As the calendar inches towards the grand finale of 2023, the vibrant Twin Cities are gearing up to welcome the dawn of a brand new year. With a myriad of festivities and events on the horizon, New Year’s Eve weekend promises to be nothing short of spectacular in Minneapolis and St. Paul. From outdoor activities, to grand parties, to musical events, the Twin Cities have something for everyone to bid farewell to the old and embrace the new. Join us on an exploration of the diverse and exciting ways to celebrate the New Year around town, and get ready for a weekend filled with joy, laughter, and unforgettable memories.
Idea #1: Get outside! Enjoy the great outdoors by venturing out to ice skate, ski, snowboard, or snow tube with friends and family.
Helpful Links for 2023-2024 Season:
– Ice Skating Rinks around the Twin Cities
– Skiing and Snowboarding Around the Twin Cities
– Snow Tubing Around Minnesota
Idea #2: Perfect your golf game.
Putt-Putt the Night Away, or Perfect Your Golf Swing:
– The Puttery. The Puttery in downtown Minneapolis is hosting a James Bond-themed New Years Eve party on December 31. Entry includes game play, a champagne toast, 2 signature cocktails, 1 entree and music from a live DJ. Entry is from 7PM – 1AM… but get your tickets before spots run out.
– Can Can Wonderland’s Annual NYE Party. Step into the extraordinary at Can Can Wonderland December 31 and make your New Year’s Eve a night to remember! Putt-putt golf, dancing and music showcase, an electrifying rave, glitter bar, tarot readings, complimentary champagne for the ball drop, and so much more.
– Top Golf in Brooklyn Park. End your search for a New Year’s Eve party December 31 in Brooklyn Center and make Top Golf your destination to ring in 2024. Purchase General Admission or VIP tickets for 8:30, 8:45, and 9:00 PM. You’re in for a night of music, fun, and surprises while you enjoy great food, fun games, and good drinks, including an exclusive NYE Red Bull drink for those 21 and over.
Idea #3: Try your luck at the casino or at an alcohol-free game night.
NYE Casino and Gaming Events:
– New Year’s Eve Casino Night at Minneapolis Cider. Celebrate New Year’s Eve December 31 at Minneapolis Cider. Get dressed to the nines, pop some cider bubbly, try your luck at the casino, and dance the night away with live music all night long! 17 tables of casino games hosted by professional dealers will be open at 8:30 PM. Games are free to play (sorry, no gambling), but the winnings are real! Play your hand right, and you can win everything from drink tokens to pickleball court time, or even a keg of cider!
– New Years Eve at Mystic Lake Casino. Make New Year’s Eve memories December 31 with live music, an epic countdown to midnight, a champagne toast, free party favors, fabulous selfie stations, and more. Live entertainment on multiple stages, along with various giveaways for those who arrive early.
– 0% Alcohol – 100% Fun! New Years Eve Game Night. A night of non-stop fun at Roxy’s Cabaret on Sunday, December 31 from 9 AM to 2 AM! Celebrate the New Year in style at this alcohol-free extravaganza. Get ready to laugh, play, and make memories that will last a lifetime. At 0% Alcohol – 100% Fun! New Years Eve Game Night, you can enjoy a variety of exciting games, an over the top charcuterie spread and a free bubbly toast at midnight. From classic board games and interactive challenges to Mario Kart on the video wall, there’s something for everyone. Test your skills, compete with friends, and maybe even win some awesome prizes!
Idea #4: SKOL!
Ring in the New Year by Cheering on your Favorite Hometown Football Team:
– Vikings v. Packers at US Bank Stadium. The Minnesota Vikings play at home on Sunday, December 31 against the Green Bay Packers at 7:20 PM Central. Tickets aren’t cheap, but you can still score seats!
– New Year’s Eve on the Pond. Get ready for a wild New Year’s Eve party on Sunday, December 31 on the Pond in Mankato, MN. Enjoy a night of football, live music, drinks and memories at 1850 Madison Avenue, Mankato, MN.
