A few ideas for New Year’s Eve in Oakland

Looking for a fun way to ring in the New Year in Oakland? Here are a few of our suggestions for stuff to do around town on Saturday:

Party at a North Oakland bar:

The New Year’s Eve party at Eli’s Mile High Club on MLK Boulevard starts at 2 pm.

A number of bars in North Oakland are hosting parties on Saturday night.

On Piedmont Avenue, the party at Cato’s Ale House (3891 Piedmont Avenue) starts at 8 pm, and there will be a champagne toast at midnight. The Kona Club (4401 Piedmont Avenue) has a DJ dance party starting at 8 pm, with a champagne toast and volcano smoke at midnight.

On College Avenue, Ben and Nick’s (5612 College Avenue), has a party with a DJ that starts at 8 pm, while George and Walt’s will have streamers and noisemakers available, and a midnight champagne toast. McNally’s Irish Pub is also hosting an informal evening party. There is also going to be an 80s dance party at the Conga Lounge (5422 College Avenue), starting at 10 pm.

In Temescal, at The Avenue (4822 Telegraph Avenue), DJ Kurious and DJ Styles are playing 80s hip-hop music. Eli’s Mile High Club (3621 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard) is throwing a Crucial New Year’s Eve Bash with 14 hard rock and punk bands that starts at 2 pm. The White Horse Inn (6551 Telegraph Avenue) is also hosting its annual New Year’s party, with giveaways and a DJ. The party starts at 9 pm and has a $10 cover charge.

Go to a game:

The NBA’s Golden State Warriors have gotten off to a better start then usual, winning two of their first three games. On New Year’s Eve, the Warriors host the Philadelphia 76ers at 6 pm at Oracle Arena. Go here for tickets.

The Oakland Ice Center (519 18^th Street) is hosting the 20th annual Jordan H. Kocian Memorial In-House Tournament starting at 10 am.  Admission to the four-on-four youth tournament is free for spectators. Go here for more information.

Go on a cruise:

There are a couple options for cruises on the bay for New Year’s: the Cabernet Sauvignon Commodore Yacht, which leaves from Mariner Square in Alameda, and the Hornblower, which leaves from Berkeley. However, all cruises on both lines leaving from the East Bay have sold out. Hornblower does have room available on New Year’s Eve cruises departing San Francisco. Go here for more information, and here for more information on Cabernet Sauvignon Commodore Yacht.

Do something with the entire family:

The Chabot Space and Science Center is hosting its 12^th annual New Year’s Eve Balloon Drop at exactly 11 am, 1 pm and 4 pm, and hundreds of balloons will drop from the ceiling at those times. Tickets are $4 per child, plus admission to the space and science center. The countdown for each ball drop starts approximately 15 minutes before the hour. Go here for more information.

The Museum of Children’s Art (538 9^th Street) is celebrating New Year’s as it happens around the world, from 1-4 pm. Go here for more information.

See some stand-up comedy:

The Paramount Theatre on Broadway is hosting a show called Shaquille O’Neal Presents All Star Comedy Jam, featuring D.L. Hughley, Gary Owen, Debray Davis, Tommy Davidson and special guests. Tickets are going for between $55.50 and $125. Go here for more information.

The New Year’s Eve Special Show at Comedy off Broadway (1 Broadway) features 10 comics, including Mike Moto, who has appeared on HBO, and Rebecca  Arthur, who appeared on Comedy Central’s Last Comic Standing. Tickets are $15 presale and $20 at the door, and the show starts at 9:30 pm. Go here for more information.

See some live music:

See our weekend listings for live musical events at Oakland clubs.

Know of any events we missed? Let us know in the comments section below.

Lead image: A previous New Year’s Eve balloon drop event at Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland. Photo courtesy of the Chabot Space and Science Center.