Kick off 2024 in Bend at these New Year’s Eve parties, celebrations

Published 3:00 pm Wednesday, December 27, 2023

There’s no shortage of New Year’s Eve happenings in Central Oregon.

River’s Place kicks off the night with a free East Coast New Year’s Eve party. Immersion Brewing and McMenamins will have live music.

10 Barrel Brewing Co. prepares an eight-course meal and throws a dance party.

Wanderlust Tours is hosting its annual New Year’s Eve Bonfire on the Snow in the Cascade Mountains.

And the Riverhouse on the Deschutes has an Alice in Wonderland-themed evening planned for its Mad Hatter Ball.

New Year’s Eve with Soul’d Out

Start the night with an East Coast New Year’s Eve party at River’s Place. Local soul, R&B and funk band Soul’d Out will bring the grooves, and there will be a free champagne toast with the New York City ball drop at 9 p.m. The brewpub also has an assortment of food trucks to choose from for dinner.

7-9 p.m. Sunday; River’s Place, 787 NE Purcell Blvd., Bend; free, riversplacebend.com/live-music.

New Year’s Eve Bonfire on the Snow with Wanderlust Tours

Snowshoe into the Cascades and bring in the New Year at a bonfire under the beautiful Central Oregon night sky. Jared Garfield, co-owner and operations manager of Wanderlust Tours, said he’s been taking part in Wanderlust’s bonfire snowshoe for 10 years and couldn’t imagine spending New Year’s Eve any other way.

The evening starts at the company’s office at 9 p.m. Participants will separate into groups depending on the pace they wish to snowshoe. Each group is about 13 people. Then guides will drive groups out to the Deschutes National Forest to start the two-hour hike around 9:45 p.m.

The trek will take groups through a beautiful section of old-growth mountain hemlock and to a hand-carved amphitheater in the snow for the bonfire. Snowshoers arrive about a half an hour before midnight to sit around the bonfire and enjoy desserts from Sparrow Bakery and hot cocoa with hazelnut espresso vodka. Naturalist guides will point out planets, stars and constellations.

“It’s totally magical to be out in the forest at night,” Garfield said. “We get such spectacular views of the night sky.”

9 p.m. Sunday-1:15 a.m. Monday, Wanderlust Tours, 61535 S. Highway 97, Bend, $160 plus fees, wanderlusttours.com. Children 12 and older are welcome.

Glitter Gala: A New Year’s Eve Celebration

Immersion Brewing is closing out 2023 with a glitter dance party. DJs Riles and Wild Goose Chase will play sets in the front brewpub area and string-band Quattlebaum Quartet will be playing out back in the brewhouse. Event coordinator Kate Hunt said all three bars will be open, and she encouraged people to wear something fancy and shiny. There will also be a lounging area in-between, plus a free Champagne toast and balloon drop at midnight.

8 p.m. Saturday-1 a.m. Sunday, Immersion Brewing, 550 SW Industrial Way, Bend; $24 plus fees; imbrewing.com.

New Year’s Eve Fancy Beer Dinner and Masquerade Ball Dance Party

10 Barrel Brewing Co. will start the night with an eight-course meal and end it with a masquerade ball. The dinner will start at 5 p.m. and shift into the ball at 9 p.m., with a cocktail hour in-between. A dinner ticket includes entry to the ball.

Dinner courses include Oregon pear, Yukon gold croquette, seared sea scallop, A3 Wagyu strip loin and a chef’s dessert sampler. The ball will feature live music from Summit Express Jazz Band and a DJ dance party. There will also be a caviar bump, photo booth and free Champagne toast.

Fancy Beer Dinner: 5-8 p.m. Sunday, 10 Barrel Brewing East Side, 62950 NE 18th St., Bend; $100 includes entry to the Masquerade Ball, 10barrel.com/events.

Masquerade Ball Dance Party: 9 p.m. Sunday-1 a.m. Monday, 10 Barrel Brewing East Side, 62950 NE 18th St., Bend; $25, 10barrel.com/events.

New Year’s Eve at McMenamins

Four musical acts will perform at McMenamins Old St. Francis School Sunday. Central Oregon bands The Hasbens, Travis Ehrenstrom Band and The Mostest will play Father Luke’s Room, while Portland-artist Scott Pemberton O Theory will put on a show in the theater. One ticket gets access to both shows.

9 p.m. Sunday; McMenamins Old St. Francis School, 700 NW Bond St., Bend; $25 plus fees, mcmenamins.com/old-st-francis-school.

Mad Hatter Ball

Enter 2024 in wonderland at The Riverhouse Convention Center’s Mad Hatter Ball. The magical party will offer goers a chance to chat with the Cheshire Cat, have tea with Alice, compete with the Mad Hatter and ponder a riddle in the mushroom forest.

There will also be a silent auction, golden raffle ticket and a wine wall of wonder, all benefiting local nonprofit The Giving Plate. Marketing manager Erin Osaki said wine bottles may also include gift certificates to local restaurants or hotel stays.

Executive chef Travis Taylor will serve a multi-course, prix-fixe meal after a cocktail hour supplied by Crater Lake Spirits, and Oregon rock band Precious Byrd will perform at 9 p.m.

Eccentric hats and cocktail attire that embrace the quirkiness and elegance of the Mad Hatter Ball are encouraged.

6 p.m. Sunday-12:30 a.m. Monday, The Riverhouse on the Deschutes, 3075 N. U.S. Highway 97, Bend; $169 plus fees, riverhouse.com/holidays.

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