There are plenty of ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve—attend a giant hotel party downtown, buy an all-inclusive package at your neighborhood bar, catch one of your favorite bands (or comedians) live, or spend it with your family. No matter your scene, we have the event for you!

Big-Box Parties:

• Once again, the Sheraton Baltimore City Center hosts Big Night Baltimore with buffets and open bars from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. There will be nine themed party areas and eight bands and DJs (including Burnt Sienna and DJ Q). At midnight, revelers can enjoy a champagne toast and a balloon drop. Currently, tickets are $105 for general admission and $175 for VIP. 

• If it’s as bar-crawl atmosphere you’re after, then 2013 Live! at Power Plant Live is right up your alley. From 9 p.m.-1 a.m., you can have access to the nine bars inside the complex. Of course, there will be open bar and food and, in true Power Plant style, DJ entertainment, laser shows, confetti cannons, and the Times Square ball drop will be featured on 20-foot LED screens. Currently, tickets are $95 for general admission and $150 for VIP.

• Sponsored by Miller Lite and Baltimore Fashion Week, the Charm City Countdown has expanded this year into two events: one at the Sheraton Baltimore North in Towson and one at the 1840s Ballroom downtown. Both events will feature DJs, bands, food from Zagat-rated restaurants, multiple open bars, and casino games. Tickets start at $99 for general admission and $139 for VIP.

• The Hyatt Regency on Light Street will host Downtown Countdown Baltimore, which features a full dinner buffet and open bar from 9 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Entertainment includes DJ Kopec, Beatles cover band Yellow Dubmarine, and four local comedians. Midnight includes a balloon drop and champagne toast. Tickets are $104 for general admission and $139 for VIP.

Concerts/comedy:

• Everyone’s favorite curmudgeon Louis CK comes to town to do two shows at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The early show starts at 7 p.m. and the late show is at 10 p.m. Tickets were originally $35, but have long been sold out.

• Magooby’s Jokehouse in Timonium will feature stand-up comedy with Robert Kelly and Dan Soder, as well as a DJ, dancing, and midnight toast. The event goes from 6 p.m.- 2 a.m. and offers various packages, featuring dinner and hotel accommodations, ranging from $35-$265.

• We give you a worthwhile reason to travel down to D.C. on New Year’s—The Drive-By Truckers are playing at 9:30 Club. The southern rock night gets started at 7:30 p.m. when North Mississippi Allstars Duo open. Tickets are $55.

• Lotus is bringing their dance rock to Rams Head Live on New Year’s. Doors are at 8 p.m., show at 9. Tickets range from $42.50-50.

• Local band Shook will bring their electro-funk sound to The Point in Fells starting at 9 p.m.

• The New Year’s Eve party at the Windup Space features multiple acts including local staples the All Mighty Senators, the soulful Bellevederes, and DJ Landis Expandis. Things get started at 10 p.m. and cover is $15 at the door.

Bar/club specials:

• The great minds at The Fork & Wrench and Union Craft Brewing are hosting a New Year’s Eve party at the Canton restaurant, complete with a four-course meal, beer pairings, craft holiday cocktails, and a champagne toast. First seating is at 5 p.m. and second seating is at 8:30 p.m. Cost ranges from $65-95 and can be reserved on OpenTable.

• If you want to go down the dance club route, celebrate New Year’s Eve at The Get Down. There will be four hours of open bar from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. and a champagne toast at midnight. DJ Harry Hotter spins most of the event, with a special late-night set from DJ Mic L. The bar stays open until 4 a.m. and tickets are $55.

• The Depot always has fun dance parties on the weekend and New Year’s Eve is no exception. Starting at 9 p.m., DJs Fun Billy, Doug, and Charlie will be spinning and the bar will provide free food and a champagne toast.

• In true Ottobar style, a dance party will last from 8 p.m.-4 a.m. DJ Craig Boarman will be spin a “girls rule” set featuring Lady Gaga, Britney Spears, Katy Perry, M.I.A. and more. Starting at midnight, TaxLo DJs Simon Phoenix and Stereo Faith Spin will mix indie, electro, hip-hip, and Baltimore club tunes. Cover is $15 and an open bar package is available in advance for $40.

