AUSTIN, Texas — Believe it or not, 2023 is almost here! As 2022 winds down and we all look ahead to what the new year will bring, you may be looking for a way to celebrate this New Year's Eve.
Luckily, from family-friendly events to all-night parties, there are a lot of ways to ring in the new year in the Austin area.
Below are a few events geared at being fun for the whole family:
Staying up until midnight can be difficult. That's why Beerburg Brewing is throwing a New Year's Eve party for folks a bit more acquainted with the other 12 o'clock. The brewery's "Noon Years Eve" festivities will run from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. and will include a glitter bar, a photo booth and live music.
When: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Beerburg Brewing, located at 12476 Fitzhugh Road
The folks at Beerburg Brewing aren't the only ones getting the party started early on Saturday. The Austin Public Library will also host "Noon Years Eve" events at its Little Walnut Creek, Yarborough and Ruiz branches.
The "party for people who get sleepy" will feature story time, crafts, games and more. At the Little Walnut Creek branch party, there will even be a sparkling cider toast!
When: 11 a.m. to noon
Where: Little Walnut Creek branch (835 W. Rundberg Lane), Yarborough branch (2200 Hancock Drive) and Ruiz Branch (1600 Grove Blvd.)
Another "noon year" party! Pinballz will have arts and crafts and will be handing out $10 play cards to kids. The party starts at 10 a.m. and instead of counting down to midnight, attendees will count down to noon, with a sparkling cider toast and a balloon drop with tickets.
When: 10 a.m. to noon
Where: Pinballz, located at 8940 Research Blvd.
Thinkery is hosting a daytime New Year's Eve countdown and balloon drops from 10:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. In addition to the balloon drops, Thinkery will offer lots of other fun activities, including a bubble wrap stop, light lab disco, DIY noisemakers and more.
When: 10:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.
Where: Thinkery, located at 1830 Simond Ave.
St. Elmo Brewing Company is hosting a daytime dance party on Saturday starting at noon. DJ ChiknBiskit will be spinning kid-friendly tunes from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m., Miss Jellybean will be on-site for face painting and balloon animals and the brewery will ring in the new year at 4 p.m. with a balloon drop and a champagne toast.
When: noon to 6 p.m.
Where: St. Elmo's Brewing Company, located at 440 E. St. Elmo Road G-2
The City of Austin will host its annual "Austin's New Year" event at Auditorium Shores on Saturday from 6 p.m. until midnight. This year's event will feature performances by psychedelic-cumbia band El Combo Oscuro, soul singer Taméca Jones, local drag troupe Extragrams and genre-spanning band The Texas Gentlemen.
Ten food trucks will be on-site and, for the first time, beer, wine and champagne will be available for purchase in a designated beer hall.
In years past, the city has set off fireworks at 10 p.m. But this year, the firework show will take place right at midnight to ring in 2023. Learn more.
When: 6 p.m. to midnight
Where: Auditorium Shores at Town Lake Metropolitan Park, located at 800 W. Riverside Drive
If you're looking for a sober way to ring in the new year, the "Glow in the New Year" event at Pease Park might be the event for you!
The event – hosted by The Phoenix, Communities for Recovery, Recovery ATX and the Pease Park Conservancy – will feature live music by Kady Rain, giveaways, glow sticks, dancing and more.
When: 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Where: Tudor Cottage/Terrace in Pease Park, located at 1100 Kingsbury St.
The City of Elgin is hosting its "Glowing into 2023" event from 7 p.m. until midnight on Saturday at the Elgin VFW. The family-friendly, neon-inspired, glow-themed event will include free glowsticks, children’s activities, photo ops, a smores bar, music and a toast at midnight with champagne, black eyed peas and cabbage.
A 20-minute fireworks display will begin at 9:30 p.m.
When: 7 p.m. to midnight
Where: Elgin VFW, located at 118 Sayers Road
Planning to leave the kids with a sitter? Here are just some of the New Year's Eve parties happening around the Austin area:
- 2023 Austin New Year's Eve Party - Gatsby's House (Hilton Austin Hotel)
- '90s New Year (Haute Spot in Leander)
- Barbarella Austin NYE 2023 (Barbarella)
- The Belmont's New Year's Eve 2023 Extravaganza (The Belmont)
- Bob Schneider's Great Big Spectacular New Year's Eve Party (The Paramount Theatre)
- Disco Cowboy (W Austin)
- DiscoTexxx (Cheer Up Charlies)
- Electric New Year's Eve (Electric Shuffle)
- ERA NYE (The Concourse Project)
- The 7th Annual Goblin King's New Years Eve Ball (Elysium)
- The Highball New Year's Eve Masquerade Bash (The Highball)
- Higher Ground New Year's Eve (Higher Ground)
- Hotel Vegas Glitters Eve (Hotel Vegas)
- Into the Wild New Year's Eve (Native Hostel)
- The Jackalope New Years Eve Masquerade (Jackalope Downtown)
- Jackalope South Shore Studio 54 New Years Party (Jackalope South Shore)
- Justine's Presents: Cirque Sauvage NYE 2023 (Justine's)
- Lamberts NYE 2023: David Garza All Star Band (Lamberts)
- Lenoir's New Year Party in the Wine Garden (Lenoir)
- New Year's Eve 2023 Silent Disco Party (Revl Social Club)
- New Year's Eve Grand Buffet (Kalahari Resorts)
- New Year's Eve Celebration (Fairmont Austin)
- NYE 2023 Circus Freakshow (Eberly)
- NYE Reggae Ball with Mau Mau Chaplains & Winston's Kitchen (Flamingo Cantina)
- Outer Heaven NYE 2023 (Outer Heaven)
- New Year's Eve: Pat Green with Cory Kent and Kody West (ACL Live)
- Pink Power! A NYE Extravaganza (Wax Myrtle's)
- Pinballz New Years Eve (Pinballz on Research Boulevard)
- The Roosevelt Room's Roaring 20s NYE Party (Roosevelt Room)
- Speakeasy's Legendary New Year's Eve Bash (Speakeasy)
- Zanzibar's New Year's Eve Party (Zanzibar)
Need a ride to your New Year's Eve celebrations? Capital Metro wants to help.
On Saturday after 5 p.m., CapMetro will be offering free fares on all services. In addition to regular bus service, the transit agency will also be running extended MetroRail services and Night Owl bus routes that run late.
Finally, looking for something to do on New Year's Day? Here are just a few of the events happening on Sunday in the Austin area:
- Bathrobe & Bingo Brunch (TLC Austin)
- FREE Week: Shook, Animals On TV, Pelvis Wrestley and Dmitri (Hotel Vegas)
- The Jackalope South Shore NYD Recovery Party (Jackalope South Shore)