New Year’s Eve is fast approaching!
If you don’t plan on tuning in to NBC’s “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” special to watch split-screen footage of the Raleigh acorn and the Times Square ball drops—the ‘balls, nuts, and Dick show,’ as I like to call it—check out our picks for the best dance parties, dinners, and events to attend in the Triangle this December 31.
DANCE PARTIES
A Different World: A High Energy New Year’s Eve Dance Party
The Pinhook, Durham
Most of The Pinhook’s DJ-led shows are extremely upbeat, so if the venue puts “high energy” in the title of an event—as they have with this one—it promises to be a true banger. The lineup, curated by FemiTheFemme, includes DJ Wicked, Alec Lomami, and Treee City. Tickets are $10; doors open at 8 p.m.
2023: A Space Odyssey—An Epic New Year’s Dance Party
Rubies on Five Points, Durham
VSPRTN and Fifi Hi-Fi command the DJ booth at this event, where each attendee is encouraged to “prepare for liftoff” before the music “launches you and your big booty into the new year.” Tickets are $10; doors open at 10 p.m.
THEMED EVENTS
Masquerade Murder 8: A New Year’s Eve Murder Mystery Party
City of Raleigh Museum, Raleigh
Grab a notepad, put on your best Kentucky-fried Foghorn Leghorn drawl, and head over to the City of Raleigh Museum for an immersive sleuth sesh before the clock strikes 12. In addition to a custom character bio, guests will be provided with a masquerade mask, a souvenir badge and shot glass, and access to a dessert bar.
Tickets are $100 per person; the event kicks off at 9 p.m.
Raleigh New Year’s Eve Party: Gatsby’s House
Sheraton Raleigh Hotel, Raleigh
Guests are invited to don pearls, sequins, fringes, feathered headbands, and slim-fitting suits for this Roaring Twenties-themed soirée, which features hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, and music from four local DJS. (In the 2120s, do you think people will throw 2020s-themed New Year’s parties? If so, what will the dress code entail? Surgical masks and crop tops from Shein?)
Tickets are $125 per person; doors open at 8:30 p.m.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES
United Skates of America, Raleigh
As our planet completes another trip around the sun, head over to the United Skates of America to do a few laps of your own!
Tickets are $20 per person, not including skate rental; doors open at 8:30 p.m. (If you prefer ice skating, The Rink will be open from noon to 9:30 p.m.)
North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival
Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary
Undoubtedly the most beautiful New Year’s Eve venue in the Triangle, the North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival is back this year with forty handcrafted lantern displays, thousands of LED lights, and a stunning lineup of cultural arts performances.
Tickets are $20 for guests aged 12 years and older and $15 for guests under 12 years old; the festival, which runs through January 8, is open from 6 to 10 p.m. on December 31.
DINNERS
Five-Course Tasting Menu with Cocktail Pairings
Alley Twenty Six, Durham
This dinner is probably best for folks who don’t mind falling asleep before midnight, as its menu—which pairs craft cocktails with items like house-cured duck prosciutto, ricotta gnocchi, and sous vide beef tenderloin—promises nothing short of a blissful food coma.
Tickets are $120 per person; reservations are available from 4 to 10:45 p.m. Vegetarian options are available upon request.
Four-Course Dinner with Wine Pairings
Market and Moss, Chapel Hill
Market and Moss will spotlight seasonal ingredients in its prix fixe New Year’s Eve menu, which features a savory chess pie with pear, walnuts, and blue cheese; roasted quail with fennel-orange marmalade; scallops with celery root soubise; and a pecan pie-inspired panna cotta.
Tickets are $125 per person with wine pairings and $85 per person without wine pairings. Reservations are available from 5 to 8:30 p.m.
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