Family-friendly events:

• The Baltimore Orioles-sponsored New Year’s Eve Spectacular is a tradition for more than 30 years now. Starting at 9 p.m., visitors can enjoy live music at the Inner Harbor Amphitheater. The main show is at midnight, when a choreographed fireworks show can be seen throughout the city.

• To avoid the crowds, you can sip champagne and watch the Inner Harbor fireworks from the deck of the U.S.S. Constellation. There will be an all-inclusive menu served with local beer, wine, and cider. Plus, there will be special tours and cannon firing demonstrations all night. Adults are $75 and kids under 17 are $25.

• For the fifth year in a row, the Maryland Science Center is hosting Midnight Noon. From 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, kids can make their own party hats and noisemakers, while the local band Milkshake provides live music. The event is free with paid admission.

[Image: courtesy of Etsy]

Thousands of revelers packed into Mt. Vernon Place last night to witness the 41st annual lighting of the Washington Monument.

Tons of local vendors lined the street selling slices of pizza, spicy apple sauce, hot cider, wassail, and plenty of other items to keep people warm in the 30-degree weather. The crowds made their way as close to the monument as possible, while choirs from Morgan State, City College, Heart of Maryland, and Harbor City Music Company sang traditional Christmas songs. 

Right on schedule, at 7:45 p.m., Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Ravens cornerback Lardarius Webb counted down from 10 and the monument lit up with blue stringed lights. The laser show began and bright fireworks came booming into the sky.

Like every year, the tradition signified the real beginning of the holiday season in Baltimore.

[Photo by Ben Singer]

Last weekend I attended my first Yelper party, which is a free event put on by Yelp, the social networking site that uses customer reviews to rate local businesses. This was called Yelpy-Con, a play on the popular comic-book convention and was held at Geppi's Entertainment Museum (owned by Baltimore publisher Steve Geppi).

The party featured more than 25 local businesses giving out food, drink, and information about their companies. I love that these parties feature a mix of off-the-beaten-path places like Nalley Fresh (loved the spicy rice bowls), as well as new spots (Gordon Biersch Brewery) and old stalwarts (Chaps Pit Beef).

Bartending was provided by John Reusing, owner of Bad Decisions in Fells Point. I had an addictive punch concoction made with Jim Beam's Black Cherry Red Stag bourbon and a sparkling wine. Very delicious.

People certainly got into the theme, as there were superheroes and Stormtroopers walking around among us. Towards the end of the night, the place got packed with hundreds of people, which made sense since the event was open to anyone with a Yelp account who RSVP'd. Though the party was free, donations were being accepted to Cool Kids Campaign, a nonprofit fighting childhood cancer.

The whole idea is a win-win, as party go-ers got free food and drink, businesses got those sometimes critical Yelpers on their good side, and a good cause was being supported. To check out future events, visit Yelp Baltimore's site.

[Photo by me]

Though we feel extremely lucky and blessed that Hurricane Sandy spared Baltimore the brunt of her damage, bar owners in Ocean City can't say the same.

Photos like this one have been going around showing the desturction caused to Ocean City bars, clockwise from left: Fager's Island, Macky's Bayside Bar & Grill, Seacrets, and Lazy Lizard Bar and Grill.

Around 6 p.m. last night, proprietors at Fager's Island posted on their Facebook page that their pier and gazebo had been destroyed. Similarly, bayside bars Macky's, Seacrets, and the Lazy Lizrard were all pounded with 7-foot storm surges. Ocean City officials, who closed the Route 90 bridge to non-emergency vehicles at 5 p.m. yesterday, called the storm the worst since Hurricane Gloria in 1985.

However, the bar owners remain optimistic. This morning Seacrets reassured their customers on Facebook, saying, "Just walked through Seacrets and we have a couple trees leaning and some sand missing, but other than that Sandy was nice to us. We open tomorrow at 4 for our Halloween party. See you then!" Fager's posted earlier today, "Other than some water and a few missing boards, we are ok and will reopen tomorrow."

Half-an-hour ago, Macky's posted a photo of some clean-up efforts and said, "Rest easy fans and wonderful patrons, the strong survive!" and the Lazy Lizard posted, "We are planning to have crews in to start the clean up as soon as the city allows vehicles to enter the downtown area."

While some landmarks, like the famous downtown pier, have been destroyed in Ocean City, we in this area have fared much better than some other states up north. Our thoughts are with them as they recover from the hurricane's devastation.

[Photo courtesy of Instagram]