There can be pressure attached to ushering our lives into a new year. If we fail to celebrate appropriately — if we don’t toast with champagne or if we find ourselves surrounded by the wrong people when the clock strikes midnight — will we doom ourselves to waking up on the wrong side of the bed every day, over and over until the calendar pages flip back to December 31st? Conversely, if we eat our meal of black-eyed peas, collard greens, and cornbread, if we offer our midnight kisses to a beloved, if we party all night with friends and neighbors for New Years Eve Charlotte NC, will we then secure a year of prosperity, romance, and joy?
It certainly feels like those first moments of the new year set the stage for how we experience the earth’s next trip around the sun. And, in a way, perhaps they do, insofar as we once again are tasked to set our intentions. But even the strongest intentions can be waylaid. So it’s just as much about setting them as finding our way back to them when the universe yanks us about.
So, consider these suggestions for how to celebrate New Years Eve in Charlotte NC. As you do, remember that New Year’s Day can be as much of a fresh start as each of the mornings that follow, if we only will them to be so.
Celebrate in style
The new year is the perfect time to revamp your wardrobe. Marie Kondo that space and donate or sell what no longer fits or matches your style. Then, treat yourself to a fresh outfit from one of Charlotte’s boutiques. If you want to feel like a star, we recommend a trip to House of LeMond. Pick up a thoughtfully curated vintage piece from LeMond Crayton-Hart. For a more traditional selection of men’s high-end fashion, pick up a suit from Taylor Richards & Conger in the Park Road area. Or, start from scratch and schedule a session with a local stylist, like Whitley Hamlin, Kristin Heinrich, or Stacee Michelle.
Party like it’s 2023
New duds in hand, doll up and head out. The Hilton in Uptown Charlotte (just one block from the corner of Trade and Tryon) will be hosting a Great Gatsby-themed soiree. Think flapper evening gowns and three-piece suits. Tickets are required and grant access to five hours of prepaid drinks, light appetizers, and a live DJ.
If you’re looking for a party that’s just as dapper but feels more of-this-century, head to The Ritz. This five star stunner in the heart of uptown throws an annual party in its 7,000 square foot ballroom. Expect multiple DJs and semi-formal attire.
Alternatively, avoid the traffic and to-do of Uptown and mosey down to Suffolk Punch’s Punchin’ New Years Eve. Dance the night away in Norfolk Hall or rest your feet in Suffolk’s outdoor, heated party tent. Nibble on some Suffolk Punch yummies whenever your dance moves need to cool off.
The Music Factory throws an annual New Year’s bash, and it’s always a big time. This year is likely to be even bigger with the addition of Bazal Gallery and Nightclub’s 7,000 square feet of “heaven and hell.” Upstairs, a sophisticated gallery space inspires reflection and awe. Downstairs, a dimly lit nightclub stimulates dancing and a light dose of debauchery.
Gather with neighbors
The City of Charlotte puts on its own New Year’s Eve celebration every year. Levine Avenue of the Arts, sandwiched between Tryon and Church Street, closes down for an evening of outdoor festivities. Expect live music, a lighting of the Queen City crown, and a fireworks show at midnight.
Bring the kids
Head to Carowinds Winterfest and bask in the glow of thousands of Christmas lights, ride the coasters, and ice skate. The park is open until 12:30 am and will light a powerful fireworks display at midnight. But, if you have kids, you might be more thrilled to learn that Carowinds has multiple countdowns throughout the night, so younger guests might be more easily persuaded to head home closer to bedtime.
Keep it casual
Sycamore Brewing bills its New Year’s Eve Charlotte NC celebration as the most laidback New Year’s Eve event in Charlotte. With no dress code and no tickets, it’s the perfect place to sip on a Mountain Candy and come as you are.
Stay at home
Really though, there’s sometimes no better place to come as you are than your own home. Stay in and celebrate as you see fit, perhaps among friends and loved ones. But before you settle in, pick up a bottle of bubbly from Jeffrey Kellogg, champagne aficionado and co-owner of NoDa’s Bar a Vins. While you’re at it, zip down to Babe & Butcher in Camp North End for a charcuterie board that will make any night feel festive.
Keep it cultural for New Years Eve Charlotte NC
Ring in the new year with 10,000 strangers and one legendary band. Concord boys turned Grammy winners, The Avett Brothers have played a New Year’s Eve concert every year for almost a decade. Catch them this New Year’s Eve at the Bojangles Coliseum.
The Middle C Jazz Club is one of the Queen City’s best-kept secrets. This swanky uptown venue will celebrate with The Voltage Brothers performing R&B, swing, beach music, disco, funk hip-hop, jazz, motown, and more. The group has performed at the Atlanta Olympics, multiple presidential inaugurations, and nine Superbowls. Groove with the band on a designated dance floor, and pause at midnight to watch the Times Square ball drop and enjoy a complimentary champagne toast.
Start the New Year with a happy tummy
It almost seems like there are more New Year’s food traditions than there have been years to invent them. This author recommends paying special attention to your first meal in 2023: start the year right with a satisfied stomach. Perhaps kick off New Year’s Day with a hot, made-to-order donut from Reigning Donuts and a latte from Summit Coffee. Or opt for something more substantial—maybe a classic Southern brunch dish like chicken and waffles from Link & Pin. No matter what it is, make it count.
Take a hike
Pull on a pair of boots and head to Morrow Mountain, which is only an hour from Charlotte, yet feels like a rugged escape, spanning from lake edge to river edge and up and down a mountain. Alternatively, make the slightly longer trek to Stone Mountain. Drink in expansive views from a dizzying height atop a steep mountain bald.
Take a plunge
Make your way to the Whitewater Center’s Catawba River access point. Bring a towel, a change of clothes, and a thermos of something piping hot. Take the plunge into the Catawba’s chilly waters and wash away the worries and shortcomings of 2022.
