Ah, New Year’s Eve. A time to reflect on the previous year, make resolutions for the next one, and drink fancy liquor in formalwear.

You might notice that our list this week is a bit of a departure from our usual schedule of events that are free or, at the very least, dirt cheap. Because it’s New Year’s and there are so many things going on, we’ve decided to put together an orderly but comprehensive list of options that goes beyond our usual range of zero to $10. This week’s events range from zero to, well, borderline extortion. But hey, if you dig bottle service and your entourage is rolling 20 deep—or if you just want to splurge on a top-shelf open bar—maybe there’s something on here for you. For everyone else, we’ve sorted all the parties by price, so you can easily find something that’s within your budget. Or just look for a good house party.

Whatever you end up doing, drive safe, or call Austin Sober Ride at 657-2999 for a free cab ride home from 11pm–3am. Happy New Year, you crazy kids.

 
NYE at Cheer Up Charlie’s
Free • 9 pm-2 am (RSVP requested)
Cheer Up Charlie’s, 1104 East 6th St.
Free food and drinks (from 9-10pm) from The Vegan Yacht, Sugartooth Bakery, Torchy’s Tacos, Home Slice Pizza, Treaty Oak Rum, Graham’s Texas Tea, Tito’s Vodka and Firefly Vodka. Featuring giveaways and music from The Sour Notes, Follow That Bird, Missions, Cartright, Zorch, No Mas Bodas, Marmalakes, Bodytronix, Mermaid Blonde, Tiny Tin Hearts.

Austin’s New Year
Free • 5–10:30pm
Auditorium Shores, South 1st Street and Riverside Drive
The city’s official NYE celebration: Music by Charanga Cakewalk, Tje Austin, Lannaya West African Drum and Dance Ensemble, Mother Falcon, and The Biscuit Brothers. Screenings of more than a dozen short films by Austin filmmakers. Also of note: “artistic, circus-style performances”; demonstrations by the Austin Bike Zoo; fireworks; food (for purchase) from local vendors.

NYE Party at Rebel’s Honky Tonk
Free • 8pm–2am
Rebel’s Honky Tonk, 305 W. 5th Street
No cover all night. Free champagne toast, drink specials, party favors, and “raging dance tunes” by DJ Jeremy.

NYE at Hudson on Fifth
Free • 4pm-2am
Hudson on Fifth, 301 West 5th Street
No cover all night. For table reservation packages, call 450-4753 or email melissa@fifthstreetentertainment.com.

New Year’s Eve Sock Hop at Shangri-La
$10 • 9pm–2am
Shangri-La, 1016 East 6th Street
The Second Sunday Sock Hop DJs spin dance tunes from the ’50s and ’60s.

New Year’s Eve with DJ Mel / Zeale / The Shears / Hi Tones
$10 inside only, $15 all access • 8pm
Beauty Bar, 617 E. 7th St.
Complimentary champagne toast at midnight.
 
NYE Reggae Ball
$10 • 9 pm
Flamingo Cantina, 515 E. Sixth Street
Featuring Tribal Nation & The Mau Mau Chaplains
 
Spiderhouse Glitters Eve NYE Party
$10 • 8 pm
Spiderhouse, 2906 Fruth Street
Featuring Leaders of the Gang, The Shakewells, The Bad Lovers, Cowabunga Babes, DJs Sue Purr, Tweedy, Allen, Sara O and Ben Blackout

New Year’s Eve at Emo’s (Inside)
$12 • 10pm-2am • Tickets
Emo’s, 603 Red River Street
Featuring White Denim, Drizztian Swamper, John Welely Coleman

Happy Fecking New Year
$15 • 6pm-2am
Fado Irish Pub, 214 W. 4th Street
Champagne toast at 6pm (to ring in the Irish New Year) and again at midnight. The $15 cover begins at 8pm, but you get $10 back in Fado cash. Music by The Blaggards.

