Halls, picture theatres and jazz dances of Gosford, Ettalong, Narara and Wyong, drawn from the local newspaper of the time.
Rooms built for dances and pictures, 1917 to 1937.
Narara opened a new public hall in February 1917, and the local paper described the opening night crowd as a large one.
A large new concrete hall on the Patonga Parke Estate at Ettalong opened in October 1922 with an opening ball.
The Ettalong and District Social Club held its first function at Ettalong Hall in June 1925; the paper called it a grand opening ball.
The Valencia Theatre in Gosford opened in October 1927 to a crowd that rushed the ticket office once the gates opened.
Narara's second hall was officially opened in July 1928 by the Shire President, and the night included a ball.
New lessees opened Ettalong Hall on 19 September 1930 with a free dance; 231 people came through the door.
The new Regal Theatre on Mann and Donnison Streets in Gosford opened on 14 September 1937 with the film A Star Is Born.
Jazz dances in the halls, 1923 to 1953.
A jazz dance was advertised for Gosford Hall on Friday 23 February 1923, as a short paragraph in the week's local notes.
The Shires Ambulance anniversary dance at Gosford Hall on 22 May 1931 was billed as old-time and jazz dances.
The Gosford Town Band committee promoted a jazz and old-time dance at the Gosford School of Arts in June 1934 to raise money for the band.
After a dance at the Ettalong Soldiers' Memorial Hall finished at 1.30 am in February 1953, the orchestra kept playing on.
Local musicians before the pubs took over, 1907 to 1933.
The Gosford School of Arts Glee Club and Orchestra held regular practices in 1907, and the paper noted a marked improvement.
The Wyong Glee Club and Orchestra played a concert on 23 March 1921 to a crowded hall.
The Gosford Orchestral and Musical Society gave its first concert in July 1933; the paper said bitterly cold weather was largely responsible for the attendance.