New Year's Eve guide: Dance parties, dinners and more things to do in Fort Collins
Whether you're in the market for a fancy four-course meal or a rowdy dance party, Fort Collins has you covered this New Year's Eve.
Enjoy a sit-down meal or get up on the dance floor to some honky-tonk and Mardi Gras-style party music, try your luck in The Lyric's costume contest or be there when the balloons drop at Sundance Steakhouse & Saloon.
Here are things to do this New Year's Eve in Fort Collins and beyond.
Editor's note: Unless otherwise noted, these events and dinners take place in Fort Collins
For the 21-plus crowd
A 1920s New Year
When: Starting 4 p.m. Sunday
Where: Social, 1 Old Town Square, Suite 7
Ringing in 2024? How about 1924 instead? Social is leaning into its speakeasy vibes once again for its annual Ring in the 20s New Year's Eve party — featuring a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. The underground cocktail bar opens at 4 p.m. New Year's Eve, with festivities stretching into 2024. There are no tickets, cover charges or reservations required.
Ace Gillett's New Year's Soiree
When: Starting 5 p.m. Sunday
Where: Ace Gillett's Lounge, 239 S. College Ave.
Wrap up another year with Ace Gillett's annual New Year's Eve party, featuring a live performance by jazz musician Mark Sloniker and his daughter Emma starting at 5 p.m. and dance music from Ace Gillett's resident DJ Shaun Nolan starting at 8. The lounge will be serving up its classic cocktails, food menu and a complimentary champagne toast. Seating will be first come, first served.
Comedy and champagne
When: 10:30 p.m. Sunday
Where: The Comedy Fort, 167 N. College Ave.
Round out 2023 with some live laughs at The Comedy Fort, where headliner Chris Higgins will close out a standup comedy lineup and countdown to midnight (complete with a champagne toast). Tickets are $22 and available at comedyfortcollins.com.
Fort Collins food news: Wellington cupcake shop to move to Fort Collins' Front Range Village
Crescent City Connection at Magic Rat
When: Starting 9 p.m. Sunday
Where: Magic Rat Live Music, 111 Chestnut St.
Ring in the new year with some New Orleans funk, featuring the brassy horns and backbeats of Crescent City Connection — Colorado's Mardi Gras-style party band.
The Crystal Ball
When: Starting at 7 p.m. Sunday
Where: The Stanley Hotel, 333 Wonderview Ave., Estes Park
Head to Estes Park's historic Stanley Hotel for its 21st annual Crystal Ball — a New Year's Eve event that is part dinner and part dance party with tarot card readings, a whimsical photo booth, champagne and more. General admission tickets are $75. Dinner and tickets to the ball are $175 each. To purchase your tickets, visit stanleylive.com/crystalball.
New Year's Eve after hours at Snowbank
When: Starting at 9:30 p.m. Sunday
Where: Snowbank Brewing, 225 N. Lemay Ave., Suite 1
Get festive with Snowbank Brewing's annual New Year's Eve after hours celebration. Tickets are $20 and include a beer shot upon entry, a beer shot for the evening's midnight toast, snacks and photo booth access. To purchase your tickets, visit Snowbank's events page at snowbank.beer.
New Year's Eve at Looking Glass Bar
When: Starting 10 p.m. Sunday
Where: Looking Glass Bar and Escape Lounge, 400 N. College Ave., Unit B
If whimsical vibes and craft cocktails sound good to you, head over to Looking Glass Bar and Escape Lounge for its New Year's Eve party. Tickets are $40 and include two drink tickets, one glass of champagne and unlimited access to the event's food and dessert buffet. For more information, or to purchase your tickets ahead of time, head to time-emporium.com/calendar.
New Year's Eve at The Lyric
When: Starting 8 p.m. Sunday
Where: 1209 N. College Ave.
Head to The Lyric this New Year's Eve. It's tradition, after all. The Fort Collins theater, events and music space is back with its annual New Year's Eve dance party, featuring live music and DJs, movies, projection art, a costume contest, champagne toast and more. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and festivities kick off at 8. Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 the day of the party.
