Fern Brook’s Starlight dance hall accommodated 2,500 but sometimes so many crowded into it that dancing was impossible.  It also maintained a dress code at the dance hall which may have made it less competitive with other area and Lake dance halls. 

The dance hall witnessed the transformation from the Roaring Twenties to the Dance Band Era - and also Prohibition and the Great Depression.  On Friday, May 28, 1926, area newspaper men were given a preview of the park with a free lunch and music - and access to the rides to promote favorable publicity.

The rebuilt park was formally opened the evening of Saturday, May 29, 1926, with Jan Garber and his orchestra staying through May 31, Decoration Day. Garber (1918-1977) had a band career which lasted 6 decades; and the Jan Garber Orchestra still performs concerts.

In 1926 Garber was known as a Victor Recording artist whose records were available at Landau's music store in downtown Wilkes-Barre. Decoration Day 1926 also had another Victor recording star, the Don Bestor Orchestra and New York City radio artist Freddie Rich and his band.

Not far from Dallas Fern Brook's competitor the Oneonta Pavillion dance hall at the Lake featured Harry MacDonald and his Californians. MacDonald was from Wilkes-Barre and his band was developing a strong reputation. For a week around Labor Day 1926 the park featured the silent-movie cowgirl star Elythe Sterling and a Hopi Indian dance group. Featured in 57 movies between 1913 and 1923 Sterling died in Hollywood in 1962.