In Ecuador, they burn effigies. In Spain, they eat a dozen grapes as the clock strikes midnight. In Ireland, they bang bread against the doorways and windows. In Russia, they wait for the fur-bedecked winter wizard Ded Moroz to deliver presents to children. This New Years Eve, residents of the Oklahoma City metro will get the chance to toast with champagne, watch fireworks, strike yoga poses and listen to bands with names like Shocker Boys. Every culture rings in the New Year in its own way.
100 N. University Drive, Edmond
facebook.com/oklahomacitypowwowclub
405-923-1254
Free
Celebrate the new year by commemorating the old. Two of Oklahomas longest-lived Native heritage organizations, Tulsa Indian Club and Oklahoma City Pow Wow Club, team up with the University of Central Oklahomas Native American Faculty & Staff Association and the Blackbear Descendants to host an evening of dancing and celebration hosted by emcee Eugene Blackbear.
1544 Oklahoma Highway 9, Norman
405-322-6464
$35
Disco doesnt suck, and it never died (it will survive), so what better way to make 2018 feel mighty real than by stayin alive, shaking your groove thing and getting your Le Freak on in Showplace Theatre at Normans Riverwind Casino and Hotel? Get down tonight.
701 W. Sheridan Ave.
405-208-4233
Free
OKCs film-noir-themed bistro and bar will suspend its dinner service on NYE, but it will offer appetizers to soak up the drinks and the all-important champagne toast at midnight. Belt Auld Lang Syne or whatever else you feel like into a microphone because theres karaoke as well as a dance floor if youd rather just twerk it out the way Humphrey Bogart wouldve.
1003 SW 19th St., Moore
405-603-8665
$10
Theres no pressure to be the life of the party when the Life of the Party is already onstage, doing its thing into amplification devices. The four-piece band covers hip-hop, country, disco, rock and Top 40 favorites with an eclectic party playlist that includes everything from Cross Canadian Ragweed to Iggy Azalea and KISS. After youve worked up an appetite on the dance floor, Okie Tonks menu offers all manner of Southern-fried and pub favorites.
415 Couch Drive
405-235-6262
$65 (tip and tax not included)
Class up the new year at Oklahoma City Museum of Art. Galleries will be open until 11 p.m., giving diners plenty of time to peruse whether theyve made reservations at 5, 7:15 or 9:30 p.m. Live jazz played by The Music Makers will begin at 9 p.m., and the museums roof terrace will open at 11:30 p.m. for fireworks viewing and champagne toasting.
901 W. Sheridan Ave.
405-212-2378
$25-$150
21+
New Years Eve can be as fancy as you want it to be at The Jones Assembly. $25 gets you standing-room-only access to a performance by Norman 90s tribute act My So Called Band, and $75 gets you all-venue access including VIP entry to the T Room mezzanine cocktail lounge and patio plus hors doeuvres and a champagne toast at midnight. Drop $100 and you get all of the above plus a prix-fixe dinner ($25 extra for a wine pairing or a reserved table during the show, $50 extra for both).
(Seventh Floor of Ambassador Hotel)
1200 N. Walker Ave.
405-898-8170
$20
The seventh floor of OKCs Ambassador Hotel will host a swinging shindig featuring a DJ-equipped dance floor, party favors and a dinner, wine and cocktail menu. Guests will be treated to a sparkling wine toast on arrival, or they can spring for champagne bottle service and get the VIP treatment all night with a reserved table.
2600 S. Meridian Ave.
facebook.com/brewskeysbar.andgrill
405-601-1155
If you wanna know what the new year has in store at Brewskeys, look no further than the headlining band, self-styled 80s heavy metal tribute mashup band Shocker Boys featuring vocalist Deez Nuts, guitarist Snatch Munchen, bassist Kraven Morehead and drummer Wiggles Monroe (probably not their real names). Yeah, its gonna be that kind of party.
412 S. Broadway Ave., Edmond
405-696-5652
Free
Pre-game for the New Year the namaste way and work up a sweat at this free hourlong yoga class hosted by Hidden Dragon. Get your flex on to the tune of classic 90s hip-hop tunes and tell yourself it will make up for all the debauchery youll get up to later in the day.
121 W. Harrison Ave., Guthrie
$10
If the traditional champagne toast is a bit too highfalutin for your taste, welcome to The Jungle, where you can try taking a hit of the bubbly from a champagne bong. Dont worry about making a good impression either, because its a masquerade ball with music by cover band Wild Heart. The cost of admission also includes party favors and a four-course meal. (Warning: At midnight, everyones supposed to drop their masks, so maybe dont embarrass yourself too much.)
8503 N. Rockwell Ave.
405-239-4242
$15-$30
Wring a few more laughs out of the old year with headliner Chris Porter (Last Comic Standing, Comedy Central Presents), feature act Matt Golightly (The Bob & Tom Show) and host Spencer Hicks (Oklahoma Gazette cover model, 2014). Tickets to the late show cost twice as much because they include party hats, noisemakers and snacks (no tomatoes provided) so you dont accidentally ring in the new year unceremoniously.
1613 N. May Ave.
facebook.com/losthighwaybar
405-601-5606
Free
Get your hangover in before youve even started celebrating at this early show and double party celebrating both New Years Eve and the one-year anniversary of local country-and-western dance party Honkytonk Hangover. The open mic portion of the program, hosted by Jeremy Johnson, starts at 1 p.m. and is followed by DJ Bourbon Cowboy spinning classic country records until headliner Damien Christian of The Blind Staggers takes the stage around 5 p.m. Honkeytonk Hangover will help you get ready to get to work on building your next hangover following the festivities.
Print headline: Midnight revelry; The Oklahoma City metro is chock-full of New Years Eve festivities.