Performance and Events in the Ballroom

The Grand Ballroom at Thalian Hall is also known as the City Council Chambers.

This large assembly hall forms the majority of the second floor of City Hall. It was originally known as “The Lecture Room” when the building first opened in 1858. It contained a small stage where the present dais is located and provided seating for several hundred people. Due to the increased demand for entertainment in Civil War Wilmington, the room was used for theatrical performances. It also served as a location for political meetings, public lectures and social functions. In 1871, the noted writer and political activist Frederick Douglass spoke there. For a brief time in the 1880’s it served as a public skating rink. It became the Wilmington’s first public library in 1906 and was used in that capacity until 1956 when it was converted to City Offices.

The renovation of Thalian Hall and City Hall completed in 1990 allowed the room to be returned to its original purpose. This elegant space with its two story height, tall arch windows, and restored balcony creates an elegant setting for the more than 100 public functions that occur there annually.

Today, the Chambers or Ballroom is the formal location for the public meetings of the Wilmington City Council, Planning Commission, and Historic Preservation Commission. Other formal functions include the Graduation for the Basic Law Enforcement Training program of the Wilmington Police Department, Change of Command for the Coast Guard and the opening season reception of the Thalian Hall Main Attractions.

The room is also available for rent for private receptions and performances. The scheduling and rental of the Ballroom is under the direction of the Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. (THCPA) Click here for more information.

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