New Year’s Eve: 20 events to ring in 2024 in Southern California

It’s time to say goodbye to 2023 and hello to 2024.

And there are a lot of ways to do it this year, including upscale parties, fireworks shows, fancy dinners and even a pajama jam.

ALSO SEE: New Year’s Eve: 22 Southern California concerts and festivals to rock into 2024

Here are just some of the ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Southern California.

Los Angeles County

Cozy Countdown: New Year’s Eve Pajama Jam

Get in your coziest pajamas and party like there’s no bedtime at the Portofino Hotel & Marina’s New Year’s Eve celebration. Besides everyone wearing their pajamas, the night will include live music and a midnight brunch, plus a champagne toast.

When: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Where: The Portofino Hotel & Marina, 260 Portofino Way, Redondo Beach

Tickets: $65. 310-421-4195 or hotelportofino.com

Fireworks at the Waterfront

The Downtown Long Beach Alliance is welcoming 2024 twice with two, free fireworks shows. The first will happen at 9 p.m. and the second at midnight. The best spots to watch will be from Rainbow Lagoon Park.

When: 9 p.m. and midnight

Where: The Waterfront at E. Shoreline Drive and The Promenade

Tickets: The event is free. Get more information at downtownlongbeach.org/event/nye-2024.

Gatsby’s Penthouse NYE

Get your flapper fashion on, slip into a slick zoot suit and travel back to the roaring ‘20s for this themed party that is sure to be the bee’s knees. The celebration will include DJs spinning all sorts of party music from EDM to Top 40s to hip-hop in multiple dance rooms. And don’t worry about prohibition anywhere here because the ticket price includes a four-hour open bar.

When: 9 p.m.- 2 a.m.

Where: Elevate Lounge, 811 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles

Tickets: Tickets start at $200. 323-604-6030 or vipnightlife.com.

Grand Park’s NYELA

This is going to be one of the biggest celebrations around, with thousands of people expected to party at Grand Park. And it’s all free. The event will encompass six city blocks with a roster of all-women DJs spinning dance tunes, plus live musical acts on two stages. Expect food trucks, art installations and a midnight art show projected onto City Hall. Also expect to stay sober because no alcohol is allowed or will be sold at the all-ages event.

When:  8 p.m.

Where: 200 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles

Tickets: Free. For more information go to nyela.grandparkla.org.

NYE Live at The Lost Parrot Café

Welcome 2024 with lots of laughter at the Lost Parrot Café. The Pasadena venue will host two comedy shows on Dec. 31. The early set will be a family-friendly show, while the evening event will be more mature. The night is hosted by Titi Lee, an Emmy-nominated comedy writer who’s appeared on shows like “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

When: 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

Where: 1929 Huntington Drive, South Pasadena

Tickets: $35 for general admission and $50 open bar for the early show; $50 general admission and $75 open bar for second show. 323-886-0703 or  tickettailor.com/events/losparrotlive.

New Year’s Eve Night Dive 

Party with the fishes and other sea creatures at the Aquarium of the Pacific’s New Year’s Eve Night Dive. The adults-only event will bring a live band to the Aquarium’s Great Hall while DJs will be spinning in the galleries. Food and drinks will also be available for purchase, although there is no word on whether there will be any seafood.

When: 8 p.m.- 1 a.m.

Where: Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach

Tickets: $94.95 per person or $89.95 for Aquarium members. 562-590-3100 or aquariumofpacific.org.

ALSO SEE: New Year’s Eve: Party, dine and celebrate at Southern California casinos

Prohibition NYE

Union Station travels back in time to the roaring ‘20s for the 10th annual Prohibition NYE. The ‘20s theme party is a glitzy and glamorous affair that will include burlesque dancing, live jazz music, a DJ set from Chromeo and a bar serving themed cocktails and champagne.

When: 9 p.m.

Where: Union Station, 800 N. Alameda Street, Los Angeles.

Tickets: Starting at $195 at Prohibitionnye.com.

Queen Mary

After being closed for nearly three years, the Queen Mary is back and ringing in 2024 with a party aboard the ship. The adults-only celebration will include music throughout the vessel with Latin bands, EDM, pop, dueling piano battles, jazz trios performing throughout the night. And at 9 p.m. and midnight people will get a good view of the Long Beach waterfront fireworks show.

When: 8 p.m.-1 a.m.

Where: 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach

Tickets: Tickets start at $169 per person at queenmary.com/tours/new-years-eve/.

Orange County

A Groovy New Year’s Eve

Comedian Rita Rudner continues her New Year’s tradition at the Laguna Playhouse with a night of comedy and groovy music. Rudner will perform and 20-minute set and things will get popping with Listen to the Seventies, a tribute band that performs songs from acts like Carole King, James Taylor, Fleetwood Mac and other ‘70s stars. The night will be capped with a balloon drop, champagne and party favors.

When: 7 p.m.

Where: Laguna Playhouse, 606 Canyon Road, Laguna Beach

Tickets: Tickets start at $105 at lagunaplayhouse.com.

First Night in Fullerton 

Ring in the New Year at this all-ages event with live music played across multiple stages, food and beverage options from local businesses, a family fun zone with games and activities and a fireworks extravaganza.