The Good Foot: A Live Funk Mash-Up
$15 advance, $20 door • 9pm-2am • Tickets
Scoot Inn, 1308 E. 4th St.
Live music by The Sugarfoot Family All-Stars 10-piece funk orchestra. Dance party and performances by The Sugarfoot Hustlers eight-woman dance squad. Turntable sets by Soul Happening’s DJ Greg Most. Vintage funk video projections by El Proyector. Costumes encouraged.

New Year’s Eve with The Sword
$17 advance, $20 day of show • 8pm • Tickets
Mohawk, 912 Red River St.
The Sword / Mammoth Grinder/ Eagle Claw. Champagne (of Beers) toast at midnight.

The Action Pack’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve Sing Along
$18 • 10pm • Tickets
Alamo Drafthouse Ritz, 320 E. 6th Street
Featuring an official countdown based on the world atomic clock, a free champagne toast, and “the most confetti per square foot of any other party in town.”

The Bright Light Social Hour Vinyl Release Party (Live CD recording and DVD shoot)
$20 advance, $25 day of show (includes free champagne toast) • 9 pm
The Parish, 214-C E. Sixth Street
Featuring The Bright Light Social Hour, L.A.X and more

New Year’s Eve with ColdTowne Theater
$20 for each show, or $30 for both • 8pm–Late • Tickets
Salvage Vanguard Theatre, 2803 Manor Road
Two comedy plays—Dead Uncle Ted (8pm) and Loose Fish (10pm)—and a ‘60s dance party on stage after the shows (11:30pm). BYOB.

Foot Patrol New Year’s Eve: Prince vs. Michael Jackson + Karaoke Apocalypse
$20 advance, $25 door • 8:30pm • Tickets
ND @ 501 Studios, 501 I-35
Foot Patrol plays classics by Prince and MJ. Pick a song and sing with the band during the Karaoke Apocalypse portion of the evening.

NYE at Emo’s (Outside)
$25 • 9 pm • Tickets
Emo’s, 603 Red River Street
Featuring 100 Monkeys, Kissing Club

Warren Hood / The Bellville Outfit / The Goods
$25 • 9pm • Tickets
Momo’s, 618 West Sixth Street

New Year’s Eve at The Highball: Dance Through the Decades (Update: SOLD OUT)
$25 dance party ticket (includes champagne toast and two cocktails); dinner package and bottle service available for additional costs • 10pm
Dance your way through the decades with Henri and the Action Pack as they present a music video dance party covering the ’70s through 2010. Costumes from different decades encouraged. See website for info on dinner and bottle service options.

New Year’s Eve Improv Extravaganza
$25 • 8pm (early show) and 10:30pm (late show)
The Hideout Theatre, 617 Congress Avenue
Live improv shows, games and scenes. New Year’s chocolates at the early show, midnight champagne toast at the late show.

Shiny Disco Ball at Firehouse
$25 general admission, $50 VIP • 8pm
The Firehouse Lounge, 605 Brazos St.
Hors d’oeuvres, champagne, party favors and a dance mix by DJ B and Mikey C. VIP includes 2 free drinks and a dedicated bartender.

Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears / Grupo Fantasma (Update: SOLD OUT)
$27 • 8pm
La Zona Rosa, 612 W 4th St.

A New Year’s Eve Party with Jimmie Vaughan
$30 • 8pm
Antone’s, 213 West 5th St.
Jimmie Vaughan / Mike Flanigin’s B3 Trio / The Horton Brothers

T-Bird and the Breaks
$32 • 9pm
Stubbs (indoors), 801 Red River

New Year’s Eve with Bob Schneider
$35-$105 • 8pm • Tickets
Paramount Theater, 713 Congress Ave.

Kraddy, Mad Classey vs. Irresponsible Voltron
$40 advance, $50 at the door, $75 VIP • 9pm • Tickets
Ace’s Lounge, 222 E. 6th St.

New Year’s Eve at Speakeasy
$44 general admission; $75 reserved table; $100 priority admission (with open bar); bottle service available for additional cost • 8pm-2am
Speakeasy on the Avenue, 412 Congress Ave.
Matchmaker Band and DJs. Complimentary champagne toast.

Cake / White Ghost Shivers / Agent Ribbons (Update: SOLD OUT)
$50, $75 • 8pm
Austin Music Hall, 208 Nueces St.

