Welcome Glassies, to your guide to life. This series takes a deep dive into all your pressing need-to-knows (how to be a student politician, how to do the Bookfest like a pro, and how to survive toxic workplaces) and offers comprehensive guides so that you can live your Best Glassie Life™.
This edition is A Glassie’s Guide to New Year’s Eve in Brisbane.
New Year’s Eve is fast approaching, and if you haven’t yet figured out how to welcome 2024, then you aren’t alone. It’s been a long and busy year for a lot of us and not everyone can afford to spend $250 on a dinner and drinks package to celebrate the New Year, so here is a list of some free and cheap events in and around Brisbane’s inner city to do on the 31st of December.
Firstly, here are some bars and venues that have free entry on New Year’s Eve, along with live entertainment.
The Victory Hotel – Starting at 5pm, the Victory will be celebrating the new year with “no packages, just good old fashioned live music and fun!!” The Victory will be hosting live sets by Weeman, DJ Trademark and Dirty Dice, along with karaoke from 8 to 9pm.
Royal Hotel – The Royal Hotel in Nundah is offering free entry for their NYE masquerade party this year, where there will be prizes for best dressed and live music and DJs all night long. Although this is a free event, spots need to be booked, so head to the Royal Hotel’s website to claim your spot.
The Stock Exchange Hotel – Multiple stages of entertainment, exclusive rooftop fireworks, performers and free entry. Need I say more.
Pig’n’Whistle Riverside Centre – No entry fee and music by the resident DJ.
Felon’s – There will be free entry at Felon’s this year, one of Brisbane’s prime locations for viewing the fireworks, so early arrival is highly recommended if you want to catch a good seat. Get a group of friends together and enjoy a night of beer and pizza before the countdown to midnight.
Black Bear Lodge – Starting from 8pm and running to 3am, Black Bear Lodge will be celebrating the new year with performances by Delfe.exe, Angelafeva, Tiny Whisk and Sacha Alexiou.
These next events ARE ticketed, but all under $40 per person.
Irish Murphy’s ($10) – Irish Murphy’s is hosting a battle of the bands for this New Year’s Eve between Ramjet and Tales of Strangers. Tickets are only $10, and the event starts at 4pm.
The Count Down at Tomcat Fortitude Valley ($19.95) – This event starts at 7:30pm, ends at 5am and attendees must be over the age of 18. Tickets are $19.95 on Oztix.com, and is being held by Crushing Promotions, Young Henry’s and Jack Daniels. There will be live performances by Tripsitta, Space&Ages, Loose Ends, Bent, and Chamber Lane.
Story Bridge Hotel Kangaroo Point ($20) – This is another great spot to view the fireworks! The event will have live DJ performances and a drink on arrival in included with the ticket price.
The New Year’s Eve White Party at Summa House ($22.49) – Running from 5pm to 3am, Summa House is bringing back their ever-popular NYE White Party, where attendees are encouraged to dress in their whitest and brightest clothes to bring in the new year.
The Wickham ($25) – Hosted by RuPaul’s Drag Race’s Art Simone and Karen from Finance, the Wickham will be bringing in the new year with a “devilish evening of heavenly performances, DJs and campery!” The night will include performances by Shanny T-Bone, Asphyxia, Chocolate Boxx, Arbil Latrene, and Ivvy Monroe, and music by DJ Sammy, DJ Galleon, DJ Tiny and Dolly Llama. There will also be prizes for best dressed at this Heaven & Hell themed night, so make sure you dress to impress!
NYE Confetti Chaos Party at Retro’s ($31.95) – Retro’s kicks off their NYE party at 6pm this year, with $31.95 tickets for entry before 8:30pm and $53.40 tickets for entry after 8:30pm. Attendees can “expect non-stop fun, electrifying beats, and a shower of confetti to keep the energy high.” An in-house DJ will keep the party going.
Lefty’s ‘Space Cowboy’ Event ($31.95 general admission) – Starting at 8:30pm, Lefty’s is hosting a space x wildwest themed night, which the venue is describing as a “cosmic journey as we blend the best of the Wild West with intergalactic wonders at our Space Cowboy-themed extravaganza.” Lefty’s is offering a $31.95 general admission ticket – where guests must arrive between 8pm and 9pm – on top of their $135 food and beverage package.
And if getting drunk in the Valley isn’t for you…
So maybe you don’t want to head to the city and get black out drunk and find yourself in an Uber pool at 2am, making small talk with a stranger, forcing yourself to wait until you’re home to be sick, and I don’t blame you! There are many more, less destructive ways for you to celebrate the start of the new year, so here are a few little ideas that will save you from waking up on the first of January wondering how you spent so much money in one night.
Mount Cootha – Mount Cootha, which is less than a 20 minute from from Brisbane’s inner city, is a popular place to watch the New Year’s Eve fireworks. Pack a picnic blanket and something to eat and grab a spot on the hill overlooking the city, but be prepared for many other people with the same plan.
Throw Your Own Party! – You can indeed have all the fun of heading out into the city in the comfort of your own home. Whether you throw a games night, set a theme for the night, do karaoke, or challenge your guests to cook a meal together, you can save a lot of money and time by hosting your own party. An upbeat playlist, a pack of sparklers and a TV to watch the broadcast of the fireworks is a must, but easy to do.
Go To Sleep and Wake Up Refreshed – what better way to start your year than by waking up on New Year’s Day fully rested, not a drop of alcohol in your system, and ready to start the year as your best self? That’s right, there isn’t a better way. Feel free to head to bed at 12:01 after seeing in the New Year, or better yet, just go to bed at your usual time, and let the changing of the year pass over while you dream of happy things.
There’s not really any wrong way to celebrate New Year’s, just as long as it’s something you want to do. You wouldn’t want to start 2024 off by doing something you wouldn’t enjoy, would you?
