7 Community Ideas to Celebrate the New Year

7 Community Ideas to Celebrate the New Year

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we need community and human interaction. It’s taught us to celebrate and cherish our relationships and take nothing for granted.

As a result, most folks across the globe are looking for fun and unique ways to bid farewell to 2021. With high hopes for what the new year will bring, many expect welcoming 2022 with friends and family. 

In the spirit of renewal and fresh starts, we’ve curated a list of 7 unforgettable New Year’s activities. Are you in charge of planning a community New Year’s event? Or are you a casual planner, considering a handful of guests? Either way, these plans will create the perfect festive atmosphere. 

Consider the audience 

Research shows that a sense of community is important to most people these days. Community, coupled with a few hours of escape, is the recipe for a memorable New Year’s Eve celebration. 

One person’s perfect evening, however, is another person’s night of misery.

Before you plan, consider who this event is for. Is this a kid-friendly event or are you limiting it to adults only? Do attendees let loose and get a little wild, or do they prefer a more intimate setting?

Understanding your audience will help you decide what direction to take with your party planning. It will also help you expect their needs, ensuring everyone has a memorable time.

1. A New Year’s Eve social party

Social parties are a long-standing New Year’s Eve tradition. Guests sip on craft cocktails while mingling with others. These events are a great opportunity to meet new friends and catch up with old ones. 

Are you looking to spice things up a bit?

These unique ideas will get everyone involved and interacting with each other. 

• Fun photo game - Challenge each guest to make their funniest face. Take a picture with your digital camera. Towards the end of the evening, have a photo viewing. The picture that gets the most laughter wins.

• Time capsule - Have each guest put an item and a resolution in a container and hide it until next year.

• Guess the resolution - Make each guest write a resolution and place them in a basket. Read each resolution aloud and have them write whose resolution they think it is. Whoever guesses the most correctly wins the game.

• Treasure hunt - For a kid-friendly game, have a treasure hunt, with clues hidden inside and out.

2. Neighborhood parade and fireworks

Parades are a fun way to celebrate everything from holidays to birthdays.

Why not have one for New Year’s Eve?

Have people decorate their vehicles and travel through the neighborhood. They can honk their horns, throwing trinkets and gifts to viewers. Round out the event with a fireworks display.

Is water an integral part of your community?

Take your parade to the water with a boat parade!

3. Movie night

Most movie theaters are now allowing people to rent out theaters for a private screening. Epic Theatres, Cinemark, and AMC offer private viewings, some for as little as $99.

Or what about a drive-in?

4. Host a street party

New Year’s Eve in New York’s Times Square is the most infamous street party in America. Over 1 million people attend each year. These open-air celebrations offer entertainment, food, confetti, and fireworks. Some are free to attend, while others are ticketed events. 

If your community doesn’t host a New Year’s street party, there’s no better time to start the tradition!

5. Bar-hopping

For many folks, New Year’s Eve and cocktails go hand-in-hand. If your crowd enjoys a night out on the town, why not plan an evening of bar-hopping?

Include a schedule of what time you plan to be at each bar so that latecomers can jump in. 

6. Community show or theatre

For guests who enjoy a more formal affair, consider hosting a theatre or musical performance. Attendees can enjoy the performance while sipping on cocktails and noshing on catered food. 

Promote the event online and let guests know they must purchase tickets ahead of time to attend for a touchless registration experience. 

7. Virtual streaming event

If you aren’t quite ready for a face-to-face celebration, why not host a virtual event? 

Virtual events are no longer just for marketing and education. People are now streaming everything from concerts and festivals, to sporting events and author readings. They are a great and inexpensive way to connect people from all across the globe. 

Examples of virtual events others have hosted successfully include:

• Virtual party - Hire a band and/or DJ and construct separate virtual rooms for people to go in and out of. You can even send out party packages ahead of time, including everything from noisemakers to champagne.

• Educational - For a more laid-back event, host an educational event. The history and traditions of New Year’s celebrations around the world are a prominent topic for this event.

• Virtual tasting - A virtual cooking class or wine and cheese tasting is a unique way to ring in the new year. Increase ticket sales by shipping guests everything they need to attend the event. 
  
  

A bonus to hosting an event virtually, your loved ones will be off the roads, safe from drinking and driving accidents.

New Year’s Eve is one of the few holidays celebrated by everyone across the globe. While each country has its own traditions, we all share the same sentiment - a grateful farewell to the current year (especially 2021!), and a hopeful welcome to the New Year.

This shared sentiment makes us all part of one sizeable community. Cheers!