Ready to ring in 2022? New Year’s Eve guide to celebrating, staying safe from COVID.
Another year has come and gone, and chances are, if you don’t have plans already, you’re looking for a festive way to ring in 2022.
Amid rising COVID cases due to the omicron variant, some major cities around the world have canceled their traditional New Year’s Eve celebrations, while others, including New York City, will have scaled-back celebrations.
Here in the Triangle, First Night Raleigh will take place as scheduled, though precautions, such as vaccine requirements and no indoor events, will be in place to keep people safe.
Various businesses in the area will also host celebrations, and there’s always the option to stay home and watch the festivities unfold on TV.
Whether you’re looking for a large or small gathering to attend, here’s a guide to some New Year’s Eve events around the Triangle.
Plus, we’ve gathered tips for staying safe from COVID, no matter the size of your gathering, from Dr. Peyton Thompson, a pediatric infectious disease expert with UNC Health.
What to consider when making New Year’s Eve plans
Thompson offered several points regarding COVID and corresponding safety measures for families and individuals to consider when making New Year’s plans.
▪ Consider the most vulnerable member of your household when making decisions. If there are any immunocompromised individuals, elderly family members or young children who are ineligible for vaccination in your family, Thompson said it would be wise to take all possible precautions to protect yourself and them. That includes social distancing, wearing masks and getting tested before any large or small gatherings.
▪ Consider your flexibility in schedules and resources. Thompson suggested thinking about the following scenario: If you or someone else in your household are exposed to COVID at a New Year’s gathering, how much of a problem would it be for that person to isolate or quarantine? Are you prepared for that event? Do you have the proper resources in place to provide enough time and space for isolation? Try to think through those possibilities before committing to an event.
▪ Consider your own risk tolerance. Thompson said it’s important to plan for the worst possible scenario when making plans, and decide how willing you are to risk a COVID exposure or infection based on that scenario. What would happen if you were to be exposed to or infected with COVID? Would you have to take unpaid time off from work? If you’re traveling, would you be stuck completing a quarantine period elsewhere before you can return home? Would you expose friends and family members? Thinking through those questions can help you weigh the risks you’re taking by going to an event.
Are certain gatherings safer than others?
Thompson said large indoor gatherings, especially ones that are attended by largely unvaccinated or unmasked individuals, “have the potential to be COVID superspreading events.”
Smaller gatherings of vaccinated and masked individuals, whether indoors or outdoors, would be safer, especially if rapid COVID tests are implemented at the entryway, Thompson said.
How to stay safe at gatherings
“If you do attend a gathering for New Year’s Eve, do everything you can to protect yourself and those around you,” Thompson said.
That includes:
▪ Getting vaccinated against COVID, and getting a booster shot if you’re eligible.
▪ Making sure those around you are also vaccinated and have received a booster shot.
▪ Wearing masks in indoor settings and crowded outdoor settings.
▪ Practicing physical distancing when possible.
▪ Washing your hands thoroughly.
▪ Taking a rapid test before attending an event, as well as afterward if you have a potential exposure to the virus.
A rapid test can be administered as you enter the doorway of a gathering or 15 minutes before an event, Thompson said, though some public health experts recommend testing twice — once three days before the event, and again on the day of the event.
Thompson said rapid tests can be hard to come by these days, but they are recommended if you can get one.
Rapid tests, which are antigen-based, are less reliable than PCR tests, Thompson said, but they have the advantage of giving results within minutes of testing, rather than within one to three days like with PCR testing.
I was exposed to COVID at New Year’s event. What do I do?
If you learn that you were exposed to COVID at a New Year’s Eve gathering, the Centers for Disease Control recommends the following testing advice based on vaccination status:
▪ Fully vaccinated people should be tested between five to seven days after exposure.
▪ Partially vaccinated and unvaccinated people should get tested immediately after learning they were a close contact to a COVID exposure, and again five to seven days later if the first test was negative. If the person develops symptoms, they should get tested immediately.
New Year’s Eve events in Raleigh
▪ First Night Raleigh: Despite the rise in COVID cases, First Night Raleigh, which has been helping Raleighites and North Carolinians ring in the new year since the 1990s, will take place as scheduled, though changes will be in place due to the pandemic. The downtown event will, for the first time, feature solely outdoor events including a disco roller rink, live music, a Ferris wheel, two acorn drops — one for kids at 7 p.m. and another at midnight — and more.
According to a Monday afternoon Facebook post, First Night announced outdoor venues will now require proof of COVID vaccination or a negative COVID test within 48 hours of the event for all attendees ages 6 and up.
Tickets are required for all attendees ages 6 and up. Ages 5 and under can attend for free.
- Tickets are $12 in advance, regardless of age.
- Tickets purchased on-site on the day of the event will cost $12 for attendees ages 6-12, and $16 for attendees ages 13 and up.
Find out more about First Night Raleigh and purchase tickets at firstnightraleigh.com.
