New Year’s Eve Colorado Style

New Year’s Eve in Colorado means adventuring in the mountains, dancing to live music, celebrating with family, and party-hopping in the city—Colorado hosts many different ways (and then some!) to ring in the New Year. Check out our recommendations for celebrating New Year’s Eve in Colorado. Check out our events calendar to find even more happening.

Here are 12 New Year’s Eve destinations across the state to help you usher in the new year.

1. New Year’s Eve in Boulder

A lot is happening in Boulder this New Year’s check out these local picks:

• Ring in the New Year with Hotel Boulderado. Seasonally prepared menus at Spruce Farm & Fish and The Corner Bar, or dance the night away at License No. 1.
• 2024 New Year’s Eve Dance Extravaganza – a dance-era style party at the Avalon Ballroom. Live music and dance lessons. Hors D’oeuvres, cash bar, pre-purchase tickets, or at the door.
• Gold Rush New Year’s Eve Party at St Julien Hotel & Spa. Dance the night away with Mannequin The Band. The dress recommendation is anything with gold. Featuring an open premium bar, champagne toast, tray apps, desserts, and a balloon drop

2.  New Year’s Eve in Aspen

Aspen has a reputation for redefining what it means to party. Here’s what going on:

• Hotel Jerome: NYE Celebratory Chef’s Dinner and Bat Harriet NYE Bash – a five-course meal at the Prospect. Choice of wine, champagne pairings, or the “All Out” wine pairing and more.
• NYE Dinner at Element 47 – celebrate the last meal of the year, caviar, lobster, and truffles… finish the night off at the Dom Perignon Party.
• NYE Fireworks over Aspen Mountain – the traditional fireworks over Aspen. Start the evening at Sister Cities Plaza.
• Escobar NYE – Aspen’s hottest nightclub. Experience the spaceship-inspired interior of the pulsating dance floor. Tickets.
• Space Disco – a party on the moon, tickets.
• The PARC Aspen – showcases the best of 1924 in a swanky Aspen style. Tickets.
• The Sterling Aspen NYE Party – join the iconic party with DJ Pip Rock. Tickets.

3.  Cañon City

Canon City and the Royal Gorge specialize in entertaining, and New Year’s is no exception.

• The Royal Gorge Route Railroad’s annual NYE Dinner Train. A first-class dinner special and a roaring 20s-themed murder mystery story is a perfect date night.
• The Royal Gorge Bridge and Park invites everyone to experience the Bridge of Lights. This is a family-friendly holiday special event that continues through the New Year. Tickets
• Night of Heros Masquerade NYE Party at the Abby Event Center – Musi9c, dancing, live auction, games, tables available. Tickets
• NYE Murder on the Red Carpet – Get your glam on, and join us on the red carpet for an evening of Murder, Mystery, and a Dinner to Die For! Tickets

4.  Breckenridge

There is no better place to get into the festive mood than a ski resort filled with lights and holiday cheer. Snow-covered peaks and frosty trees make Breckenridge a perfect destination to ring in the New Year. Glittering lights, a torchlight parade, many dine-in options, and a pack of winter activities promise an unforgettable New Year’s celebration.

5.  Crested Butte Mountain Resort

Lots of live music, a Torchlight Parade, a Masquerade Party, and champagne. It’s hard to miss the Torchlight Parade and fireworks. Some other fun stuff:

• Self-guided snowmobile tours
• NYE Studio 24/ Solid Gold with Mile High Soul Club
• NYE Just How & Special Guest Hyphy Han

6. New Year’s Eve in Denver

Spending New Year’s Eve in the city? You’ll have a smorgasbord of soirees, concerts, and special events. View fireworks over the 16th Street Mall at 9 p.m. and midnight, and check out the magicians, mascots, balloon artists, stilt walkers, comedians, and more downtown.

Have little ones? Visit the Children’s Museum for their Noon Year’s Eve in Times Square with glittery ball drop, rainbows of confetti, and vast sheets of bubble wrap (the museum’s version of fireworks) for kids to stomp on — all before bedtime! The Denver Zoo offers a similar celebration with a 9 p.m. countdown and children’s activities. Find all Denver’s New Year’s celebrations.

