Above: Just like Times Square, only smaller, Uptown Kingston's New Year's Eve features a ball drop, fireworks, a block party, burlesque, vaudeville, a speakeasy and fireworks. Photo via the BSP Lounge's Instagram page.
Back in the day, bells rang out from town to town marking midnight and the changeover to a new year. Around the Catskills, you can say goodbye to 2015 with everything from accordions and contra dancing to sizzling soul and burlesque. There are ball drops and karaoke jams and feasts, feasts, feasts. Have a look at our five-county guide to the highlights, and see if we can’t lure you from your lair. All events take place on Thursday, Dec. 31 unless otherwise specified.
DELAWARE COUNTY
There’s a dinner buffet and DJ dance party happening at the Hanah Mountain Resort and Country Club in Margaretville, featuring prime rib for the adults, a kids’ menu and a complimentary glass of sparkling wine. Seating starts at 6 p.m.; music starts at 8 p.m. in the fireside lounge. Reservations required; call 1-800-752-6494.
O’Neill’s Shire Pub in Delhi will be rocking the old year out with specials and karaoke hosted by DJ Bangkok. The fun starts at 9 p.m. and goes on until 1 a.m. Call for reservations: 607-746-8758.
The Andes Hotel in Andes is throwing a New Year’s bash with a three-course sit-down feast and live music from Blues Maneuver. The festivities begin at 7 p.m. and continue through the “champagne hour.” You can bring the under-twelve-year-olds for half price.
GREENE COUNTY
They may be having a rather unusual season, but Greene County’s ski resorts will be kicking out the jams for the New Year.
At Hunter Mountain in Hunter, fun starts with DJ music at 2 p.m. and continues with music from the Hot Rods, a torchlight parade and fireworks. Van Winkle’s Restaurant will be serving a prix fixe New Year’s dinner--for that part of it you need to reserve by calling 518-263-4223 x3026.
Windham Mountain’s bash in Windham kicks off at 6 p.m. with kids’ entertainment at the Mountain Express Cafeteria. At 8 p.m., Screaming Broccoli will take the stage; at 9 p.m. there are fireworks and DJ Brian will keep it rockin’ after the band’s done. There’s also a Grand Dinner Buffet at Seasons; make reservations here.
Celebrate at the Bavarian Manor Inn in Purling with dinner out and/or an entire night of partying, up to and including spending the night at special holiday rates that include breakfast. There’s a dinner at 5:30 p.m. for those who don’t want to stay for the whole bash, which features the music of Nickel Candy and a free bottle of champagne for your midnight toast.
The Blackthorne Resort in East Durham will host a New Year’s Eve bash with the music of Southbound. Here, too, you can reserve a room for the night and revel to your heart’s content.
SCHOHARIE COUNTY
There will be a grand New Year's Eve Dinner & Celebration at the Bull's Head Inn in Cobleskill. Reserve your seats (call 518-234-1802) for the special four-course dinner being served from 5 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., then enjoy the live sounds of Jay “Diz” Dizacomo from 8:30 until “sometime in 2016.”
The American Hotel in Sharon Springs will be serving a five-course New Year’s Eve Dinner with seatings at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Call 518-284-2105 to reserve a table.
Come out and enjoy an Old World-flavored New Year’s Eve Celebration at A Taste of Europe in Cobleskill.
From 6 p.m. through 9 p.m. they’ll be serving a sumptuous buffet complete with champagne for the grownups, and they’ll have live accordion music for your dancing delight. Call 518-296-8000 and they’ll save you a seat.
On Saturday, Jan. 2 and Sunday, Jan. 3, Heather Ridge Farm in Preston Hollow is hosting a New Year’s brunch buffet and farm tour from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring caramelized French toast, maple chipotle breakfast sausage, eggs to order, Dublin Coddle, Irish Brown bread and more, much of it made with meats raised right the premises.
SULLIVAN COUNTY
The Arnold House in Livingston Manor is throwing a New Year’s Eve “Drink and Graze” party starting at 8 p.m. with soups, sliders, desserts, canapés, a five-hour open bar, live music, dancing and a DJ.
They’ll be in an extra-festive mood in Neversink, considering that this will be the first New Year’s in 80 years with fully legal alcohol being served. Mark the occasion at the New Year’s Eve End of Prohibition Celebration at the Eureka Market, where they’ll be breaking in their shiny new liquor license with much feasting and merriment. They’ll have a sumptuous buffet, first seating at 7 p.m. and a second one at 9 p.m., followed by a blowout bash with dancing until 1 a.m. Call 845-985-5152 for dinner reservations; walk-ins can join the festivities starting at 11 p.m.
There’s a gala New Year’s Eve Ball happening at The Sullivan in Rock Hill, with hand-passed appetizers, a Viennese dessert table, a buffet and dancing from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m. Call 845-796-3333 to reserve tickets.