Idea #5: Enjoy a Christmas cult classic.
Get Nostalgic, Watch a Family-Friendly Holiday Film on the Big Screen:
– Yuletide Cinema at The Parkway. Jingle All the Way (1996) with Arnold Schwarzenegger. All ages. Saturday, December 30. 12 PM doors / 1 PM movie.
Idea #6: Visit a local museum.
Exploration and Learning for All Ages:
– Night Trains 2023-2024 Season. The Twin Cities Model Train Museum’s collection of model trains of all scales and toy trains of yesteryear come alive throughout the Museum (sorry, no real train rides here). Night Trains Season magic begins as the lights are turned down and the buildings and street lights glow warmly, setting the scene for specially lighted models of operating vintage passenger trains. The make believe towns are covered in snow and holiday decorations are up all over the miniature towns. Tickets still available throughout the NYE weekend.
– Science Museum of Minnesota. Open December 30 and December 31, as well as January 1. Enjoy 8.5 acres of exhibits (including Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed), plus activities. Boundless opportunities to explore and learn for all ages, along with Omnitheater presentations (like Asteroid Hunters, Stellar Tours: A Star is Born, and Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope) throughout the entire holiday weekend.
– Minnesota Children’s Museum. Saturday, December 30, celebrate the new year with a fun-filled night for the entire family! Ticket price includes museum admission and an evening of New Year’s fun including live music, dancing, party favors, and activities and crafts throughout the museum. New Year’s countdowns will happen at 7 PM and 8 PM in the atrium.
Idea #6: Take a class, make art, or learn a new craft.
Crafting, Cooking, Classes, Candy Making, Candles, and More DIY:
– Handmade Pasta Alfredo – Cooking Class by Classpop. Join Classpop on December 31 for “Handmade Pasta Alfredo” with Chef Mimi and learn how to craft amazing food! No cooking experience necessary: feel free to sit back and watch, or get hands-on. Each class is hosted in a local bar or restaurant where you can learn something new while sipping on a cocktail…or two. 614 N 5th Street, Minneapolis.
– DIY Crafting Event / Classes at Icy Accessories MN. We all sit at home and watch the YouTube DIY videos we all say, “That looks fun, I can do that, I’m going to do that,” but we never do. Well, Do It Yourself Crafting Company is here to help. With their DIY Events on December 30 and 31, such as candle making, jewelry making, candy making, natural skincare products, chocolate covered fruits & goods baskets, purse making, candle making, faux terrarium solar lights, wall art projects, and so much more, there are tons of options to enjoy a fun evening of DIY for the New Year holidays.
– Upstairs Circus in Downtown Minneapolis. Create, Drink and Be Merry with Upstairs Circus at a Making -N- Mimosas Project Social – a designated time to gather, connect, laugh, jam-out, celebrate, enjoy bottomless mimosas and make DIY projects with friends and strangers alike – in a hip, design forward, inspiring environment. Events are available on December 28, 29, and 30 – so make sure to schedule in advance as times typically fill up! Closed for December 31 and January 1.
Idea #7: Go on a tour or enjoy a fun go-at-your-own-pace scavenger hunt.
Experience an Urban Adventure or Historical Tour:
– Amazing Scavenger Hunt Adventure in Minneapolis. With scavenger hunts available December 29, 30, 31 and January 1, turn Minneapolis into a giant game board with this fun scavenger hunt adventure. Combine the excitement of the Amazing Race with a three-hour city tour. Guided from any smart phone, teams make their way among well-known and overlooked gems of the city, solving clues and completing challenges while learning local history. Start when you want and play at your own pace.
– St. Paul Historic Cave Tours. See the only remaining restored Gangster Era site on this historic tour of extensive caves carved into the hillside in long-abandoned mining ventures in the 1800s. Later it was a mushroom farm, and it was then developed into a restaurant casino and gangsters’ hotspot during the 1930s prohibition era. Newspapers reported an unsolved gangland murder at the casino. Tour guides point out the bullet holes. Some believe the caves are haunted by the murdered mobsters whose bodies were never found. The original bar from the 30s has been fully restored – it was a then-record at 60 feet long. Though this tour is appropriate for all ages, we recommend ages 5 and up, due to shorter attention spans and restlessness. Tours still available for December 29 and 30, but spots are booking up fast!
