Grand Rapids is a great place to bid goodbye to the old year and ring in the new one. Whether you prefer to celebrate at a public party or an intimate dinner, engage in activity or sit back and relax, make it a family affair or an occasion for outdoor adventure, Grand Rapids is filled with fun things to do on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

New Year’s Eve Day is a great time to catch up with big holiday shows you’ve missed, including the annual Christmas & Holiday Traditions exhibit at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. A number of local museums and attractions host early NYE events aimed at kids, while many hotels and nightclubs host lavish bashes for adults. Live music concerts, moonlight bowling, horse-drawn carriage rides and ice skating under the stars are other popular ways to close the chapter on the previous year.

New Year’s Day is all about fresh starts – set the tone for a great year to come by enjoying a fantastic meal at a restaurant or brewery, perusing post-holiday sales at area stores and/or spending a few hours skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding or sledding.  

Check back here in December for current New Year events and activities.