About The Village Ballroom

The Village Ballroom was established in 1909 as an Odd Fellows Hall. Sitting on the second story of our turn-of the-century building, many historic features remain today, such as ornate radiators and milk glass light fixtures. Adjacent to the ballroom is a comfortable sitting lounge, as well as a full service bar.

Every rental package includes use of our tables and chairs, as well as our in-house sound system. With a 250-standing capacity and 130-sitting capacity, it can accommodate intimate gatherings and large parties. 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • We’re so glad you found us! Click here to fill out an event inquiry form. This will bring you into our booking software and our venue host will reach out to you with rental information and to schedule a tour.

    After you tour, if we are the right fit for your event, we will send you a contract. We require half of the room rental fee plus staffing costs upfront to reserve the date. The remaining balance is due 45 days prior to your event date.

  • We are available for private event rentals Thursday through Sunday. On Thursday and Sunday, we offer discounted rates for non-profit and community events.

    Pivot Movement Studio operates in the space Monday through Thursday mornings. The venue is not available for recurring classes or workshops.

  • The venue sits on the second floor of the building directly above LaVerne’s. On the westside of the building, you’ll see the Village Ballroom sign and a private walkway (stairs + ramp) to enter the venue. There is no public access to the venue in LaVerne’s.

  • Due to the historic nature of the building and the ballroom being on the second story, the entrance is not ADA accessible. We do not have an elevator.

    The entrance to the ballroom includes a lower set of five stairs, followed by a slanted walkway, and then another set of five steps to enter the venue. Once inside the ballroom, all doorways are wide enough for ADA accessibility.

  • We’d love to give you a tour and can accommodate them throughout the week whenever the ballroom is not already booked or hosting programming. Please fill out an event inquiry form and we will reach out to you to schedule a tour. We require a tour before going to contract.

  • The Ballroom is 39’  wide x 54’ long.  Our maximum capacity is 250 standing, 130 seated. Click here to see a layout of the venue.

  • Our rental packages include use of:

    • the 2,500 square foot ballroom, including a stage (15'5"W x 6'2"D)

    • the ballroom’s in-house bar

    • the lounge

    • two restrooms

    • tables and chairs for up to 130 guests 

    • an in-house sound system including an HD projector and screen

    • disco ball

    • private entrance 

    • private outdoor patio

    With 14 round tables out for seating, you can comfortably seat 125 guests and still have space for a dance floor in the center of the room under the disco ball.

    • We have 16 round, 5’ diameter tables that seat 8-10 people each.

    • We have 4 restaurant-style 26” x 26” square cafe tables that seat 2-4 people each.

    • We have 6 round, 20” diameter bistro-style tall tables that fit 2-4 people each (standing).

    • We have 5 rectangular, 6’ long tables that seat 4-10 people each. (Two to four of these tables are used for catering and dessert.)

    • We have one short podium and 130 chairs for indoor use only.

  • Cleaning services are provided by the venue. Rental packages offer various options for the set-up and breakdown of tables and chairs.

    Typically, renters are responsible for set-up, including but not limited to tables, chairs, decorations, and linens. Set-up and breakdown time is included in the contracted times. Renters can pay $100 for the venue to set up their tables and chairs in their preferred layout.

    The venue handles all table and chair breakdown as well as post-event cleaning.

  • Our in-house sound system features: 

    • 4-channel mixer

    • two front-of-house Mackie speakers

    • two corded microphones with stands and XLR cables

    • 14-input, 4-output snake by the stage that is connected to our mixer & speakers

    • HD projector and screen wall (11’ x 6’)

  • Laptops, iPads, iPods, microphones, and cell phones can connect to our sound board/mixer. It has an 1/8th-inch input for a laptop, iPod, phone or any device with a headphone jack. We suggest renters supply the appropriate adapter depending on the device they intend to use (ie. dongle, usb-c, etc). All renters are responsible for any applicable licenses for live or recorded music.

