The Best New Year’s Eve Celebrations Across the Front Range

Finding the right New Year’s Eve festivity can be a Goldilocks conundrum: They’re often too loud or too quiet, too expensive or not fancy enough, a rager or a bummer. So, to help you ring in 2025 the right way, we compiled this list of Front Range happenings—from a sober-friendly board game gathering to a bubbly-fueled rooftop bash.

If you do choose to indulge in a few libations, leave the driving to the experts: RTD will offer free rides from 7 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to 7 a.m. on New Year’s Day.

New Year’s Eve at Denver Union Station

Best for: Those who want to turn their NYE into a staycation

Whether you want to extend your night off from corralling toddlers or you just don’t want to deal with the hassle of securing an Uber home, treating yourself to a New Year’s Eve overnight needs no explanation. If you’re hoping to find room and board near your midnight merrymaking, Union Station is the spot. The LoDo landmark will host three different parties at various price ranges: a free fete in the Great Hall with a live DJ and “sparkling station” (RSVP here); a bash at the holiday-themed Miracle Bar with craft cocktails and a midnight toast ($25); and a posh celebration at the Cooper Lounge with an abundance of bubbly and a luxe dessert add-on ($100).

Conveniently, the Crawford Hotel is steps away from all the soirees, so you can easily amble back to your digs—no outrageous Uber fare involved. (Hint: Book the Crawford Hotel’s Champagne Soirée package and receive a free bottle of fizz, tickets to the Cooper Lounge’s function, and a late checkout.) Times and prices for events vary

Nocturne

Best for: Highfalutin live music fanatics

If a glass of cab sauv and Miles Davis sounds more appealing than a vodka soda and Diplo, this swanky affair is for you. The Seth Lewis Sextet will serenade you while you enjoy a five-course meal paired with the aforementioned red wine or a craft cocktail such as the “Far from the Tree” with vodka, spiced pear liqueur, sauternes, and apple liqueur. There are two seatings—one at 5:45 p.m. and another at 9:15 p.m.—so you can choose to start or end your night with dinner and a show. From $80 per person

Noon Year’s Eve

Best for: Parents whose bedtime is 10 p.m.

Each year, Denver’s Children’s Museum hosts this family-focused fete—much to the relief of bleary-eyed Mile High City parents. Starting at 10 a.m., a kid-friendly emcee will host hourly ball drops in the museum’s outdoor plaza. Little ones can also jive to holiday-themed music, partake in NYE-themed arts and crafts, and step outside for the museum’s “Snow Days” programming, which includes a sock-skating rink, a tubing hill, an imaginary ice-fishing station, and more. Your tired tykes will doze off well before midnight so you can pop a bottle of Veuve or savor those extra hours of z’s. 9 a.m.–4 p.m., ball drops end at 3 p.m.; $18–$20, members and kids under one get in free

Rooftop New Year’s Eve Party at The Woods

Best for: Insta-worthy views of the city

You’ve taken the effort to get all dolled up for the New Year, don’t squander the photo-op. This posh affair held at the Woods rooftop will provide you with the perfect backdrop: the Mile High City skyline. Take a break from posing to indulge in light bites, cocktails, and the dance floor. Then, turn your eyes to the sky at 9 p.m. for a VIP viewing of Denver’s fireworks display. Book the Source Hotel’s Stay & Play package for an ultra-short commute to your bed after the festivities end. 8 p.m.–1 a.m.; $82

New Year’s Eve at the Stanley Concert Hall

Best for: Gut-busting laughs

New Year’s Eve falls on a Tuesday this year, so comedian Darrell Hammond is off from his usual gig as a Saturday Night Live cast member (you might know Hammond for his impressions of Bill Clinton, Dick Cheney, Al Gore, and others during his 14 years on the show). Although you won’t see him on the screen, you can catch him on the Stanley Concert Hall stage in Estes Park. Spend the last minutes of 2024 laughing as Hammond shows off his masterful impressions and jokes. Book a dinner at the Stanley Hotel’s Cascades Restaurant for an elevated night. 6 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.; $50–$65

New Year’s Eve Prix-Fixe Dinner at Palace Arms

Best for: Old-fashioned opulence

The Brown Palace counts more than five presidents, the Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, and Taylor Swift as former guests, so it’s fair to say they know how to treat royalty. The institution’s restaurant, Palace Arms, will offer a seven-course, prix-fixe menu including decadent dishes such as oysters Rockefeller; toasted blini with golden osetra caviar, creme fraiche, and chive; center-cut ribeye; and creme brulee. After your meal, head to the grand atrium and let the Motown sounds of the Justin Adams Big Band and drinks from the Palace Bar usher you into 2025. Reservation times vary; $200 per person; Grand atrium party tickets start at $75

Crawl ’Til the Ball Falls

Best for: Those who don’t like to party in one place

What’s that saying? Don’t put all your eggs in one basket…er, don’t take all your tequila shots at one bar? If spending an entire night at one venue induces opportunity-cost anxiety in your crew, opt for this roving party that includes access to Ballpark, LoDo, and Five Points joints such as Sidecar, Cervantes’ Other Side, and the Retro Room. During the six-hour bar crawl, you’ll enjoy copious drink specials (think: $5 beers and shots), boogie to live DJs and bands, and, of course, clink glasses during a midnight toast. Self-paced starting at 6 p.m.; starting at $25; check-in is at One Shot Back

White Rose Gala

Best for: Those who want to tear it up ’20s style

An affair fit for the pages of The Great Gatsby, this annual Denver tradition draws more than 1,200 carousers each year. Fish out that flapper dress from your closet and enter the Art Deco epoch at the Ritz-Carlton, Denver. Do the Charleston while a live band plays, snap a selfie—have those been invented yet?—at various photo stations, and watch dazzling live performances. Or, just gamble the night away at the casino tables. 8 p.m.–1 a.m.; $162

NYE On Tap

Best for: Hopheads who’d rather toast with an IPA

This open-bar bash is hosted by noted brewmaker Bierstadt Lagerhaus, meaning ale enthusiasts will have plenty of suds to support their all-night revelry. In between draft brews and ciders (or cocktails for those who prefer), groove to live-spun DJ tunes and nibble on an appetizer buffet. There will be a complimentary champagne toast at midnight, but we won’t judge you if you opt for a pint glass. 9 p.m.–1:30 a.m.; $107

Nerd Year’s Eve

Best for: Those who prefer a sober celebration

Between the vintage board games, throwback radio play, and pinball machines, you’ll have to keep in mind that the year is turning to 2025, not 1955. The night starts with free pizza and non-alcoholic drinks (the event is dry) and includes joyfully nerdy diversions. Challenge your friends to vintage games like Operation and Hungry Hungry Hippos, watch live comic-book artist demonstrations, and enjoy open gaming. In lieu of hard drinks, there will be cash cereal, coffee, and dessert bars—the sugar rush will come in handy during the midnight dance party. Starting at 7 p.m.; $10–$30

More New Year’s Eve Events On the Front Range

Best for: Bottle-service snobs
Best for: Brainiac kiddos and their families
Best for: Dinner and a (drone) show at sky-high digs (VIP tickets here)
Best for: Craft cocktail connoisseurs
Best for: Young and rowdy revelers
Best for: Boulderites who want to party like it’s 1920—or ’70 or ’80
Best for: Pretending you’re spending the nouvelle année in Paris
Best for: EDM addicts