Celebrate New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day around Bradenton with these fun local events
2024 is almost gone, and the Bradenton area is ready to welcome 2025’s quarter-century mark in style.
Local holiday happenings to celebrate New Year’s Eve on Tuesday include street parties in Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch and Sarasota’s famous pineapple drop.
The fun will continue on Wednesday for New Year’s Day when Clancy’s Irish Sports Pub in Bradenton hosts its annual Shamrock Shiver charity event, which will take a different format this year due to hurricane damage on Anna Maria Island.
Here’s a look at options for a festive New Year near you.
Bradenton Alive New Year’s Eve Celebration
A New Year’s Eve celebration in downtown Bradenton will bring live music and family fun to Old Main Street on Tuesday night.
Sarasota country songwriter Derek Lersch and his band will perform.
The event will also have food trucks, vendors, kids activities and a ball drop at midnight.
- Details: 8 p.m. Tuesday. Old Main Street, downtown Bradenton. Free admission.
- More info: Facebook.com/BradentonsAlive
Sarasota Pineapple Drop
Another option for local New Year’s Eve fun is downtown Sarasota’s annual street party.
The mega block party includes live DJs, food and drink, arts and crafts vendors, kids activities and more.
Amusement rides and games will be offered at Selby 5 Points Park starting at 1 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and ending at 12:30 a.m. Unlimited ride wristbands are $37 (group discounts are available online).
Music performances will happen on three downtown stages throughout the event with bands playing dance, rock, pop and country hits. Downtown bars and restaurants will offer New Year’s specials, and food and drink vendors will offer more options.
The famous illuminated pineapple drop will happen at midnight at the corner of Main and Lemon streets, followed by a fireworks display over Sarasota Bay.
- Details: 1 p.m. New Year’s Eve to 1:30 a.m. New Year’s Day. Intersection of Main St. and Lemon Ave., Sarasota. Free.
- Info: DestinationDowntownSarasota.com
New Year’s Eve at Waterside Place in Lakewood Ranch
A New Year’s Eve celebration at Lakewood Ranch’s community gathering spot will include food and drinks, a live DJ, games for all ages and a countdown to midnight.
A kid’s corner will offer games and inflatable jump houses, and there will be a glow-in-the-dark putt putt golf course.
The event will feature food trucks, sweet treats, coffee and hot chocolate, and Waterside Place restaurants will offer cocktails for sale, organizers say.
- Details: 6 p.m. to midnight New Year’s Eve. Waterside Place, 1560 Lakefront Drive, Lakewood Ranch. Free admission.
- More info: Facebook.com/WatersidePlace
New Year’s Eve parties
Local restaurants and hangouts will host New Year’s Eve parties with live music, drink and dinner specials and other festivities on Tuesday. Here are some highlights:
Astro Skate of Bradenton’s New Year’s Eve Party will offer free skating for parents joining their kids in the rink.
- Details: 8:30 p.m. Tuesday to 12:30 a.m. Wednesday. Astro Skate of Bradenton, 3611 Third St. W., Bradenton. Child admission: $10. Parent admission: Free with paid child admission. Skate rentals start at $10.
- Info: Facebook.com/AstroSkateBradenton.
Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen in the Village of the Arts will host blues player Skyler Saufley for a night of live music on New Year’s Eve paired with the restaurant’s menu of Southern fare.
- Details: 6 p.m. Tuesday. Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen, 1114 12th St. W., Bradenton. $5 cover.
- Info: Facebook.com/cottonmouthSOUL
Floridays Grill & Bar in Bradenton will host a New Year’s Eve party with a special holiday menu, live music and complimentary champagne.
- Details: 5-10 p.m. Tuesday. Floridays Woodfire Grill & Bar, 12332 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton. Menu options range from $55 to $95.
- Info: Facebook.com/floridaysgrill
Mademoiselle Paris will host chef-crafted New Year’s Eve dinners at its locations in University Town Center and on Anna Maria Island. Live music will complement the five-course dinner menu.
- Details: 5 p.m. Tuesday. Mademoiselle Paris UTC, 8527 Cooper Creek Blvd., University Park and Mademoiselle Paris AMI, 9906 Gulf Dr., Anna Maria. $99 per person. Reservations required.
- Info: MademoiselleParis.com
Mattison’s restaurants: All three Mattison’s locations will be open on New Year’s Eve with festive drinks and dining and live entertainment.
Each location has its own music and special menu to offer for the holiday. The City Grille is an ideal spot to watch the Sarasota pineapple drop.
- Details: New Year’s Eve party hours are 8 p.m. to midnight at Mattison’s Riverwalk Grille, 101 Riverwalk Blvd., Bradenton.
- Info: Mattisons.com
Motorworks Brewing will party like it’s 1985 this New Year’s. The brewery’s New Year’s Eve bash promises a “full-blown, 80s-themed extravaganza” with ‘80s rock tribute band Scream Machine.
Guests are encouraged to dress up in their ‘80s finest. Tickets include a complimentary beer, party favors and a champagne toast, and there will also be a light show.
- Details: 8 p.m. New Year’s Eve until 1 a.m. Motorworks Brewing, 930 Ninth St. W., Bradenton. $20 general admission; $50 premium admission; $75 VIP.
- Info: Facebook.com/MotorworksBrewing
Pier 22/GROVE: Sister restaurants Pier 22 in Bradenton and GROVE in Lakewood Ranch will both offer holiday menus for New Year’s Eve diners.
