Can you believe how fast 2023 has flown by? 

In just a few weeks, we will be counting down to midnight and celebrating the welcoming of 2024. 

You could be a stay-at-home, cuddled-under-a-warm-blanket-watching-the-insanity-of-Times Square type of person. Or, maybe you are looking for a party to attend to ring in the new year with some friends. 

Whichever person you may be, Whatzup has information you can use to figure out what your plans for the holiday. 

Something for the family

Looking for a kid-friendly New Year’s celebration? Check out Science Central’s annual Countdown to Noon. 

The museum on North Clinton Street will again celebrate New Year’s with a countdown to 12 p.m. instead of 12 a.m. for the kiddos — or even adults — that can’t stay up that late.  Due to popular demand, there will be a second balloon drop at 2 p.m.

The party will take place from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. with hundreds of balloons falling from the top floor as the clock strikes noon. 

No special ticket is needed. General admission gets you into the party. 

What if you’re looking for a little more action a little later in the day? Join the Fort Wayne Komets in taking on the Toledo Walleye at Memorial Coliseum. 

The fan-favorite game features a bitter rival, and with puck drop at 7:30 p.m., you’ll have time for even more festivities after the final horn blows.

If you’re looking for something with a little more spark, visit Franke Park for the final night of Blue Jacket’s Fantasy of Lights. 

This display is 2 miles long and has more than 1.5 million LED lights. There is even a fun game of trying to find the hidden green elephant “Elsie” among the beautiful displays. Admission is $15 per vehicle. 

Love the ice, but want to move more? Checkout Headwaters Park’s ice rink. 

The ice rink will have shortened hours on Dec. 31 from noon-6 p.m.

Want lights without the chill of being outdoors? Check out the Timeless Tradition display at the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory from noon-4 p.m. 

“Holidays at the Botanical Conservatory have delighted the community as a family favorite over the last 40 years,” says their website. “Its gardens in light and scenes of merriment contribute to a warm holiday spirit in the heart of downtown Fort Wayne. Fresh cut evergreens, a lush poinsettia tree, and deep ruby undertones are the backdrop to this year’s memories.”

Celebrate good times

Ready to party it up? Scurry on over to Grand Wayne Convention Center for a New Year’s Eve Adult Prom. 

Presented by Get Up To Get Down Elite Entertainment, this black-tie event is sure to leave a lasting memory. 

Separated into two rooms, one will take you back to the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s with professional DJs and a best-dressed guest being crowned. In the other, DJs will be spinning beats from this century.

There will also be a photo booth at this $95 ticketed event and, of course, a cash bar.

Another event that will have the drinks flowing will be the New Year’s Eve Through the Decades Party at Charlie’s Place on Wells Street. 

Enjoy food and cocktails while dancing the night away to live music. A $10 cover charge is required, but this includes a Champagne toast at midnight. 

Live Music all Around

If you want to celebrate with some live music, there will be plenty of that, too.

At The Club Room at The Clyde Theatre, the Todd Harrold Band will kick things off at 4:30 p.m. free of charge before Sweetwater All Stars take the stage at 8 p.m. for the venue’s Countdown at the Club Room. You can reserve your table and complimentary drink with a $25 presale ticket.

Over at Piere’s, Spacecrow Productions will host a Phase Shift New Year’s Eve show at 9 p.m. with a $20 entry. Man of the Flood will be playing at The Brass Rail at 9:30 p.m., with the music sure to extend into 2024.

Last but not least, it will be the final night to check out the Miracle on Jefferson Holiday Bar Pop-Up. Located next to the Copper Spoon, Miracle on Jefferson is a pop-up heated tent bar with tons of decorations and a specially crafted holiday-themed cocktail menu. Whether you’re going for the drinks or for the décor, it is a super fun place to celebrate with friends.

However way you choose to celebrate the new year, be safe, enjoy the night, and cheers to a fresh start.