Life is a game. And New Year’s Day is the reset button.
Before it’s time to get down to business and begin chasing your new goals in 2023, you need to chill and treat yourself to a good time.
There are fun New Year’s Eve celebrations planned throughout the First State. Which one has your name written on it?
Roaring into the New Year in Wilmington
Kids won’t want to keep their paws off a New Year celebration at a hands-on museum where they can ring in 2023 with a special science-related ball drop at noon.
Patrons will get a chance to create their own festive hats and noise makers. They’ll be introduced to live animal presentations and science stations.
This event is dubbed “Roaring into the New Year” and will shake up Wilmington in a vibrant and educational way.
Delaware Museum of Nature & Science (4840 Kennett Pike, Wilmington) from 9:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31. Pre-registration required. $3 for members and Winterthur members; $3 plus admission price for non-members, which is up to 12.95 per person for general admission at the door. For more info, visit delmns.org or (302) 658-9111.
White Panda goes wild in Dewey Beach
SoDel has a musical tradition of hosting one of the most creative animals to close out the year.
White Panda is back at the Bottle & Cork and likely will bring more danceable mashups for partygoers to groove to. This half-man, half-panda has a reputation of pairing artists together on a song that you might not expect.
A few examples are his mashups for “Mother’s Affair” (Miley Cyrus and Mary J Blige) and “Best Friends All the Time” (50 Cent and Sofi Tukker).
A few years ago, White Panda began generating a lot of love in The Woodlands of Dover at Firefly Music Festival, which he’s played multiple times to much fanfare.
From there, he began hitting up the beach and has become the face of the Bottle & Cork’s New Year’s Eve celebration party.
Bottle & Cork (1807 Highway One, Dewey Beach) at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31. Tickets are $42. For more info, visit bottleandcork.com or (302) 227-7272.
New Years Furry Ball in Newark
There’s a community of cosplayers who enjoys furry costumes. These folks are nicknamed “furries.”
Furry culture has a strong following and there are furry conventions around the state and across the world.
So it only makes sense for furry lovers to ring in the New Year together; and that’s where the family-friendly New Years Furry Ball comes in.
The event is essentially a convention with a game room, dealers den (with artwork and other items), a buffet dinner, a ball drop and other fun.
The NYFB is hosted by the nonprofit Furst State Foundation, an organization dedicated to serving Delaware’s furry community. The first NYFB started in 2005, per its website.
Embassy Suites By Hilton Newark Wilmington South (654 S. College Ave., Newark) at 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31. Pre-registration starts at $40 and ends Saturday, Dec. 17. General admission starts at $45 at the door. For more info, visit newyearsfurryball.com.
Noon Year’s Eve at Brandywine Zoo, Wilmington
Arguably the coolest way to ring in 2023 is at Brandywine Zoo’s Noon Year’s Eve. That’s because you and your kids are going be outside for this event. So make sure to dress accordingly.
If you notice some of the animals are hiding, don’t take it personally. It’s only because of the cold weather.
As the name of the event implies, there will be a countdown at noon.
Instead of champagne, hot chocolate will be for sale at the snack bar.
Brandywine Zoo (1001 N. Park Drive, Wilmington) from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31. Admission is $5 per non-member; Free for members and children under age 3. Registration is required. For more info, visit brandywinezoo.org or (302) 571-7747.
Love Seed Mama Jump and others in Dewey Beach
The beach boys Love Seed Mama Jump will turn up for the last day of the year with musical acts Go Go Gadjet, Hector and Hugh.
The price of admission includes open bar, food and fireworks, because it wouldn’t be a NYE celebration unless you can end it with a literal bang.
Rusty Rudder (113 Dickinson Ave., Dewey Beach) at 9 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31. Tickets are $110 plus booking fee. For more info, visit rustyrudder.com or (302) 227-3888.
Seacrets New Year’s Eve bash, Ocean City, Maryland
Champagne will get popped and a balloon will gladly drop as a merry formality to usher you into next year.
But best believe, the fun won’t stop when the ball drops. This New Year’s bash continues until 4 a.m.
Reservations are required for dinner. The menu features a three-course meal with a salad, appetizer and main course. Seating times for dinner are at 5:30 p.m. ($99), 6:45 p.m. ($109), 7:30 p.m. ($119) and 8:45 p.m. ($119).
According to the website, folks only interested in paying a cover charge will get soda, champagne toast, tea and coffee.
The party’s entertainment offerings include Full Circle, The Malones, Late Last Night, Triple Rail Turn, Band Of Make Believe and three DJs.
Seacrets (117 49th St., Ocean City, Maryland) at 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31. Cover charge is $50 starting at 5 p.m. For more info, visit seacrets.com or (410) 524-4900.
Surfin’ into 2023 at Atlantic Sands, Rehoboth Beach
Your last time to hang 10 this year is at Rehoboth Beach with the band Sons of Pirates. At midnight there’s going to be a beach ball drop.
Before folks surf into 2023, they can feast on a surf and turf-themed dinner. There also will be a raw bar, open bar, desert station, frozen drinks, party favors, photo booth and more.
The price option for $589 per couple includes a two-night stay, NYE bash, New Year’s brunch and a 2 p.m. check out. The price of $189 per person is only good for the NYE bash.
The Atlantic Sands Hotel & Conference Center (1 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach) at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31. Price starts at $189. For more info, visit atlanticsandshotel.com or (302) 227-2511.
New Year’s Eve at Hamilton’s on Main, Newark
A toast to a fresh beginning is always better with a five-course menu.
But you also have to burn off some of those calories on the dance floor, which The Bachelor Boys will help you with. This celebration also will feature a 360-degree photo booth, open bar and more.
Seating for the five-course dinner is at 6:30 p.m.
Hamilton’s on Main (102 East Main St., Newark) at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31. Tickets are from $100 to $125. For more info, visit hamiltonsonmain.com or (302) 358-8533.
Docklands Riverfront’s New Year’s Eve bash, Wilmington
A buffet dinner awaits you. So does an open bar, valet and live bands — all on tap on the Riverfront.
This is a fun way to cap off the year if you’re looking to cut loose a little, while also eating a good meal.
Docklands Riverfront (110 West St., Wilmington) at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 31. The early bird special starts at $99 plus fees. General admission starts at $110 plus fees. For more info, visit docklandsriverfront.com or (302) 658-6626.
More Delaware fun
Delaware’s 6 new Christmas pop-up bars: Two are only 100 feet apart
Festive in Delaware: 21 holiday events to ring in 2022
‘A Longwood Christmas’: It glows with half a million lights that take months to install
Actress from ‘Black Panther: She lives in tiny Delaware
Are there any New Year’s Eve events we missed that you’d like to add? Please reach out to lifestyle reporter Andre Lamar at alamar@gannett.com.
