Whether 2022 treated you well or not, it’s time to celebrate the year gone by and look forward to the times ahead. Here are some of the top New Year’s Eve events happening on Saturday, Dec. 31, in and around Portsmouth, N.H.
First Night Portsmouth 2023
Next year marks Portsmouth’s 400th birthday, and the year-long celebration begins with First Night! Pro Portsmouth’s annual New Year’s Eve festival takes place from 2-8 p.m., with an ice sculpture in Market Square and a fireworks display over South Mill Pond. The free community event is family-friendly and alcohol-free. Learn more here.
PSO Champagne Pops at The Music Hall
Guest conductor Dr. Dirk Hillyer and tenor Ben DiScipio will join the Portsmouth Symphony Orchestra at The Music Hall to perform favorites by Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter, and Duke Ellington — plus remarks from Portsmouth Mayor Deaglan McEachern — during the annual Champagne Pops at 8 p.m. Tickets are $38. Learn more here.
JazzBoree NYE at Jimmy’s
Jimmy’s Jazz & Blues Club will transform into a Roaring Twenties Gin Joint during a New Year’s Eve JazzBoree celebration, beginning at 7 p.m. in Portsmouth. There will be live music, swing dancing, balloons, streamers, specialty drinks, a spinning roulette wheel, and generally joyful madness. Learn more here. (Update: SOLD OUT)
Frank Sinatra tribute at Jonathan’s
Enjoy a decadent early dinner in the downstairs dining rooms followed by a live tribute to Frank Sinatra in the upstairs ballroom at Jonathan’s Ogunquit. Vocalist Patrick Tobin and his band will begin performing at 7 p.m. Tickets are $96 (includes a $25 dinner coupon and $16 show credit for drinks or dessert). Learn more here.
Draw the Line at The Brook
Rock into the New Year with Aerosmith tribute act Draw the Line (the only Aerosmith tribute band endorsed by Aerosmith itself) in the Seasons Showroom, located within The Brook in Seabrook. The live music begins at 8:30 p.m. (but arrive early to spend some time beforehand in the casino). Tickets are $35. Learn more here.
‘First Night’ at The Players’ Ring
The author of “Moonglow” presents a bright, warm, romantic comedy about dreams, life, and love — set on New Year’s Eve. Jack Neary’s “First Night,” featuring John Manning and Jocelyn Duford, will be staged for two nights only at The Players’ Ring in Portsmouth, this Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $24-$27. Learn more here.
Peach Lightning at The Stone Church
The Stone Church in Newmarket will play host to Peach Lightning — a special New Year’s Eve concert featuring two premiere regional tribute acts — beginning at 8 p.m. The lineup will include Idlewild: A Celebration of The Allman Brothers Band, along with Grateful Dead tribute Not Fade Away Band. Tickets are $20. Learn more here.
NYE Comedy Show at McCue’s
Laugh away the year gone by at McCue’s Comedy Club in Portsmouth. Comic Rodney Norman, a past winner of the Rhode Island Comedy Festival, returns to McCue’s to headline a stand-up comedy show beginning at 8 p.m., also featuring host Liam Hales and possibly some other surprise guests. Tickets are $30. Learn more here.
NYE Dance Party at The Rockingham Ballroom
DJ Johnny B Groovy and his Soul Sister will play rock, pop, swing, funk, soul, and alternative songs from the 1960s through today during a New Year’s Eve celebration at The Rockingham Ballroom in Newmarket. There will be dancing, party favors, food, a midnight glass of champagne, and creative attire. Tickets are $30. Learn more here.
Ski Party at The Press Room
Strap on your ski goggles and head to The Press Room in Portsmouth for a New Year’s Eve Ski Party featuring live music from DJ Chad Banks and Adrienne Mack-Davis, accompanied by Andrew Morrisey and Joey Bonenfant. (Snowboarders are welcome too.) The festivities begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40-$50. Learn more here.
‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ at the Gas Light
The Portsmouth Gas Light Co. will be rolling out the red carpet for a New Year’s Eve celebration themed around Quentin Tarantino’s film “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” Enjoy party favors, passed hors d’oeuvres, a champagne toast, and more in the Third Floor Nightclub. Tickets are $75 ($150 for VIP access). Learn more here.
Pat Hall & Friends at Cisco Brewers
What better way to celebrate the dawn of a new year than with live music and fresh beer? Local band Pat Hall & Friends will provide some fun, energetic, rock songs during Newburyport Brewing Co.’s New Year’s Eve bash, beginning at 8 p.m. And the brewery will serve up its delicious house-made brews. Tickets are just $10. Learn more here.
Midnight 2023 at Book & Bar
It’s tough to get tickets to see Taylor Swift live in concert — quite a bit easier to attend a special New Year’s Eve celebration at Portsmouth Book & Bar. There will be Taylor-themed trivia, karaoke, cocktails, snacks, and a dance party, beginning at 8 p.m., plus games, videos, and a midnight toast. Tickets are $5-$8. Learn more here.
Harsh Promadillo at 3S Artspace
Soulful local band Harsh Armadillo leads the festivities during a New Year’s Eve party at 3S Artspace in Portsmouth, beginning at 9 p.m. Harsh Promadillo is a semi-annual prom-themed concert that will feature some special guests on the stage. (And yes, a prom king and queen will be crowned.) Tickets are $21-$29. Learn more here.
Rockspring at The Music Hall Lounge
Local string band Rockspring will provide the live entertainment during a New Year’s Eve concert at The Music Hall Lounge in Portsmouth. The high-energy group will play its potent blend of bluegrass, rock, pop, folk, country, and other influences beginning at 10 p.m. Tickets are $35, which includes a champagne toast. Learn more here.
See the full calendar for more local events.