Sophia Michaels
New Year’s Eve is just two days away and most of us still don’t know how we’re going to celebrate the dawn of 2020. We get it, New Year’s Eve party commitments are hard to make. It’s the last party of the year and the first party of the next. The night that sets the precedent for all the parties you’ll go to in the year — no, the whole decade! — to come.
Okay, that might be overhyping things a little. There are a lot of good parties coming up. But the night certainly feels monumental, with only double-digit hours until the ball drops. If your plans just aren’t coming together or if staying in sounds a little slow, we’ve got your back. Here’s our list of the best New Year’s Eve parties around the country — perfect for anyone eager to ring in the new year decade by going big.
New Year’s Eve at Time Out Market — Chicago, Illinois
Ring in the New Year with some of Chicago’s finest foods at the Time Out market, where the 50,000 square-foot marketplace will be completely open to the public, serving a variety of different foods from hearty burgers to finely crafted sushi rolls well past 10 pm.
Roll up completely reservation free and experience three floors of Chicago’s best food and drink vendors, soundtracked by local Chicago DJs. Countdown to the new year on the second floor, which will be transformed into a Champagne Bubble Bar organized by Moët.
Find out more information about Chicago’s Time Out Market here.
The End Is Nigh Y2K 2.0 — Chicago, Illinois
If you’re on the hunt for a more artsy, end-of-the-world-party vibes, hit the Ace Hotel for a New Year’s Eve bash thrown by Instagram star and local Chicago photographer Elizabeth De Le Piedra. To ring in the decade with a bang, De Le Piedra is bringing things back to the dawn of the 200os — channeling the glitz and glamour of a bygone era, when people like Puff and Ma$e thought we’d be wearing a whole lot of reflective silver colors in the 2020s.
Think Aaliyah and TLC music videos. If that sounds like the way you want to ring in 2020, hit the Ace Hotel’s Waydown club. You can buy tickets here.
Grand Park Countdown — Los Angeles, California
LA doesn’t have an iconic experience akin to the communal gathering in New York City’s Times Square, but it does have something somewhat close — the New Year’s Eve celebration at City Hall’s Grand Park. Featuring a gathering of food trucks, live music, and photographic installations, the Grand Park countdown is how Los Angeles celebrates New Year’s Eve. It’s everything people love about LA — chill vibes, good food, and wear-whatever-you-want weather — with a little bit of that NYC chaos.
The Grand Park New Year’s Eve countdown is free to the public, find out more information here.
Minimal Effort — Los Angeles, California
If you’re a lot more about the beats and vibes of New Year’s Eve, and less about the spectacle, considering hitting up LA’s Minimal Effort for an electronic underground-focused New Year’s Eve bash soundtracked by some of the most cutting edge selectors and producers of the day. Minimal Effort stakes its reputation on consistently throwing two of the most exciting parties of the year, and while you won’t get to wear a Halloween costume to this one, the Los Angeles Theatre is bound to be teeming with some of LA’s best dressed of the night.
Buy tickets here.
New Year’s Eve 2020 with DaBaby, Diddy, & DJ Khaled — Miami, Florida
If you like hip-hop and you want to ring in 2020 the right way, you need to do it at Miami Beach’s Story Nightclub with DaBaby, Diddy, and DJ Khaled. Not only do you get a star-studded lineup of amazing, show-stealing, vibe-setting performers, but you get DaBaby, whose presence alone should be enough to convince you that this is the right move (bank balance be damned!).
Seriously, friends — DaBaby is one of the most exciting voices in the modern rap game and, if that isn’t enough for you, the presence of living meme DJ Khaled guarantees some unforgettable and quotable moments are bound to happen. Plus, you know, there’s Diddy. The man has 21 Koo Koo Roos!
Show up early to take advantage of the open bar from 10 pm to midnight or go all out and get the full VIP treatment. Buy tickets here.
Wynwood NYE — Miami, Florida
If bottle service in the club isn’t your scene, consider hitting up the Wynwood Marketplace to ring in the New Year in a more communal block-party like setting. Live music, various artists, big crowds, and DJs and food trucks on every corner await you at the Wynwood New Year’s Eve party.
Hit up the block early for a free drink between 8 and 10 PM. Best of all, you won’t need to buy tickets because this event is totally free. You’re welcome, we’re not responsible but we’re going to go ahead and take credit on behalf of the city of Miami.
Times Square Ball — New York, New York
When it comes to New Year’s Eve, we’re not sure it gets bigger than the celebration in Times Square. Every year, millions of Americans gather to watch the Times Square ball drop, both in person and from the comfort of their own homes. If you love fireworks, there is simply no show finer than seeing New York’s skyline light up with dazzling colors. Unfortunately, if you like alcohol — this might not be your scene.
Yes, believe it or not, alcohol is not allowed on the New York City streets on New Year’s Eve, which is a major bummer. Fortunately, there are a number of restaurants and party venues where you can get your drink on — which means you can get a killer bar crawl going on where between drinks you get to wander around the most exciting city in America. If that’s not going big, we’re not sure what is.
Find out more about the Times Square Ball here.
The Roof — New York City, New York
If watching the fireworks from Times Square alcohol-free just doesn’t sound like your kind of party, consider hitting Le Meridien’s The Roof bar, which offers beautiful views of the New Year’s fireworks over Central Park, for your perfect NYE hangout. Both general admission and ticket packages are available, so fly solo or with a few friends, or gather up a small party and reserve a table for prime New York views.
Buy tickets here.
The Strat — Las Vegas, Nevada
Truthfully, if you find yourself anywhere on the Las Vegas Strip on New Year’s Eve, you’re going to have a good time — but things get a little grander when you’re viewing it all from 1,149 feet up. To enjoy views of the Vegas valley from that height, you’ll need to spend New Year’s at The Strat for a three-hour open bar experience that’ll deliver on Las Vegas’ reputation for glamorous excess while offering the best views of the New Year’s fireworks show imaginable.
After the fireworks show, hit the Strip and try your luck gambling in a new decade. Buy tickets here.
Texas Live! Lone Star NYE, Arlington, Texas
A first of its kind Vegas-style New Year’s Eve bash, Texas Live’s Lone Star NYE celebration brings together some of Texas’ finest food and drink vendors, live music, DJs, champagne toasts, and a 12-foot ball drop culminating in a brilliant fireworks show that lights up the Arlington sky, for what is sure to be a brand new Texas New Year’s tradition.
Be one of the first to experience Lone Star Live, buy tickets here.
EDITOR’S PICK: New Year’s At The Needle
Seattle knows how to do cool NYE parties — from cover bands to hip-hop shows to full-on galas. But there’s one event that’s sure to have the best views of the Space Needle’s famous fireworks and that’s the party inside the Space Needle.
New Year’s at the Needle has Seattle legends The Dusty 45s playing, plus a DJ spinning dance hits. There’s dessert, appetizers, and a champagne toast included in the ticket price, but the real highlight is being all up inside a veritable fireworks storm. Buy tickets here.
Written by: Uproxx
