Jason Savio

The holidays are upon us, and that means the biggest party night of the year is right around the corner. It may not be as easy to find somewhere to celebrate this year due to some cancellations, but Worcester will still undoubtedly be hopping. Will you be in on the action?

Here’s a rundown of places to go and things to do in the Worcester area on New Year’s Eve.

No New Year?

Not to start things off on the wrong foot, but it’s important to know that there will be no official First Night celebration in Worcester, according to Lili Zannotti, programs and events coordinator at the city’s Chamber of Commerce.

“There is nothing,” Zannotti said. “Definitely no First Night.”

While that may sound grim, as of press time, Zannotti left the door open for the possibility of some other type New Year’s Eve event happening in town.

Other spots that you may be thinking of checking are also opting out of special New Year’s events.

Armsby Abbey, which hosted a special three-course New Year’s Eve meal last year, has decided to not do the same this year.

“We won’t be doing anything outside of the norm on this evening … meaning NYE dinner specials and taking dinner reservations,” Armsby Abbey general manager and owner Sherri M. Sadowski wrote in an email. “We have 10 NYE under our belt and have tried all the specialty dinner routes in the past and (have) come to the conclusion that our regular customers just want to have a nice night out on their own terms, and that works for us just fine.”

Last year, the British Beer Company featured not only a three-course meal, it also boasted a masquerade ball after. As for this year, the establishment closed in November.

New Year Hope

Okay, so you’re probably thinking about just staying in now, since it seems as though there will be no reason to go out. But have hope! Just like Baby New Year, every new calendar brings new opportunity.

Bull Mansion, located on Pearl Street, will host a New Year’s Eve bash for the third year, complete with a cheese and chocolate fondue bar.

For a ticket in the $75 price range, you’re welcome to live music and food and drink at Bull Mansion, starting at 7:30 p.m. and ending around 2 a.m.

“We’re going to have two different music acts,” said event coordinator, Hannah Terlizzi. “To start the night off, we’re going to have fun party music to open, and then DJ Shaboo will be playing for the rest of the night.”

The ticket also includes appetizers and a glass of champagne for a midnight toast.

“It’s a little different every year,” Terlizzi said. “We try to change it up a little bit, but it’s definitely the same kind of party atmosphere.”

For more partying, deadhorse hill on Main Street will host a special tasting menu with a beverage pairing on New Year’s Eve and a brunch on New Year’s Day, according to general manager, Julia Auger.

The tasting menu will feature chef-chosen dishes “on a special menu just for that night,” said Auger, but were not chosen yet as of this writing.

If you’re looking for something for the whole family, then you’ll want to visit the EcoTarium. The science and nature museum will have its Noon Year’s Eve, with its own ball drop early in the day for children who can’t stay up and watch it on television.

“We’re going to do a countdown very similar to what happens at midnight, but at noon, so that the kids can get involved,” said Rachel Stoff, manager of marketing and communications for the EcoTarium. “It is outside, so we make sure people are dressed to be outside.”

Noon Year’s Eve will start at 10 a.m. and last until about 4 p.m. and will also have a photo booth and kid-friendly beverages for a toast.

“Possibly some science experiments with fireworks and maybe a movie, as well, in our planetarium,” added Stoff.

All the festivities will be free with admission to the EcoTarium.

For more information on these events, visit bullmansion.com, deadhorsehill.com and ecotarium.org.