This time of year, the challenge is about where to have as good a time as possible in the city, without A)being swallowed whole by mobs of holiday partyers or B) spending more money than one should spend in a week.
There is, as always, a ton of opportunities to celebrate your little heads off this New Year's Eve and Day.
The thing about this particular holiday, is that given the typical chaos it causes, it's best to do a bit of pre-planning, wouldn't you agree?
There are a number of cool events we are very excited about, and we should remind you of the fact that New Years Day is always a mecca for fun Brunch deals around here, almost too many to choose from. Perfect for some hair-of-the-dog type winding down from the night before.
Check it out!
Sunday, December 31st (New Year’s Eve)
1. Free NYE Fireworks in Prospect Park (Prospect Park, Brooklyn 10:30 p.m.)
Because we simply cannot get enough fireworks shows; Brooklyn invites you to come enjoy a night of celebration with live music starting at 10:30 pm leading up to an incredible firework show at the stroke of midnight. If you've got plans for earlier in the night, but are looking for a special mode of kicking off 2018 in a big way, this could be just the way.
The energy of ringing in the new year in a crowd of fellow New Yorkers is bound to be amazing enough to become a tradition. Let them know you're coming here!
2. NYE Grand Ballroom Celebration (Terrace On The Park, 52-11, 111th Street, Queens @ 9 p.m.)
This is an awesome, all-inclusive celebration at the Terrace on the Park. The night includes a cocktail hour with a raw bar, a dumpling bar, and other noshes, leading up to a delicious meal including surf & turf, as well as a premium open bar available all night long!
A classy evening, with breathtaking views from above the Queens scape, and a comfortable distance from the chaos which ensues each year across Manhattan, in case you're looking for something more lowkey. This is perfect for anyone looking to have a great night without going overboard. Grab your tickets here!
3. NYE at Avenue OPEN BAR (116 10th Avenue at 17th St. @ 9 p.m.)
In the annual search for the most worthy, and at least somewhat reasonable, New Year's Eve Open Bar has caught our attention. NYC's Avenue, the newly renovated nightclub, is looking better than ever, and set for their New Year's Eve party with a 9 p.m.-1 a.m. open bar and live DJ performances by DJ SPADE, Bruno Freshco, and Petie Smallzz.
AND they're even throwing in a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. Grab tickets here!
4. New Year's Eve at The Ditty! (3503 Ditmars Blvd, between 35th & 36th St., Astoria)
This cocktail bar is hosting a NYE extravaganza, with a 9 p.m. to midnight open bar, appetizers, a live TV countdown, and a champagne toast. AND the party even continues after the ball drops, not just for a few post-party hours, oh no. It'll keep going until 8 a.m. New Year's Day. This is what we are talking about people!
Reserve your all-inclusive tickets here!
5. NYE Manhattan Harbor Cruise (Pier 81, W 41st St and 12th Ave, @ 9 p.m.)
Speaking of avoiding the NYC crowds on New Year's Eve, you can literally escape the chaos with this Manhattan Harbor cruise under the fireworks, complete with an open bar, dinner buffet, and live DJ entertainment! You'll cruise around and party for a while, then the cruise will make a pitstop at the Brooklyn Bridge to watch the show at midnight!
Boarding starts at 9:00 p.m. at Pier 81, and will return there at 1:00 a.m. As you probably guessed, this evening isn't free, so reserve your ticket here.
6. New York Road Runners Midnight Run (Central Park @ 10 p.m.)
If this is how you're looking to spend your night, ringing in the new year with a midnight run beneath the firework-filled sky, we wish we had your verve. For the athletes among us, NY Road Runners is hosting their annual midnight run on New Year's Eve. A celebration with music and dancing will kick off at 10 p.m. @ Central Park, all leading up the four-mile run which starts at 12 midnight on the dot!
Register online for the race here! Then, check out the event page for a list of dates when you can pick up your shirts & number at the NYRR RUN CENTRE, 320 West 57th Street. See you there!
7. Time's Up New Year's Eve Bike Ride (Plaza Hotel, 59th St & 5th Ave)
You may have heard of this before, but Time's Up Bike Tours host various events all year long, from street art tours to historical escapades. Now, they're not only holding a nighttime bike ride to celebrate the New Year, but an afterparty at Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (155 Avenue C, New York) with live music, food, and drinks. The celebration is brought to us by all-volunteer, non-profit organizations.
The ride will kick off at the park in front of the Plaza Hotel (59th St and 5th Ave) Manhattan @ 9:30 p.m. and end at the museum for the celebration! Grab tickets to the afterparty here.
8. Demimonde Speakeasy (60 Pine St, New York)
This exotic and authentic old-timey speakeasy party will tend to your fun-loving side as well as your fancy side. Dress the part, in anything from your suit and tie to a flashy, sparkling cabernet gown. You'll feel like a high-end socialite of centuries past while sipping and dancing your way into the new year.
If you're looking for something truly different for your NYE festivities this year, you'll want to get in on this... Reserve a table for you and your squad here!
If you're a die-hard, then you may very well have already snagged your tickets. For the less entrenched, we're making sure you know that Phish is making their comeback to none other than Madison Square Garden for four-night, back-to-back concerts, with their last show on New Year’s Eve.
Let's ring in the new year with a bang, Phish would never let it be a dull evening. Grab tickets here, they're selling fast!
Monday, January 1st (New Year’s Day)
10. The Poetry Project Marathon Reading (St. Marks Church, 131 E 10th St. @ 2 p.m.)
You can take a completely alternative route from your New Year's Eve shenanigans, with this inspiring, 44th annual celebration of poetry and innovative writing. The Poetry Project is hosting an extensive list of over 140 featured poets, performing their work aloud in a poetry "marathon" from 2 p.m. till... well, however long it takes!
Grab your tickets here!
11. Anthropologizing the Bachelor (Caveat, 21 Clinton Street @ 7:30 p.m.)
This will probably be the most random (yet somehow very appealing) ordeal you've heard of in a while. Then again maybe not, this is New York after all. So, Caveat NYC is hosting "Anthropologizing the Bachelorette". What does any of that mean, you ask? So, you go and enjoy some drinks and listen as an anthropology professor from Columbia University (Ellen Marakowitz) and comedian (Nadia Pinder), give live screening commentary on the show.
What can be more entertaining than winding down from your NYE festivities, with a dissection of the most drama-filled, obsessed over, and ridiculous, reality show on TV... Anyway, we'll be going, grab your tickets here!
12. Coney Island Polar Bear Club New Year's Day Plunge (Coney Island Boardwalk @ 1 p.m.)
As painful as this may sound, speaking from experience, it is truly a must, at least once in your life... Sure, your face goes numb for a second or two, but is that really reason enough not to do something? And if you're going to do the plunge, what better way than with the Polar Bear Club at Coney Island?
This plunge is awesome and obviously brings in a massive crowd. It's free, but be sure to register here, then show up at the boardwalk 1 p.m. sharp on New Year's Day!
[Feature Image Courtesy c2.staticflickr]