There will be feasting aplenty at the Fat Lady Café in Kauneonga Lake, with crab soup, all-you-can-eat appetizers, a fully laden buffet and the live music of Will Hoopey from 8 p.m. until 11 p.m. Call 845-583-7133 to reserve your table.
Come yowl with the gang at the Dancing Cat Saloon in Bethel, where they’ll be hosting New Year’s Eve Tasting Dinners and a New Year’s Eve Party. The Tasting Dinners will be seated from 5 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. and from 8:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. The party at the neighboring distillery, featuring live music from Somerville, starts at 9 p.m. For dinner reservations, which include party admission, call 845-583-3141.
Celebrate with all your chakras blazin’ at the Sat Nam Center for Higher Consciousness at Mother Devine Foundation in Hurleyville. Their yoga New Year's happens from 7:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. and includes a vegetarian dinner, yoga, meditation, Kirtan, dance and a gong bath. On New Year's Day, the center will host a special yoga session followed by a potluck lunch, 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., to welcome in the energy of 2016. Call 845-866-3063 to reserve for either event.
An array of Russian favorites like veal tongue and borscht are being served from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m. at the at the Rolling River Café in Parksville, and revelers who stay until midnight get a free glass of prosecco on the house.
Finally, on Friday, Jan. 1, you’re invited to the 4th-annual New Year’s Hike/Snowshoe at Walnut Mountain in Liberty from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Participants choose the outing that fits their level: a relaxed hike along wide graded carriage roads or an intermediate hike that includes single-track mountain bike trails to the summit. Meet at the parking lot on West Lake Street.
ULSTER COUNTY
Uptown Kingston will be going full-on flat-out hog wild in what has become an annual New Year’s extravaganza. A pay-one-price wristband will get you admitted to the BSP Lounge for burlesque and vaudeville, to the speakeasy party Chronogram is hosting at the Senate Garage and to Boitson’s pop-up tent to hear Lara Hope and the Ark-Tones. Many other Uptown spots will have specials planned. And the street party, parade, fireworks and midnight ball drop are all free. Huzzah, folks! Festivities begin at 8 p.m.
Saugerties has a ball drop and street bash too, a family-friendly Main Street mingling session from 10:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. Bring your camp chairs and party favors and enjoy live music, a DJ, coffee and cocoa.
Another wonderful Ulster County New Year tradition will be happening at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge. There’s New Year’s camp, a three-day stretch of music and dance classes and celebration happening from Dec. 31 until Jan. 3, and a festive New Year’s Eve Dinner and Dance at 6 p.m. on the Big Night featuring multiple live artists playing Cajun, swing, Zydeco and waltz in one room while contra and square dance happen in another. Music starts at 8 p.m. Call 845-657-8333 to reserve.
At The Falcon down in Marlboro, they’ll be celebrating New Year's Eve with the new reggae of The Big Takeover starting at 7 p.m.
At the High Falls Café in High Falls, the festivities will include Breakaway featuring Robin Baker from 8:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m. on the Eve, and a New Year's Day Brunch with Big Joe Fitz and the Lo-Fis happening the next day at noon. Call for reservations: 845-687-2699.
The Rosendale Café in Rosendale will host The Bedtime Kissers, the decidedly adult alter ego of the beloved kids’ band Dog On Fleas. They promise a wild night of dancing and reminiscing, “or whatever you want to do,” and intend to fill the café with “joy and sweat.” Show starts at 9:30 p.m. and continues through a champagne toast on until 1 a.m.
Join the Marc Black Band at the Colony Café Dance for Good Luck in Woodstock. The party starts at 9 p.m., music at 10 p.m and rolls deep into the New Year. The organizers promise “new mind, new clothes, fresh smells and sounds!” You’ve been warned.
Come ring in the New Year with the delightful and magically talented Simi Stone and the soulful Eric Redd at Bearsville Theater in Woodstock. Doors open at 9 p.m.
The Woodnotes Grille at the Emerson Resort in Mount Tremper invites you to celebrate with their fabulous five-course holiday menu (seating times from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.) and stay on for the partying, which starts at 10:00 pm with the The Lindsey Webster Band and a Motown dance party in the Great Room. There’s even a continental breakfast at 2 a.m.
And on Friday, Jan. 1, come down to the Living Seed Yoga and Holistic Center in New Paltz to celebrate with Amy McTear in a New Year’s Day Musical Odyssey. It’s happening from 4 p.m. until 5 p.m. and includes original, ambient, world-fusion, mantra music with instruments from eastern and western traditions–crystal singing bowls, drums, flute, symphonic gong, electric guitar, bass, piano, toning, community song, spoken word and silence. Come help awaken the dream of a new world, says Amy.
Also on Friday, Jan. 1, Marc Black Band is throwing a free dance party starting at 6 p.m. at the Bearsville Theater in Woodstock. Bring some non-perishable food items for Family of Woodstock's food pantry.
