Where can you say good riddance to 2017 without long lines and overpriced prix fixe meals and bottles of bubbly? We’ve got some creative places for ringing in the New Year and we’re here to help you answer those nagging NYE dilemmas: Go out and rage, or stay home and get cozy? What to wear? Where to eat? Uber or Lyft? And so on.
Grown Ass People Party at HIP at Flashlight Factory Lofts
The Grown Ass People Party (aka G.A.P.P.) crew is back to save you from the NYE doldrums. G.A.P.P. is taking its party skills to one of Pittsburgh’s newest hip venues (with a name like HIP at Flashlight Factory Lofts, how could it be anything but?). The world according to G.A.P.P. is all about making you feel fabulous on a holiday that many people dread. DJ Loyal will provide the music to fuel your dancing needs, and the all-night nacho bar will satisfy your cravings. Five hours of good food, good music and good people, the event will also feature live Brazilian drumming by Timbeleza, two premium open bars, a champagne toast and more. If you think 2017 has overstayed its welcome, this is the crowd for you. What started as a low-key monthly happy hour, G.A.P.P. now produces sold-out NYE events that are diverse and welcoming thanks to the dedication of an engaged collective of local professionals and creatives. Buy tickets.
Spirit NYE Party
If Lawrenceville is your scene, hit Spirit before or after making the neighborhood rounds, or make an entire night of it at the former Moose Lodge turned nocturnal hotspot. Bringing their forward-thinking brand of New Orleans funk to the 412 will be headliners, Water Seed. The Billboard Top 40 recording artists — known for their musical versatility and innovative sound — have performed at high-profile venues and festivals around the globe. Also performing will be Lyndsey Smith and the Soul Distribution, Junk Foods and DJ FEMI. Orlando-based record label Whiskey Disco will take over the turntables, with sets by Sleazy McQueen, Pontchartrain and Jarrett Tebbets. The festivities will include a champagne toast and free Slice Island Pizza from 8 to 10 p.m. Buy tickets.
Winter Flower Show and Light Garden at Phipps
To stave off the winter blues, seek light and attain tranquility with a visit to Phipps’ wondrous “Winter Flower Show and Light Garden” before it closes. Recharge for 2018 amidst the glow of 40,000 LEDs, 2,000 poinsettias, luminous orbs, fantastical fountains and decked-out trees. Bigger and brighter than ever, Pittsburgh’s must-see holiday spectacular is open from 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Stroll through a shimmering New Year’s Eve fête and enter a tunnel of lights simulating a twinkling winter sky. Make it a family affair and take the kiddos to the early countdown with hands-on activities from 6 to 9 p.m. Buy tickets.
New Year’s Eve Celebration at Revel + Roost and Hilton Garden Inn
Amidst the family-friendly festivities of First Night, Revel + Roost and Hilton Garden Inn will host two levels of NYE fun in Market Square. From 9 p.m. to midnight, ticket holders will enjoy two levels of dance floors with live DJs, two hours of open bars, a champagne toast and balloon drop, special giveaways and more. VIP table packages are available. Buy tickets.
New Year’s Eve Dinners
Start 2018 on a delicious note by enjoying a locally-crafted New Year’s Eve dinner at one of Pittsburgh’s much-lauded restaurants. Offering some creative and innovative twists on traditional holiday food and bubbly menus will be Acorn, fl.2, The Commoner, Scratch Food & Beverage, Superior Motors, Vallozzi’s, Square Cafe and many others.
Want more ideas? Read more about Highmark First Night Pittsburgh and see all events.