  • LaVerne’s offers delicious, affordable in-house catering for events in the Village Ballroom. Our menu—aside from dessert—is entirely gluten-free, with plenty of vegetarian and vegan options available. We highly recommend using our in-house catering to ensure a seamless event, supported by a team that knows the venue inside and out. We welcome outside desserts.

    We permit outside catering for cultural events. Note there is no oven, access to cooking equipment, or food sink in the venue. Food must come prepared, and any chafing pans or warming supplies must be provided by renters or their vendors. We have limited refrigeration that can be utilized to keep dessert cool until it is served. We do not have refrigeration space for food. Our venue is best suited for buffet style dining. Outside catering must be approved by the venue first and renters should share the limitations of our space prior to contracting with an outside caterer.

  • Yes, we require event insurance including liquor liability for all events. Specific requirements and how to go about securing this policy is outlined in detail in the renter’s contract.

  • The venue supplies:

    • tables and chairs

    • our in-house A/V system with projector

    • dishware, glassware, and silverware.

    • provided dishware and silverware are in the style of LaVerne’s - mix & match silverware and white plates.

    • provided glassware includes pint glasses, low balls, and duralex (french-style) glasses. We serve our wine in stemless duralex glasses. If stemware is desired, it must be rented.

    • Renters are required to supply or rent table linens to protect the tables.

  • Rice, confetti, glitter, silly string, birdseed, and flame exposed candles are not permitted in the building or the outside entrance walkway. Additionally, no strong adhesive, tape, nails, screws or anything that will leave a permanent mark is allowed. We do allow blue painters tape to be used on the walls. No tape of any kind is allowed on the ballroom floor or the projector screen.

  • We have two size tables that require linens. Table cloth options depend on the formality of your event and how much “drop” you want the table cloths to have.

    • 6’ rectangle tables - typically used for serving food, dessert, or for event registration. For these tables, common tablecloth options include 60"x102" for a nice overhang, 90"x132" for floor-length elegance.

    • 5’ round tables - typically used for guest seating and dining. For these tables, options include 120-inch rounds for floor-length formal looks, 108-inch rounds for a mid-drop elegant style, and 90-inch rounds for a casual, shorter drop.

    Note: We use white paper napkins. Renter should rent cloth napkins if they are preferred.

  • LaVerne’s is the exclusive beverage provider for events in the Village Ballroom. Each of our rental packages includes one or two bartenders to serve your guests. Our bartenders are experienced event professionals and licensed servers by the OLCC. We do not permit outside beverages - alcoholic or N/A.

    Renters can decide how they want to bar service to work at their event. They can select to host the bar fully, host the bar partially (ie. up to a specific amount, beer and wine only), or they do not need to host the bar at all and guests can pay for their own beverages.

  • Our in-house bar is stocked with a curated selection of beer, wine, and premium spirits, as well as a robust range of non-alcoholic beverages to suit every taste. Here is a link to a sample bar menu.

  • Yes, minors are welcome during all hours of operation as long as they are supervised.

Operated with love By LaVerne’s

LaVerne’s was born from genuine partnership and a shared vision. In 2022, Lauren Kawa Funk began renting the ballroom for her neighborhood movement company, Pivot. When the Oregon Public House, a beloved neighborhood hub for 13 years, closed it’s doors in fall 2023, Lauren & Pivot became the primary tenant of the building. When she met Aaron Hall and Sophie Thomson, what started as a plan to sublease the downstairs quickly grew into a creative collaboration. Together, they imagined one home for both dreams: a neighborhood bar and restaurant downstairs, and a movement studio and venue/community gathering place upstairs.

The name LaVerne’s honors a grandmother and namesake chicken from one of our early collaborators - strong, timeless, and of the era we wanted to evoke. Each booth in the bar carries the name of one of our grandmothers, reminding us what LaVerne’s is all about. Countless friends, neighbors, artists, builders, and creative collaborators helped bring LaVerne’s to life, and it has quickly become a beloved local haunt in Woodlawn, where a good time comes together nice and easy.

In this new chapter, LaVerne’s is committed to honoring the long legacy of the Village Ballroom as a space where the community comes together to celebrate all of life’s moments, big and small.