For those who didn’t snatch up tickets in time for ODESZA’s sold-out show at 1015 Folsom, are still on the fence about dancing in Fort Mason Center to Diplo and fellow DJs at “Eye Heart New Year’s Eve,” or are looking for a reprieve from bar-hopping around the Castro and seeing (or not seeing, depending on the fog) the fireworks from somewhere along the Embarcadero, here are some other ways to spend New Year’s Eve:
Seeking a night of music but not the speaker-thumping kind? Enjoy an hour-plus of live classical music at the 15th annual New Year’s Eve Gala Concert in the Petaluma Historical Library and Museum, at 20 Fourth St. The concert will feature Franz Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet with members of the Santa Rosa Symphony and special guests Kyle Craft (violin) and Rachel Walters Steiner (soprano). Doors open at 6 p.m., the concert starts at 7 p.m. with an anticipated end at 8:15 p.m. Before the show, there will Strauss waltzes, snacks and beverages. Tickets are $50 to $70 at petalumamuseum.com.
For an East Bay classical music event, check out the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra New Year’s Eve 2023 concert from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the First Congregational Church of Berkeley, 2330 Durant Ave. SFCO’s longstanding New Year’s Eve concert features music at no cost to attendees. On the program is Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 (“Great”), Sara Flexer performing Schumann’s Cello Concerto and the world premiere of “Sketch at Seven” from the Emerging Black Composers Project and Sumi Tonooka. Doors open at 7:15 p.m., and though the event is free, signing up via Eventbrite to reserve a good seat is recommended.
There’s also the option to wrap up the year with humor, courtesy of Bay Area comics and artificial intelligence. At “Laugh GPT: SF’s AI-Powered Stand-up Comedy Show,” the comedians perform their sets, closing with five “rapid-fire jokes.” It will then be up to the audience to determine whether the comedian or ChatGPT created the quickly delivered quips. The approximately 70-minute shows (for ages 21 and older) are at 7 and 8:30 p.m. are at Mayes Oyster House, 1233 Polk St., San Francisco. Tickets are $20 to $100 at eventbrite.com.
How about closing out this self-driving car ride of a year with deep breathing, mindfulness and reflection? Join a New Year’s Eve Meditation Vigil and Service from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the Berkeley Buddhist Priory, at 1358 Marin Ave. in Albany. The meditation session will end at 9 p.m. and will be followed by a gratitude-focused ceremony and then tea and refreshments to celebrate the year ahead. For tickets to this free gathering, go here.
For families looking to get in a New Year celebration a full 12 hours prior to Jan. 1, the Hiller Aviation Museum in San Carlos is hosting “Noon Year’s Eve” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., during which the New Year “10, 9, 8” countdown happens before lunchtime. Featuring live music, games, face painting, dance performances from Peninsula Ballet Theatre, marionette and magician shows and not one, but three, balloon drops, this kids-centered event puts adult NYE events to shame. For a full schedule of events and tickets ($21 adults, $14 for ages 17 and under and seniors, with online purchase only; and free for children 4 and under), visit hiller.org.
Another family event, Circus Bella’s “Kaleidoscope,” is happening in San Francisco—specifically under a large circus tent at the Crossing at East Cut at Howard and Beale streets. The special 90-minute New Year’s Eve production featuring 12 cast members and original music from the Circus Bella All-Star Band offers three shows: at noon, 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. General admission tickets are $75, with attendees receiving complimentary party hats and streamers. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit circusbella.org.
For cyclists wanting to take part in a group ride and then share details of their two-wheeled activity in Strava (possible title: “Getting in some final miles before 2024”), there’s the Tour d’ Equator: New Year’s Eve Ride and Celebration from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The ride starts on the San Francisco side of the Golden Gate Bridge outside of Equator Coffees Round House Cafe, with everyone then heading over the bridge into Mill Valley to the top of Mount Tamalpais, where a celebratory toast will take place. The finish: Equator Coffees cafe in Sausalito, where participants will get free paninis and beverages. For details, including the route, and tickets, go here. Donations support the Bay Area Ridge Trail.
If seeking a quiet, low-key New Year’s Eve, slide on the noise canceling headphones and into a comfy chair and cozy up with one of the many acclaimed books that came out in late 2023. For fiction, there’s Teju Cole’s “Tremor: A Novel,” Lydia Davis’ “Our Strangers: Stories” and Zadie Smith’s “The Fraud: A Novel”; nonfiction-wise, check out Joshua Bennett’s “Spoken Word: A Cultural History,” Naomi Klein’s “Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World” and Mattilda Bernstein Sycamore’s “Touching the Art.”
Before tuning in for the televised ball drop that happened three hours before in Times Square, stream a show or movie on Netflix. Learn a thing or two about resilience and perseverance watching inspired-by-real-life “Nyad” about endurance swimmer Diana Nyad or the documentary “American Symphony” about Grammy-winning musician Jon Batiste and his life partner Suleika Jaouad, a writer and cancer survivor.
Still recovering from the U.S. Women’s National Team’s (USWNT’s) early departure from the summer’s World Cup? Consider some consolatory spectating of the four-episode docuseries “Under Pressure: The U.S. Women’s World Cup Team.”
Settling into hours of guilt-free binge-watching is another option. The docuseries “High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America,” the fantasy-leaning “Sweet Tooth” and the political drama “The Diplomat” released new seasons this year.
Or if gravitating toward existentialism at the tail end of 2023, click “Play” for the film “Leave the World Behind,” and follow up with the new animated “Carol and the End of the World.”
Or finalize your resolution lists: 2024 and its 366 days are just around the corner.