Guide: 2013-2014 New Year’s Eve Events in Boston

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Boston Harbour Fireworks by Susan Drysdale to Flickr

It’s the one day that sums up all that came the year before and ushers in the next 365 to come: New Year’s Eve. That’s a lot of pressure for one day, and it’s important to know how to spend it right.

If First Night isn’t for you, finding the right way to spend the day (or night) can be a hassle, so we’ve done it for you. Here’s a roundup of events going on around Boston that will help you celebrate 2013 and welcome 2014 exactly how you want to.

Family Friendly New Year’s Eve Events

Frozen Fenway

The World Series champs definitely gave us a reason to celebrate 2013, and now Fenway is offering a chance to ring in the New Year as well. Fenway Park is hosting its first New Year’s celebration with ice skating and sledding on New Year’s Eve. For $40, you can experience the holiday at Fenway, take pictures on the warning track and in the dugouts, see the World Series trophies displayed on the field, and enjoy the Monster Sled. The giant course starts with a 20-foot ramp in the shadow of the left field wall, runs 75 feet down five separate paths, and ends at the bullpen. There will be free hot chocolate and cookies for kids, and don’t worry, they know Fenway wouldn’t be the same without a Fenway Frank, so ballpark fare will be available as well.

$40 per person, 5-10 p.m., Fenway, 4 Yawkey Way, 877-733-7699, boston.redsox.mlb.com

Greenway Carousel

The carousel closes down for the winter after the 31st, so take one last ride on this new installation before the New Year. With magic shows at the carousel at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., a trip to the Greenway can make an afternoon. What better way to usher in good tidings than on a butterfly, owl, or carrot-wielding rabbit?

$3, 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Tiffany & Co. Foundation Grove, Rose Kennedy Greenway, 617-292-0020, rosekennedygreenway.org

Bar Events on New Year’s Eve

Crawl ’Til the Ball Falls

There’s no question that Faneuil Hall is classic Boston, so it definitely makes for a good place to welcome the New Year. Crawl ’Til the Ball Falls is the celebration for you if you want to start early and stay out all night. Registration begins at 5 p.m. at Stadium Sports Bar, and the only thing you need from there is your complimentary cup to fill with drinks. Wristband-holders will be able to get in until 2 a.m., so you can stay out well past that New Year’s countdown.

Register from 5-10 p.m. at Stadium Sports Bar, 232 Old Colony Ave., 617-269-5100, bostonnewyears.com

All-Access Pass

Why settle for one bar party when you could have an over-the-top blowout? When it comes to New Year’s, bigger is better. This all-access pass grants entry to five of Boston’s biggest parties (Gem, Guilt, The Estate, Royale, and Underbar), so hop from one to the other, or pick your favorite and spend the night. With so many choices, you can’t go wrong.

$175, 8 p.m.-2 a.m., various locations, joonbug.com/boston

The Greatest Bar

After their Gatsby Gala last year, this New Year’s at The Greatest Bar had to be bigger than ever, so (of course!) they’re going 50 Shades of Grey. Though this isn’t an all-access pass or bar crawl, this one bar can feel like many with its four distinct levels, each offering a different mood. Floor 1 is The Vanilla Room, followed by Mr. Grey’s VIP floor, Anna’s Hearts & Flowers, and finally, The Red Room.

Tickets start at $20, 8 p.m.- 2 a.m., The Greatest Bar, 262 Friend St., 617-367-0544, thegreatestbar.com

Cruise

Odyssey Boston

Dinner, dancing, and a champagne toast at midnight with incomparable views of the Boston Harbor fireworks makes the Odyssey Boston cruise an elegant option for New Year’s Eve. From 9 p.m.-1 a.m., you can sail Boston Harbor, enjoying an incredible view, a robust dinner, and dancing to your heart’s content. For the non bar-hoppers of the group, a cruise is the perfect way to get the same excitement with a little more refinement.

$180 per person, boarding at 8 p.m., Odyssey Boston, 60 Rowe’s Wharf, Gate B, 866-307-2469, odysseycruises.com

Comedy

Big Jay Oakerson at Laugh Boston

For a little New Year’s entertainment, Big Jay Oakerson will perform two shows at Laugh Boston. One of Comedy Central’s best, Oakerson has appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and HBO’s P. Diddy’s Bad Boys of Comedy. Oakerson is known for his story-style stand-up, often based on his time as a driver in Philly. Oakerson will perform two shows on New Year’s Eve.

$25, 7:30 and 10 p.m., Laugh Boston, 425 Summer St., 617-725-2844, laughboston.com

New Year’s at Improv Asylum

If stand-up’s not your style, Improv Asylum has a New Year’s Eve show too. With a mixture of improv and sketch comedy, the group always mixes it up and promises to make the New Year special. And don’t worry, they won’t judge you for grabbing one-too-many New Year’s beers. The diet doesn’t start until tomorrow–right?

$25, 8 and 10 p.m., Improv Asylum, 216 Hanover St., 617-263-6887, improvasylum.com

Hotels

Revere Hotel Boston Common

If you’re visiting Boston for the New Year, or simply want to treat the night as a stay-cation, consider this hotel package: Revere Hotel not far from Boston Common is in the perfect location for exploring. Not only do many First Night events take place on the Common, but Revere is also offering two packages with events right on the premises. The full package for Emerald at Revere is themed a Red Carpet Affair, and includes drinks, dancing, party favors, and a midnight toast, of course. Studio 57’s package starts at $100 more expensive, but offers a Studio 54 theme, bringing you back to old Hollywood with amazing performances for the New Year. Both packages include accommodations for two, complete with champagne and strawberries, plus a definitely-necessary, much-appreciated 2 p.m. late checkout time.

Emerald packages start at $319, Studio 57 packages start at $399, Revere Hotel Boston Common, 200 Stuart St., 617-482-1800, reverehotel.com

An Inexpensive New Year’s

Glow 2014 at District Hall

Everyone has those years where the prices are beginning to add up and the cost of last year makes us want to curl up with nothing but a box of popcorn. The generic kind at that. But this year, your celebration doesn’t have to break the bank. At GLOW, District Hall’s first New Year’s Eve party, there will be a neon dance party, photobooth included–you can even draw on the walls! Grab dinner at Gather restaurant (adjacent to the hall) beforehand and sample their special New Year’s Eve menu complete with champagne-poached lobster, or skip right to the party. With a fully glass front, it also makes for a beautiful place to watch the fireworks at midnight. All for only $25. Now that’s a sweet deal to start a year.

$25, 9 p.m., District Hall, 75 Northern Ave., districthallboston.org

For more events happening on New Year’s, check out our guide to First Night.