Idea #8: Yoga flow.
Set Your Intentions for the New Year with a Yoga Session:
– Yoga Flow at Glasshouse. Held on December 31 at Glasshouse, 145 Holden St N, Minneapolis, MN 55405. Sundays are for lazy mornings and easy flows. In this class at an European-style brew house, we ease you into the day with a yoga flow to wake up the body and mind. After starting with a warm-up, moving to a gentle flow, and dancing through some yoga sequences, you will be ready to seize the day. All humans and levels are welcome. Bring a mat and a smile.
– New Years Eve (Morning) Yoga Flow + Sound Bath. Yoga Flow + Sound Bath on the morning of NYE at Hi Flora! with Cosmic Moon Yoga. Prepare to transition into the new year with a unique and inspiring yoga flow that also includes movement and energy medicine, meditation, intention, sound, and connection to Mother Earth. Held Sunday, December 31 from 10 AM – 11 AM at 2558 Lyndale Ave S. $15 suggested donation.
Idea #8: Experience a live music event or performance.
Celebrate the Ball Drop, Dance All Night, or Enjoy Performances and Live Music:
– Crystal Ball New Year’s Eve on the 50th Floor of the IDS Tower. December 31 (New Year’s Eve) from 8 PM – 2 AM, enjoy the 21st Annual Crystal Ball New Year’s Eve Party. Hosted this year at the iconic Windows at Marquette in Downtown Minneapolis on the 50th floor of the IDS Center. Multiple rooms of entertainment include a dance room with LED dance floor and multiple DJs spinning music throughout the night, hilarious and wildly entertaining dueling pianos, and a full arcade room. The entire venue features floor-to-ceiling windows with incredible skyline views from the 50th floor of the IDS Center and plenty of bars. A night you will surely never forget!
– New Year’s Celebration at the Orchestra. If classical music is more your style, step, dance, and soar into 2024 with Thomas Søndergård and the Minnesota Orchestra along with the brilliant pianist Sir Stephen Hough as our featured guest. With events on December 31 and January 1, experience the intimacy of a snowy evening through Sergei Prokofiev’s Winter Bonfire, the fireworks of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s famous Paganini Rhapsody and the joy of Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker. Be part of this sparkling event to welcome the New Year.
– SunSquabi with Saxsquatch, Evanoff, The Histronic at Pryes Brewing. Get ready to groove into the New Year on December 31 at Pryes Brewing Company! Enjoy an epic night of music and celebration. This in-person event will be a night to remember, filled with electrifying performances and good vibes. Grab your friends, put on your dancing shoes, and welcome the New Year in style at Pryes Brewing Company!
– Prince Drag Brunch on New Years Eve Day. A fabulous and unforgettable tribute drag show on New Year’s Eve Day (December 31 at 11 AM) at Roxy’s Cabaret! Get ready to be dazzled by the incredible performances of Nina DiAngelo, Monica West and Genevee Love, as they pay tribute to the legendary Prince. This in-person event promises to be a feast for the senses, filled with music, laughter, and jaw-dropping entertainment and a delicious full menu with endless pancakes and bottomless mimosas.
– New Year’s Eve Beatles Tribute – A Hard Day’s Night. Enjoy New Year’s Eve at Brit’s Pub in Downtown Minneapolis on December 31. Twist and Shout into the New Year with the best Beatles tribute around – A Hard Day’s Night! Festivities begin at 6 PM, when you’ll “pipe” in the UK New Year with local piper James Sherman. A complimentary glass of bubbly will be provided to celebrate. At 8:30 PM the band will take the stage in the beautiful 3rd floor Clubhouse Lounge. No cover.