Additionally, Pier 22 will have a live DJ on the terrace and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight.
Both restaurants’ VIP New Year’s events are sold out.
- Details: Restaurants open 11 a.m.-midnight on New Year’s Eve. Pier 22, 1200 First Ave. W., Bradenton. GROVE, 10670 Boardwalk Loop, Lakewood Ranch.
- Info: Pier22Dining.com; GroveLWR.com
Taverna Toscana in downtown Bradenton will host diners for a four-course holiday meal, live music and a champagne toast on New Year’s Eve.
- Details: 9 p.m. Tuesday. Taverna Toscana, 1301 Sixth Ave. W., Bradenton. $175 per person.
- Info: Facebook.com/TavernaToscanaBradenton
Clancy’s Shamrock Shiver party for charity
Every year, Clancy’s Irish Sports Pub in Cortez hosts the Shamrock Shiver on New Year’s Day, when locals costume up and head out to Anna Maria Island to plunge into the wintery waters of the Gulf of Mexico for charity.
The 17th annual Shamrock Shiver will be a little different. With Anna Maria Island still recovering from a destructive hurricane season, organizers will host the entire 2025 event at Clancy’s restaurant.
But the mission will remain the same, organizers say. They are looking to raise $40,000 for local charities that serve disadvantaged children.
Instead of the Gulf plunge, charity participants will face a drenching with an icy bucket of water.
The event will include door prizes, raffles, a silent auction and live music by local country/bluegrass/rock group, Dr. Dave Band.
To sign up for the ice bucket challenge or to donate, call Clancy’s at 941-794-2481.
- Details: Party starts at noon Wednesday, New Year’s Day. Clancy’s Irish Sports Pub, 6218 Cortez Road W., Bradenton.
- Info: ClancysIrishSportsPub.com
Holiday events and light displays
Bradenton Holiday Lights Festival at the Freedom Factory: The Freedom Factory car racing track in Bradenton is revving up the holiday spirit this year with a drive-thru holiday light experience.
Cars will be guided along a route illuminated by over 100,000 lights synchronized to music. The route includes a light tunnel and a chance to drive on the racetrack.
- Details: Through Jan. 4. 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays; 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. Freedom Factory, 21050 E. S.R. 64, Bradenton. $20 per vehicle.
- Info: FreedomFactoryUSA.com
Lights in Bloom: “Lights in Bloom” transforms Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota into an illuminated winter wonderland.
More than two million lights are in place to illuminate Selby’s gardens and walkways.
The event also includes arts and crafts, activities, entertainment and holiday photo ops. Food and drink will be available for purchase in the gardens.
- Details: Through Jan. 1. Early entry: 5:30 to 9 p.m. General entry: 6:30 to 9 p.m. Selby Botanical Gardens, 900 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota. Adults: $34 general admission; $44 early admission. Ages 5 to 17: $19 general admission; $24 early admission. Children under 5: Free.
- Info: Selby.org
Holidays at UTC: Holiday activities at University Town Center will continue into 2025.
Attractions include nightly light shows along Cattlemen Road, an ice rink, outdoor holiday movie showings, horse-drawn carriage rides, Saturday night fireworks shows, an outdoor exhibit of holiday greeting cards created by local schools and holiday trees decorated by local charities.
- Details: Through Jan. 5. University Town Center, 210 North Cattlemen Road, Sarasota.
- Info: UTCSarasota.com/holidays
Christmas at Busch Gardens: Busch Gardens’ annual Christmas Town celebration puts a holly jolly twist on Florida theme park fun.
The park is decked out in lights and decorations for the holiday party, and there are festive eats, shows, rides and music to enjoy.
A $142.99 Fun Card allows unlimited entries to the Christmas Town event and free entry to the park through the end of 2025.
- Details: Nov. 15 through Jan. 5. Busch Gardens, 10165 McKinley Drive, Tampa. Single-day ticket: $142.99.
- Info: BuschGardens.com/tampa/events/christmas-town
Shows and performing arts
“Wonderland: Illuminate” circus at UTC: This year’s collaboration between tightrope walker Nik Wallenda and The Circus Arts Conservatory welcomes guests for “a magical journey through holiday traditions from around the globe.”
The show features comedy, aerial arts, acrobatics and live camels.
- Details: 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Monday; 2 p.m. Tuesday; 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Thursday; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday;1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday. and 6:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday. Through Jan. 5. 195 University Town Center Dr., Sarasota. Tickets start at $35.
- More info: WonderlandCircus.com
McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre will celebrate New Year’s Eve with a lineup of comedians, food and drink, raffle prizes and a screening of the New York City ball drop. Club founder Les McCurdy will host the evening, with guest acts and a headline performance by Dale Jones.
- Details: 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota. $80 per person.
- More info: McCurdysComedy.com
Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s original favorite “A Motown Christmas” will keep the holiday spirit going into the new year.
“’A Motown Christmas’ selects traditional favorite carols—the kind we can all sing along to—and pairs them with the company’s trademark mix of soulful, rocking hits from the Motown record company,” a preview says.
- Details: Through Jan. 5. Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, 1012 N. Orange Ave., Sarasota. Adults: $57. Students and active military: $22.
- Info: (941) 366-1505. WestCoastBlackTheatre.org