Local events celebrate New Year in style

For those under the age of 21, New Year’s Eve can be a tough time to find anywhere to celebrate. Almost every club or party requires guests to be of drinking age, a rule that shuts teens out in the cold, literally.

However, there are several options for teens to get out and have fun instead of spending New Year’s Eve sitting on the couch watching other people celebrate in Times Square.

Fireworks

It may be obvious, but watching fireworks is one of the most common New Year’s traditions in the world. To spice this New Year up, there are a few different options for watching the spectacular display over the San Francisco Bay.

The best place to view the show is the Embarcadero Fireworks Show. It is estimated that about 150,000 to 200,000 people attend each year. With that many people around, everyone is sure to have a good time and feel like they are starting the year off in a party mode.

No tickets or money are necessary to get in to the fireworks show. However, it is suggested to bring money to get a local dinner beforehand, since restaurants usually decorate accordingly for the New Year. If people are not up for the meal, all they have to do to enjoy this fireworks show is meet with the masses around the Ferry Building on Embarcadero and simply look up and enjoy the show.

If spending New Year’s Eve with 200,000 other people does not sound like fun, a popular spot to view the fireworks is on the Marin Headlands across the Bay. For those willing to make the drive across the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands is the perfect spot to watch the show in a more intimate setting. Be sure to bring a close friend and some warm clothing in order to make the most of this exciting experience.

Make sure to check the weather forecast before making the long drive; fog may ruin the view of the Bay.

DIY Parade

If fireworks seem too cliché for New Years, there is a unique alternative. Every year in Santa Cruz, there is a “Last Night DIY Parade,” where DIY stands for “do it yourself.“

Anyone and everyone is invited to participate in the parade. In the “Last Night” parade there is no audience watching the parade, only participants. The show is sponsored by different clubs and affiliations but anyone is welcome to join.

To get into the festive New Years spirit, people dress up in crazy costumes and at the end of the parade everyone joins together and creates a dance party in the street. Any costumes are welcome at the parade, but with the “Last Night Parade,” the crazier the better. Dressing up in striped toe socks, crazy wigs and colorful tutus is highly advised.

The entire parade is created entirely by the participants without city help. People with “special talents”—such as musicians, magicians, singers and others—are strongly encouraged to attend to make the night one to remember.

“Sea of Dreams” Party

Although most high school students still cannot attend, there is one party teens can go to if they are 18 or over. Every year, San Francisco hosts a “Sea of Dreams” party where people are encouraged to dress up and have a good time.
There are three separate sections to the party so people can enjoy whichever they choose: There is live music and dancing, circus and dance performances and a magic-and-laser show.

Each of the unique events encourages people to have fun and spice it up, since the party lasts from 8 p.m. to 4:30 a.m.
Tickets for the event do need to be purchased ahead of time and can be found on the Sea of Dreams website under the Tickets section for $75.

The Sea of Dreams takes place in the Concourse Event Exhibition just off of 101 and 280. The event is also about six blocks from the Caltrain station, making taking the train a good option since it will be crowded to drive in the city.

The celebration of the New Year should be a time to embrace the fun future ahead. Go out and have fun, whether that means partying with the masses or cozying up with some friends in the bay. Whatever happens, don’t get stuck at home wishing there were more things to do on New Year’s Eve.