
“Clinton Annual Ball” (no date), in 150th Clinton Annual Ball, Retrieved May 20, 2017 from http://www.clintonannualball.com/
Detailed Access Information
Located by the Clinton Dog Park on Cariboo Ave.