When: 7 p.m.-midnight

Where: Downtown Fullerton Plaza, 125 E. Wilshire Ave., Fullerton

Tickets: Free admission.

Huntington Beach: NYE Bar Crawl

Hit up 10 or more parties in one night with a NYE 2024 pup crawl ticket. Participants will receive a map of all participating downtown bars and nightclubs  and can bounce from venue to venue, each of which will be offering drink specials including NYE Pub Crawl welcome shots. Spots include Cruiser’s Bar, Wet Dog Tavern, 2nd Floor and Aloha Grill.

When: 8 p.m.-2 a.m.

Where: Various locations in Huntington Beach.

Tickets: $29-$39 at nasstive.com.

Diamonds & Pearls NYE Party

Dress to impress for the Balboa Bay Resort’s annual New Year’s Eve gala. This year’s event is taking place in the newly renovated Grand Ballroom and the theme is Diamonds & Pearls. So do your best to look like a million bucks during a night of dancing with the band Flashback Heart Attack.

When: 9 p.m.- 1 a.m.

Where: Balboa Bay Resort, 1221 West Coast Highway, Newport Beach

Tickets: Tickets start at $243.75 or $406 for a 7 p.m. NYE wine dinner that includes entrance to the ball. 949-645-5000 or balboabayresort.com

Iron Smoke Cocktail Speakeasy

Get a pre-NYE drink before heading somewhere to party or welcome 2024 with other fans of fancy cocktails at the JW Marriott’s Executive Lounge. That’s where a drink expert will create smoked cocktails personalized to each individual’s palate preferences on New Year’s Eve. Each drink connoisseur will get two craft cocktails and 45-minutes of personalized service from a bartender for the price of the ticket. Additional cocktails are available for purchase and are priced between $14 to $26.

When: 7 p.m. -1 a.m.

Where: JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort, 1775 S Clementine Street, Anaheim

Tickets: $65 at marriot.com.

Top of the V

Party 12 floors above the streets of Orange County and this rooftop bar for New Year’s Eve. Besides a DJ spinning tunes, partiers can enjoy an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, raffles and a midnight toast, plus the spectacular views from the rooftop.

When: 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

Where: Top of the V, 1601 South Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim

Tickets: $300 at topoftheviv.com.

Winter Fest OC

The popular annual winter festival is celebrating New Year’s Eve twice with countdowns and fireworks displays at 6 p.m. and midnight. Besides the double countdowns, the celebration includes a holiday parade and tree lighting show as well as Taylor Swift and Bruno Mars tribute bands. It also includes all the regular Winter Fest fun stuff like snow play, ice tubing, bumper cars, carnival rides, games and ice skating.

Where: OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa

When: 2 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

Tickets: $29.99-$79.99 online; $50-$110 at the gate. winterfestoc.com.

Inland Empire

Noon Year’s Eve Party

Have a hoppy New Year at SweetFrog as the frozen yogurt shop throws a party for the kids with a noon countdown. On New Year’s Eve morning the kids can celebrate with a dance party, play games, eat snacks and pizza, have a yogurt and then mark the countdown to noon with noisemakers.

When: 11 a.m.-noon

Where: SweetFrog, 12274 Palmdale Road, Victorville

Tickets: $15 per child, no cost for parent. sweetfrog.com.

New Year’s EVE Extravaganza

Dress up for an extravaganza in Ontario with a night of live music, DJ’s spinning dance tunes, party favors and a champagne toast. It may be a good way to make friends too since there will be assigned seating at tables for dinner, so unless you come with a group of 10 people to fill a table, be ready to mingle. Dinner is not included with admission.

When: 9:30 p.m.

Where: Ontario Airport Hotel & Conference Center, 700 North Haven Ave., Ontario

Tickets: $75-$150 at eventbrite.com.

New Year’s Eve Grape Drop

The grape drops again to welcome 2024 in Temecula. The annual New Year’s Eve Grape Drop will include live music, vendors, kid’s activities and an East Coast (9 p.m. ) and West Coast (midnight) countdown.

When: 6 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

Where: Temecula Civic Center Quad, 41000 Main Street, Temecula.

Tickets: Admission is free. temeculaca.gov.

NYE Torchlight Parade

Big Bear lights up on New Year’s Eve as more than 200 skiers and snowboarders with torches light up the night as they make their way down the mountain at Snow Summit. And expect a party at the bottom of the mountain too as a DJ spins tunes to welcome 2024.

When: 7 p.m.

Where: Snow Summit, 880 Summit Blvd., Big Bear Lake

Tickets: Admission is free. bigbearmountainresort.com.

Redlands Orange Drop

The Annual New Year’s Eve Orange Drop returns to Redlands and is ready to welcome the new year, albeit a little earlier than usual this year. Described by the Redlands Chamber of Commerce website as simply “enormous,” the orange will drop at 9 p.m. instead of midnight, so more families can attend. But it’s still going to be a party with music, confetti cannon towers, food and dessert vendors.

When: 6-9 p.m.

Where: Citrus Ave., between Sixth and Eighth streets, Redlands

Tickets: Admission is free. redlandschamber.org/orangedrop/