There’s no signature kickoff to the New Year in our area, but there are more than a few offerings that will please just about every taste.
There is a theme party in a classic historic venue, sports events, comedy, and concerts. Here are some of the events that stood out to us.
Prohibition Party
There are no code words to get in and no lookouts positioned to sound a warning in case the police or feds are looking to raid the joint. Sorry, there are no secret rooms requiring passwords to gain access to bootleg booze, either.
The Bell Mansion, 420 W. Wayne St., is hosting a party that hearkens back nearly 90 years with a 1920s and 1930s New Year’s Eve bash.
“It’s going to be like a flapper/gangster dress-up where you get all decked out,” Angie Sturm said. “We’ll have a DJ, food, and everybody gets to wander around and check out the mansion.”
Participants will also get a photo with a Nash automobile from that period.
“There is a mobster connection to all of this, and we love telling the story,” Sturm said. “We love all local history and preserving history.”
The gangster part also pays homage to the building’s legacy as a funeral home. Fort Wayne native and notorious bank robber Homer Van Meter paid an unscheduled visit to the funeral home after he was shot dead in Minnesota.
Van Meter was longtime associate to Public Enemy No. 1 John Dillinger and equally notorious villain Baby Face Nelson. Van Meter was involved in a multistate string of bank robberies across the Midwest and Great Plains.
“We actually have pictures,” Sturm said. “We still have the embalming tables. We have all the documentation and all the pictures showing … yeah, he was definitely there.”
Tickets are $50 and limited to the 100 people.
Puck drops before ball
One of Fort Wayne’s favorite New Year’s Eve traditions is taking in a Komets hockey game.
Before the ball drops on 2022, thousands watch the puck drop at 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Coliseum as the home team takes on the Indy Fuel. Tickets start at $13.50 and can be purchased at Komets.com or at the Coliseum ticket office
Josh Testing, the team’s director of sales and marketing, says it’s a perfect party. You have music. You have food and drinks. There is entertainment and participation, and there’s no risk of missing the midnight festivities.
“Traditionally, our players always play well in front of great crowds,” Testing said. “Having numbers helps. We’ll have that for sure on New Year’s Eve.”
Countdown to noon
If you can’t make the midnight countdown because of silly things like bed times, Science Central has just the answer with their Countdown to Noon.
Catering to the kids and those of us that just can’t stay up that late anymore, doors open at 10 a.m. with the celebration rolling until 3 p.m.
It’s so big they need two countdowns. The main event is at noon with balloons and revelry, then a smaller event is held at 2 p.m.
There will be demonstrations and activities from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. that include fireworks, crafts, and a scavenger hunt.
General admission includes all Countdown to Noon activities. Tickets are availabel at the door or at ScienceCentral.org, and you’ll want to get yours before they sell out.
Right up your alley
Bowl the night away at MVP Lanes, 3810 Lake Ave., which opens at 11 a.m. and offers early bird, early evening, and late-night lane and shoe rentals from $20 to $90 per hour per lane. Here’s a chance to host your own party.
Plus, the facility offers a full service bar and restaurant menu with New Year’s Eve specials.
Rocking in the New Year
At The Club Room at The Clyde, reserve your table to enjoy a special menu with food and drink specials while enjoying the Todd Harrold Trio from 5-7 p.m. The Fort Wayne Funk Orchestra takes over at 8 p.m., performing until 2022 is nothing but a memory.
You can reserve your table with a $20 presale ticket that includes a drink.
Last laughs of 2022
Nationally known funnyman Brad Williams will wrap up his three-day run at Summit City Comedy Club with three shows on New Year’s Eve, at 4:30 p.m., 7:30 p.m., and 10:30 p.m.
Williams has appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel Live. Tickets start at $25 with some early shows at the club have already sold out.
Ready to Rumble
Saturday is the finale of the two-day Rumble in Fort Wayne racing action at Memorial Coliseum.
This annual event features midgets, winged and unwinged, and other classes racing around a 1/6-mile oval in the Expo Center.
Ice is Nice
Relax with a few or several laps of ice skating at Headwaters Park.
Skating is $6 for adults and $4 for ages 13 and younger. Skates are an additional $3 to rent.
The rink opens at noon and remains open until 9 p.m. Take a break and grab a hot chocolate or snack at the rink’s cafe.
For other ideas, be sure to check out our online calendar for New Year’s Eve events and other happenings at whatzup.com/calendar.