New Year's Eve at the Windsor Mill
When: Starting at 7 p.m. Sunday
Where: Windsor Mill Tavern, 301 Main St., Unit C, Windsor
Spare no expense at Windsor Mill Tavern this New Year's Eve. The Windsor eatery is bringing back its New Year's Eve bash for another year, featuring live music by Sugar Britches, a gourmet buffet, a whiskey and wine tasting and champagne toast at midnight. Admission is $150 and includes access to the buffet, two signature cocktails, beer or wine, the whiskey and wine tasting and champagne toast. Tickets can be purchased at eventbrite.com.
New Year's Eve at Sundance
When: Starting at 7 p.m. Sunday
Where: Sundance Steakhouse & Saloon, 2716 E. Mulberry St.
Sundance Steakhouse & Saloon will once again be decked out for its annual New Year's Eve party, complete with a buffet dinner, balloon drop and champagne toast at midnight this year. General admission tickets will be available at the door for $15. Table seats start at $55 and typically sell out ahead of time, so reserve yours by going to sundancesteakhouse.com.
One last Christmas drink at Miracle
When: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday
Where: The Post Chicken & Beer, 1002 S. College Ave.
Not ready to say goodbye to the holidays? Cling to Christmas with one last stop at Miracle, a pop-up holiday bar that's been operating out of The Post Chicken & Beer since November. Miracle will close up shop after New Year's Eve, so consider this last call for festive drinks in Santa mugs.
Family-friendly New Year's Eve activities
Loveland's Winter Wonderlights
When: 5-9 p.m. Sunday
Where: Chapungu Sculpture Park at Centerra, 5995 Sky Pond Drive, Loveland
Enjoy one last gasp of holiday lights with a stroll through Loveland's annual Winter Wonderlights display. Chapungu Sculpture Park, which was transformed into a free winter wonderland with more 200,000 lights, LED snowflakes and illuminated African stone sculptures this holiday season, will remain open on New Year's Eve — featuring free 30-minute music and light shows.
Holiday lights guide: There's still time to catch the best lights displays in Fort Collins and beyond
Resolution Run
When: 6 p.m. Sunday
Where: Edora Pool Ice Center, 1801 Riverside Ave.
Bid adieu to 2023 with one of Fort Collins' oldest races. The Resolution Run 5K starts and ends at Edora Pool Ice Center, weaving through neighborhood streets and offering heated indoor spaces for participants to hang out before and after the run. Kids, strollers, dogs and walkers are welcome. Advanced registration is $30 and day-of registration is $35. To sign up, visit resolutionrunfc.com.
Winter WonDairy tours
When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: Morning Fresh Dairy Farm, 5821 W. County Road 54E, Bellvue
Looking for a family-friendly daytime activity this New Year's Eve. Head out to Morning Fresh Dairy Farm for one of its Winter WonDairy farm tours, where you'll take a wintery walk around the family-owned and operated dairy farm — learning about its origins and innerworkings and collecting winter-themed treats along the way. Tour tickets are $12 and must be booked at least 24 hours in advance. To purchase your ticket, visit morningfreshdairy.com/tours-and-events.
New Year's Eve dinners
In the market for a fancy four-course dinner? How about a special New Year's Eve themed to-go meal? These Fort Collins and Timnath eateries are serving up special New Year's Eve menus. For a full run down, check out the Coloradoan's list of New Year's Eve dinners.
Backyard Bird Chicken + Donuts, 4650 Signal Tree Drive, Timnath
Cafe Vino, 1200 S. College Ave.
The Stanley Hotel, 333 Wonderview Ave., Estes Park
The Emporium: An American Brasserie, 378 Walnut St.
Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar, 123 N. College Ave.
The Post Chicken & Beer, 1002 S College Ave.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: New Year's Eve: Dance parties, dinners & things to do in Fort Collins