▪ New Year’s Eve at Raleigh Beer Garden: Raleigh Beer Garden (614 Glenwood Ave.) will host a New Year’s Eve event with “a DJ spinning all night and a champagne toast at midnight.” The event runs from 10 p.m. on Dec. 31 to 2 a.m. the next day. Tickets are $10, which guarantees you entry into Raleigh Beer Garden after 10 p.m., but does not reserve a seat for you. Tickets are refundable up to one day before the event.
Find out more about Raleigh Beer Garden’s event and purchase tickets on the event website.
▪ New Year’s Eve skating at United Skates of America: Want to roll into the new year? United Skates of America (2901 Trawick Rd.) will host three different skating parties throughout the day on New Year’s Eve.
The day starts with a New Year’s skate from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Tickets are $9.50.
- Skate rental is $5.
A family-friendly New Year’s Eve kids countdown will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- The event will include games, prizes and more.
- Admission is $15 per person.
Late-night skaters can ring in the new year with a skate party from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- An admission cost of $20 includes skate rental, a slice of pizza, a small drink, a glow necklace and a party favor.
Find out more about United Skates of America’s New Year’s Eve skating options on the company’s website.
▪ New Year’s Eve party at PourWorks: PourWorks (900 E. Six Forks Rd., #120), a craft beer and wine lounge, will host a New Year’s Eve party from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. The event will include drink specials, a Champagne toast at midnight and food, plus music bingo from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Entry is free.
Find out more about the PourWorks New Year’s Eve party on the PourWorks events page or on PourWorks’ Facebook event.
Durham
▪ New Year’s Eve Pre-Party at Glass Jug Beer Lab: If you’re looking for a place to start your festive evening, Glass Jug Beer Lab (545 Foster St. in downtown Durham) will host a pre-party from noon to 9 p.m. The taproom will be featuring $4 champagne and $6 beer and wine cocktails throughout the event. A DJ will be spinning records from 6 to 9 p.m.
Find out more about Glass Jug Beer Lab’s pre-party event on the event website.
▪ Durty Bull Brewing Company open-mic stand-up comedy: Durty Bull Brewing Company (206 Broadway St. #104) will host its weekly open-mic stand-up comedy show from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets are free, but can be reserved online. Ages 21 and up only.
Cary
▪ New Year’s Eve parties at Fortnight Brewing: Fortnight Brewing Company (1006 SW Maynard Rd.), a craft brewery and pub that specialized in English beers, will offer two New Year’s Eve parties.
The brewery’s family-friendly event will start at 6 p.m. and feature a New Year’s countdown on United Kingdom time at 7 p.m.
After the UK countdown, the brewery will host another party, from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. that will feature music, karaoke, comedy, games and more. You can buy tickets online for $12, or purchase on-site for $15.
▪ Peter Lamb and the Wolves New Year’s Eve show: Downtown Cary brewery Bond Brothers Eastside (602 E. Chatham St.) will host a New Year’s Eve celebration with jazz band Peter Lamb and the Wolves. The event runs from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tickets are $15, and include a champagne toast at midnight, extended food truck hours, complimentary snacks, outside heaters and fire pits.
Find out more about the event and get the link to purchase tickets on the Bond Brothers website.
▪ N.C. Chinese Lantern Festival: The North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival at Koka Booth Amphiteatre (8003 Regency Parkway) will be open on New Year’s Eve from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Ticket prices vary by attendee’s age and when you purchase the ticket. Find out more information about the festival and get tickets on the Koka Booth Amphitheatre website.
How to celebrate at home watching TV
If you decide to stay home this New Year’s Eve, there are several options of TV broadcasts you can watch.
▪ Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest: Watch the scaled-back celebration in New York City’s Times Square, including the famed ball drop. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the broadcast and will include live performances from artists such as Billy Porter and LL Cool J. “Rockin’ Eve” starts at 8 p.m. on ABC and will be hosted by Ryan Seacrest.
▪ CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live: Back for their fifth year together, Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper will host CNN’s broadcast of New Year’s Eve festivities around the world. Performers and special guests include Katy Perry, William Shatner, Patti LaBelle, Amanda Gorman, Leslie Jordan and more. “New Year’s Eve Live” starts at 8 p.m. on CNN.
▪ NBC’s “2021: It’s Toast!” and “Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party”: NBC will host two New Year’s Eve specials — one with Today Show hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager, followed by one hosted by Miley Cyrus and comedian Pete Davidson.
“2021: It’s Toast!” with Kotb and Bush Hager will highlight lighthearted and humorous moments from 2021, and will air on NBC at 8 p.m.
Cyrus and Davidson’s special will air at 10:30 p.m. on NBC and will also be livestreamed on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service. Performers and guests include Brandi Carlile, Billie Joe Armstrong, Jack Harlow and more.
This story was originally published December 27, 2021 at 4:19 PM.
