Swing Away at the In-Person 2021 Miners Ball

The Friends of The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums invite all to carry on the tradition of the Miners Ball —a classic Platteville dance celebration. This year the Miners Ball returns as an in-person event and will be held on Friday, September 17. This formal event for couples of all ages invites everyone passionate about the history of Platteville to dress up, to enjoy a great dinner, and to swing to the music of a Big Band orchestra — just like generations of young engineers in training did starting back in 1926. This annual expression of Platteville pride is a fundraiser for The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums, presented by the Friends of The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums and the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.  

“We are so happy to return to an in-person event in 2021 with friends,” said Museum Director Erik Flesch. “This legendary Platteville gala is a wonderful celebration of culture and history intersecting that supports a good cause.” The Friends of the Museums reintroduced the Miners Ball in 2019 to raise much-needed funds by drawing attention to the deep connections between the mission of the Museums and the historic roots of Platteville and the university — and quickly became the Museums’ most important fundraiser of the year.

The Ball will be held at Velzy Commons in the Ulsvik Center on the UW-Platteville campus. In compliance with public health guidelines, masks will be required. During dinner, we will remove our masks to eat and put them back on to dance. “Wearing a mask is no big deal,” remarked former UW-Platteville Provost Joanne Wilson. “The thrill of connecting with my community and seeing people in person far outweighs any inconvenience masks might cause.” The Ball will begin with a social at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m. and the dance at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 for the dinner and dance and $10 for the dance only. Tickets can be purchased online at www.mining.jamison.museum/miners-ball-2021 or in-person at the museum between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily. Attendees with dietary restrictions should contact the museum at (608) 348-3301 or email museums@platteville.org.

The Friends of The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that exists for the benefit of The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums. Its specific purpose is to be the membership organization for The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums, to fundraise and provide financial support for The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums, to promote interest in the history of the tristate area, and to support the Museums in all their endeavors.

The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums are located on Main Street in Platteville, Wisconsin, in the heart of the historic Upper Mississippi Valley lead-zinc mining region. Founded in 1965, the museum is a nearly three-acre campus with scenic greenspace, the underground 1845 Bevans Mine, and a 1930s-era narrow-gauge mine railroad pulled by a 1931 Whitcomb locomotive. The mission of the Museums is to continue in the pursuit of excellence in the areas of regional and mining history. To achieve that purpose, the Museums are commissioned to be custodians of the past; to interpret the rich lead and zinc mining heritage of the region, as well as to preserve, interpret, and display the artifacts that define Southwest Wisconsin. The Museums are open daily from May to October from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cultural programs, special events, and virtual tours are offered year-round.

Follow The Mining & Rollo Jamison Museums on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. To reserve your Miners Ball tickets and for more information on current and upcoming programs visit www.mining.jamison.museum/programs, call (608) 348-3301 or email museums@platteville.org.