New Year’s Eve Party at The Driskill
$65 • 8pm–Late
The Driskill Hotel, 604 Brazos St.
An evening of food and entertainment. Tickets available at the front desk.
 
“When Harry Met Sally” New Year’s Feast
$75 • 7pm • Tickets
Alamo Drafthouse Downtown, 320 E. 6th Street
Film screening with a themed four-course menu and a midnight champagne toast.

New Year’s Eve at The Belmont
$75 advance, $100 at the door • 10pm-2am
The Belmont, 305 West 6th Street
Open bar from 10pm–2am, party favors, late night snacks, and a champagne toast.

New Year’s Eve Casino Celebration
$75 • 8:30pm–12:30am
Norris Conference Center, 2525 West Anderson Lane
Open bar from 8:30-10:30pm; cash bar 9:30pm–midnight. Complimentary appetizer buffet, champagne toast, and a DJ spinning hits from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. Semiformal to black tie required. Winnings from casino games (blackjack, craps, roulette, etc.) can be used to participate in a raffle. Benefits Families in Need.

NYE at The Rooftop on Sixth
$85 • 9pm–2am
The Rooftop on Sixth, 403 E. 6th Street
Open bar until 1am. Purchase tickets at the bar any day between 8–11pm or 1–3pm Wednesday and Thursday. For table reservations, call 942-7663 or email rooftoponsixth@gmail.com.
 
La Sombra’s New Year’s Eve Bash
$95 • 8pm–Midnight
La Sombra, 4800 Burnet Road
Dinner buffet, drinks (international selection of wine and beer) and live music by Cienfuegos. Proceeds benefit Leadership Austin.
For tickets, call 458-1100 or stop by the restaurant.
 
New Years Eve at Seaholm Power Plant
$100 • 9pm-3am • Tickets
Seaholm Power Plant, 214 West Ave.
N.A.S.A. / Ladytron / DJ Set featuring Reuben Wu / Markus with a K
Multiple dance floors and lounges, valet parking, free hors d’oeuvres and champagne, video and light shows.
 
New Year’s Eve at Kung Fu Saloon
$100 • 8pm (RSVP is required)      
Kung Fu Saloon, 510 Rio Grande St.
Includes open bar (including top shelf), sushi bar by Kenichi, ice shot block, self-serve champagne bar, free games all night, T-shirt, music by DJ Kenja.
Call 512-751-8002 or email brandi@kungfusaloon.com to RSVP

NYE at Canvas Bar
$100 • 9pm
Canvas Bar, 105 E. 5th Street
Top-shelf open bar, Italian food buffet. Music by DJ Daze (Top 40, hiphop, house, and rock).
For tickets, call 415-3112.

Parkside New Year’s Eve
$100 • 10pm-2am • Tickets
Parkside, 301 E. 6th Street
Open bar, champagne toast, hors d’oeuvres, and sweets. Music by DJ Thunderball and a photo booth by Devaki Knowles.

New Year’s Eve at Hotel Saint Cecilia
$100 • 8pm–Midnight
Hotel Saint Cecilia, 112 Academy Drive
Open bar, hors d’oeuvres (crab cakes, pork tenderloin, herbed supli with mozzarella), performances by Topaz and Mudphonic.
For tickets, call 852-2409 or email lisa.reile@hotelsaintcecilia.com

Gibson Ski Lodge New Year’s Eve Party
$115 • 9 pm • Tickets
Gibson Bar, 1109 South Lamar Boulevard
Gibson Bar will be transformed into the Ski Lodge on South Lamar with 30 tons of real snow. Ticket includes complimentary commemorative ski caps, appetizers, beverages, dancing, and many photo ops in the hot tub—plus a champagne toast to ring in 2011. Dress code is ski attire.

NYE at Malverde (Update: SOLD OUT)
$125 • 9pm-2am
Malverde, 400 W. 2nd Street
Premium open bar all night. Champagne toast, party favors and desserts. Music by DJ F**king A and photo booth by Trevor Ray Thompson.

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