8 New Year's Eve events to put on your calendar

Our suggestions:

🏈 Kick off the new year: Watch the Cotton Bowl at the Trolley District before the other ball drops.

💥 Crash the party: Take ice bumper cars for a spin at Land-Grant, or rent a heated igloo.

🧒 Family-friendly fun: Midday events ensure kids can keep their bedtime routine intact.

• A few options: "Noon Year's Eve" at COSI and the Franklin Park Conservatory or "Zoo Year's Eve" at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

🪩 A big-screen ball drop: Grandview Theater is hosting a beer tasting.

🤠 Boot scootin' boogie: Understory is embracing 2025's cowboy disco trend.

🧑‍🎨 A colorful countdown: Soon, 2026 will be a fresh canvas. Paint one and BYOB to Brush Crazy on Bethel Road.

🧝 Forge ahead: Get dolled up for the fantasy masquerade ball at Forge Tavern.

🍾 Meet me at the hotel room: They can be pricey and fill up fast, but hotel parties are a classic place to toast to the new year.

• Some to try: The Junto, Hotel LeVeque, The Joseph, VASO (atop AC Hotel in Dublin) or Stories on High (atop the downtown Hilton).