24 Ways to Celebrate the Arrival of 2024

Bowl, ski, sing, eat, dance, and be merry this New Year’s Eve

By Jillian Manning | Dec. 23, 2023

Out with the old, in with the New Year’s Eve parties. From a five-course dinner to a throwback 2000s bash to a classic ball drop, it’s time to bust out the sparkles and sequins (and kazoos) at events around the North.

Get an Artful Start

1. Crooked Tree Arts Center of Petoskey is teaming up with the Petoskey District Library for a family-friendly celebration. (And not a late one either—the party starts at 5pm and ends at 9pm.) Join the two organizations on the corner of Division Street and Mitchell Street in downtown Petoskey for live music, magic shows, face painting, cornhole games, and more. You’ll eat well too, thanks to a buffet of pizza, salad, and pasta from Mancino’s, cocoa and cookie stations, a chili tent with Parkside Deli, and bonfire pits with s’mores kits. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids (ages two and under are free).

2. Don your best cocktail attire for the Starlight Party in the Cathedral Barn at Historic Barns Park. The gala begins at 7pm with live entertainment from Saving Sequoia, The Decibelz, and a late-night DJ. All proceeds go to the MiMusic Scholarship Fund supporting students in our community who need music opportunities. Tickets start at $35 at mynorthtickets.com.

Countdown Drops

3. If watching a ball drop is your idea of a perfect New Year’s Eve, then there’s no need to fly all the way to Times Square. The CherryT Ball Drop is both a nod to Traverse City’s status as the Cherry Capital of the World and a chance for some charity—the event is free, but attendees are encouraged to bring a $5 donation to benefit this year’s nonprofit partner, The Father Fred Foundation. Since the ball drop began in 2008, nearly $127,000 has been raised for local nonprofits. The cherry falls on the corner of Cass and Front Street; gates open at 10:30pm and the fun ends at 12:20am.

4. Not to be outdone, Mackinac Island drops a smiling green turtle at midnight from the top of the Lilac Tree Suites. The hotel is open for select dates throughout the winter, including NYE. (Note: Many island amenities may be closed, but you can count on Doud’s Market for groceries!) Keep in mind winter ferries depart from St. Ignace, so give yourself a little time to get over the bridge.

5. And if you like to see history in the making, head a little south to Muskegon, which is hosting its first ever ball drop and fireworks display in front of the Vandyk Mortgage Center on Western Avenue.

Toast of the Town

6. Glen Arbor Wines will also be dropping a ball…all the way from their upper deck. But we think the bigger draw to this charming winery can be found in the pop-up mac-n-cheese bar, a bottle of their Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine, and the cozy ambiance of their tasting room. Live music starts at 8pm and runs through midnight.

7. Over in Suttons Bay, Black Star Farms returns with their annual New Year’s Eve dinner, a multi-course, wine-paired meal that begins at 6:30pm. Think: caviar, vanilla butter poached lobster, duck ravioli, prime sirloin, a citrus tiramisu, and a selection of red, white, and bubbly wines along the way. Formal attire is suggested (black-tie optional). Tickets are $175 at mynorthtickets.com.

8. An exclusive NYE party will be held at Gypsy Distillery, with complimentary shuttle rides from High Five Spirits in downtown Petoskey to the distillery’s sprawling campus. Enjoy a welcome cocktail, live music by DJ Parker Marshall, a photo booth, and a midnight balloon drop. Tickets range from $25 to $65 at eventbrite.com—and warning, last year was a sold-out party!

9. For a more low-key vibe, head to Gaylord’s Karma Taproom from 8pm-2am. Per their Facebook page: “The color black symbolizes power and strength and is believed to absorb negative energy and promote feelings of grounding and stability. So, we are asking YOU to dress to impress in your best black attire!” They’re also encouraging safe travel that night and are offering a discount to anyone who has the staff call them a taxi for the ride home.

Ringing In at Resorts

10. Go around the world with Grand Traverse Resort and Spa. Guests over 21 are invited to dance the night away in Governors’ Hall with the John Pomeroy Band, sample cuisine from Nashville to Venice to Tokyo, and enjoy a global selection of drinks at the cash bar. A complimentary champagne toast and fireworks display close out the night. The on-site Aerie Restaurant also has an NYE prix fixe dinner available.

11. Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville will have live music in the Slopeside Tent from 3-5pm and the Vista Lounge from 8:30pm-12:30am, dinner options at the Wild Tomato and The Thistle, and a Family Party in the Crystal Center with a dinner buffet, non-alcoholic beverages (others available for purchase), party favors, a DJ, and goodie bags for the kids. (Tickets: $85 for adults; $45 kids 3-12; free for ages two and under.) And don’t miss the Glow Light & Torchlight parades at 10pm, followed by fireworks over the mountain.

12. Like its fellow resort properties, Boyne Mountain promises dinners, parades, fireworks, and a party. But if you’re looking for something a little different, opt for the Lights in the Sky Experience, with SkyBridge Michigan lit up with over 150,000 twinkle lights. On NYE, Boyne will also have a bonfire with s’mores at the Back Forty and a “Frozen” family movie night in the Geneva Room.

13. Ski all day at Nubs Nob, and be sure to stick around at the bottom of the Green Lift around 5:30pm. There, the Nub’s Nob Ski Patrol and Winter Sports School instructors will create a beautiful light display, making one run down Smokey and another down Valley with flares in hand.

14. Elegance is the name of the game at the Topping Off 2023 party at Treetops Resort. This adults-only celebration is $30/person at the door and features an evening of live music, great food, and champagne toasts.

15. Just a stone’s throw away (or about a six-minute drive), Otsego Resort hosts a New Year’s dinner at the Duck Blind Grille—choose from a buffet or a special one-night menu. They also proudly set off their annual Fireworks Spectacular (free!) at midnight on the top of the hill.

A Lucky Year

16. A romantic dinner at Bourbons 72, the rockin’ sounds of 5th Gear, and $2 champagne pours? Sign us up for New Year’s at Turtle Creek Casino. There will also be a free 360 video booth on-site plus plenty of prizes and giveaways available on the casino floor. Complimentary NYE hats, beads, and other party favors will also be available as supplies last.

17. Sister casino Leelanau Sands is throwing a bash of its own in Peshawbestown with the M-22 New Year’s Eve Party with over $25,000 in cash and prizes. Don’t miss the cash drawings of up to $2,024 from 7pm-11:30pm, nor the chance to dance and sing along in the Sands Showroom with The Prolifics’ Motown tribute show.

Resolutions and Restaurants

18. The early bird gets dinner at Artisan inside the Delamar Traverse City. The restaurant is offering an à la carte dinner from 4:30-7pm, followed by a five-course, prix fixe dinner from 8-10pm. (So we guess the late bird gets dinner, too!) The latter dinner is $155 and includes a variety of scrumptious options from black truffle tortellini to dayboat scallops to rack of lamb, concluding with a confetti mousse bomb. Reservations are required: (231) 421-2150.

19. “Purley Sensational” is the tagline for the NYE celebration at Nittolo’s of Lake Leelanau. Enjoy the glamorous Speakeasy side of the restaurant as you sip a bottle of sparkling rosé. The $25 ticket (per person) gets you entry into the party, where you’ll soak in the sounds of Laura Rain and The Caesars and dine on a decadent menu of Italian delicacies. This event is limited to 100 people, so get your tickets ASAP at nittolospizza.com!

20. Prefer to do your partying early in the day and sleep through the countdown? Head to Stafford’s Pier Restaurant in Harbor Springs. They’re offering a New Year’s Eve brunch from 11am-4pm in the Wheelhouse Lodge. That Bacon Toffee Waffle is calling our names…can you hear it too? Call (231) 526-6201 for reservations.

Just a Few More Parties

21. If dressing up isn’t for you, then dress down—right into your coziest pajamas—for the PJ party at Gaylord Bowling Center. Here you’ll find glow bowling, arcade fun, a buffet, champagne and drink specials, and a DJ spinning tunes. Tickets are $45 in advance and $50 at the door.

22. Feel free to horse around at Lake Ann Farm from 6pm to 1am. Kiddos are welcome, with $5 pony rides and a petting zoo from 6-8pm. The farm will have live music and concessions, though you must bring your own beverages. Admission is $10 per person.

23. The Venue of Cadillac is going all in on their Throwback New Year’s Eve Party, complete with performances by Live for Tomorrow with special guest Once Upon a Bison of covers of the biggest names in pop, punk, rock, and alternative of the early aughts. DJ Doubledribble will close out the night. Tickets are $15 plus fees at thevenueeccadillac.com.

24. Don’t just ring in the new year—sing in the new year at The Cantina in Charlevoix. They’ll be offering NYE karaoke with DJ Hashtag along with food and drink specials all night long. We have three words for you: auld lang syne.