Denver NYE Parties

• Decadence – at the Colorado Convention Center. America’s biggest electronic New Year’s celebration. A two-night event you won’t want to miss.
• NYE Denver Bar Crawl – All Access Pass to 10+ Venues. Come dressed to impress, join over 300+ guests, and roam the heart of LoDo with over 10+ NYE parties with on all-access pass.
• NYE Black Tie Party – at Asterisk Denver. Live music, DJs spinning top 40s, EDM hip hop, R&B, and the classics, plus an all-night open bar. Casino games, selfie station, and a giant 2,000 ballon drop.
• The Clocktower Cabaret’s NYE Burlesque Bash – at The Clocktower Cabaret. Check out the best and brightest acts from the past year. Acts range from classic to modern, sensuous to laugh-out-loud hilarious. Midnight toast and fireworks.
• Fire & Ice – at the ART hotel. Perched above Broadway, FIRE has views, and an elevated atmosphere, art! Live music, DJ, dancing and more.
• 8th Nocturne NYE – at Nocturne. Enjoy sublime cocktails and delectable plates. Live music od the ver-swinging Wil Swindler/Marion Powers Quintet. 2 seatings.

7. New Year’s Eve in Estes Park

Spend the day playing and snowshoeing in Rocky Mountain National Par, and then ring in the New Year with special celebration menus at Estes Park restaurants and parties with live music, DJs, and champagne throughout the village. Go all out at The Stanley Hotel’s New Year’s Eve Crystal Ball party. Check out holiday light displays and wake up to a selection of NYD delectable brunch spreads.

• NYE Family Dance – at YMCA of the Rockies. Twist and turn with DJ Alsum; tickets $5.
• 20th Crystal Ball at the Stanley – food, drink, live music, and the crystal ball drop.
• Drive-through Lighted Village at YMCA – Experience the Flower Circle adorned with hundreds of lights via your car, and then take an evening tour of the decorated cabins.
• Several New Year’s Day celebrations – see all of Estes Park’s celebrations here.

8.  Evergreen

Skate the lake in Evergreen and celebrate the New Year’s Eve Skate the Lake party, a family-friendly, alcohol-free New Year’s tradition that brings groups to Evergreen Lake to twirl on ice under the stars. Festivities begin at 3 pm and go to 8 pm, and a laser light show starts at 7 pm. There will be food trucks, fire pits, and fun for all. Ice skate rentals are available at the lake location.

9
.  Fort Collins

Fort Collins has a gamut of New Year’s celebrations, including:

• WTS NCO Holiday Social – Mas Fuegos Kitchen & Tequila Bar. All are welcome; holiday sweaters are encouraged. Free, reserve a spot.
• a Bluegrass Bash with The Fretlliners in Lyons.
• Or, check out live music from RETROVERTIGO, a dynamic band playing the greatest hits of the 70’s thru the 90s.
• Pull out your sparkly outfits and party the night away at Niwot’s Inaugural NYE Gala.

10.  Grand Junction

Plenty of parties and events happening in Grand Junction, some highlights:

• The Dueling Pianos – at the Warehouse25sixty-five Kitchen and Bar, tickets.
• Powerderhorn Mountain Resort – join the annual NYE party with a torch light Parade and fireworks show.
• The NYE Gimme Gimme Disco Ball – at the Mesa Theater. A night of disco fever dancing with DJs, tickets.
• Always… Patsy Cline at Avalon Theater. A Broadway show about the iconic Patsy Cline, tickets.

11.  Keystone

Spending New Year’s Eve in Summit County? Head to Keystone for a full day of kids’ activities (think crafts, face painting, scavenger hunts on the hill and in the village, family cookie decorating, a village parade, a Torch Light Parade on Dercum Mountain (visible from River Run Village) and firework shows in Lakeside Village. Consider a diner sleigh ride, live music, and warm drinks in Frisco or at the Keystone Resort.

• NYE All That Glitters and Glows with Funkiphino – Keystone’s most glamorous NYE celebration. Groove the night away with the funky beat of the Funkiphino. Free swag, magic carpet, photo booth, confetti burst, and a toast! More choices here.

12.  Telluride

Visit Telluride Ski Resort for their New Year’s Eve Torchlight Parade and Fireworks. Gather in town and watch ski school instructors schuss down Coonskin, Telluride Trail, and into Mountain Village with fiery red torchlights, followed by an epic display of fireworks that will light up the night sky.

• Motown NYE Gala – in Mountain Village. Tickets and special seating.
• Silver Ball NYE Party – party like 1999 and dance the night away to live tunes by DJ Castle, plus small bites and champagne. Tickets

New Year’s Eve in Colorado is Big Time

Wherever you end up in Colorado to celebrate the New Year, it will be a good time. With a culture of adventure and eclectic people, you can be certain that your evening will be full of wonder and amazement. Happy New Year!

by Emily Krempholtz