DENVER (December 5, 2016) – New Year’s Eve falls on a Saturday this year, and Denver has a full weekend of activities to help visitors celebrate. From family-friendly events to elegant evening fetes, there is something for every type of partygoer in The Mile High City this year. Great hotel packages all around the city make it easy for revelers to choose several events and stay for the whole festive weekend.
Below are some highlights of the Denver New Year’s Eve festivities; a full list of ideas and hotel packages can be found at MileHighHolidays.com.
New Year’s Eve Fireworks in Denver, Dec. 31, 2016
The sky will once again sparkle over the 16th Street Mall at the close of 2016 with the downtown New Year's Eve fireworks. The two spectacular fireworks shows will occur at the family-friendly hour of 9 p.m. and again at midnight; and the 16th Street Mall offers the best vantage points. Costumed entertainers will interact with crowds between shows, including magicians, mascots, balloon artists, stilt walkers, comedians and more.
Noon Year’s Eve at Children’s Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus, Dec. 31, 2016
Children can experience the excitement, thrills and festive fun of New Year's Eve in Denver - all before bedtime. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Children's Museum of Denver at Marsico Campus will celebrate with glittery ball drops, rainbows of confetti and huge sheets of bubble wrap (the museum's version of fireworks) for kids to stomp on. After the ball drops, the celebration keeps going with sparkling art projects and activities on the plaza.
New Year’s Eve Countdown Party at Union Station, Dec. 31, 2016
The iconic Denver Union Station rings in the new year with not one, but three New Year’s Eve parties. The Great Hall Silent DJ Party will feature DJs from New York's Sound Off spinning beats as guests dance while listening through LED-lighted headphones. Then there will be a speakeasy party on the lower level of the station, with a private party featuring live music by Denver’s Gypsy Swing Revue from 10 p.m. – 1 a.m. And finally, guests of one of Denver’s most romantic spots, the Cooper Lounge, will raise a complimentary glass of Veuve Cliquot at midnight in a commemorative Cooper Lounge champagne flute.
New Year’s Eve at Club Wings, Dec. 31, 2016
Party in a World War II-era aircraft hangar as Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum hosts an evening of drinks and dancing. From 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., DJ Wonder will fill the hangar with a blend of original electronic dance music and exclusive remixes. There will also be performances by Sur Ellz.
Resolution New Year’s Eve 2017, Dec. 31, 2016
Held at downtown's stylish The Curtis – A Doubletree by Hilton, Resolution NYE 2017 features an all-inclusive premium open bar, some of Denver’s top DJs and live bands, theatrical performers and glamorous holiday decor. The countdown to 2017 will include a massive balloon drop, confetti and light show.
White Rose Gala, Dec. 31, 2016
A Roaring '20s and Great Gatsby theme will make this year's White Rose Gala a sparkling spectacle at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Costumed guests will enjoy a speakeasy area, multiple levels and balconies, flapper girls, live music from Swing Je T'aime, more than 40 performers and dancing — and it will all end in a confetti blast midnight, complete with party hats and noise makers.
New Year’s Eve Black Tie Party, Dec. 31, 2016
The Sheraton Downtown Denver Hotel’s 28,000-square-foot chandelier-studded ballroom will be the scene of dressed-to-the-nines socialites dancing the night away to live music and headliner DJs. Enjoy Vegas-style casino games and a huge confetti blast and champagne toast at midnight.
Denver’s Grandest New Year’s Eve Party, Dec. 31, 2016
Enjoy three parties in one at Grand Hyatt Denver — all with access to a premium open bar, delicious dinner buffet, dancing and a champagne toast at midnight under a massive balloon drop. Two of Denver’s favorite party bands, Nacho Men and Club X, will entertain, and there will also be karaoke in Pub 17.
Decadence NYE, Dec. 30-31, 2016
Global Dance, AEG Live and Live Nation join together to on a massive dance celebration at the Colorado Convention Center over the course of two nights. Guests enjoy world-class music, performers, diamond-clad decor, glimmering displays of technology and luxurious art installations on the theme, City of Decadence.
Blockbuster Exhibitions
Star Wars™ and the Power of Costume, through April 2, 2017
Explore the artistry of the world’s most recognized cinematic costumes at Star Wars™ and the Power of Costume at Denver Art Museum. The exhibition will feature more than 70 hand-crafted costumes from the first seven blockbuster Star Wars™ films, along with 100 additional pieces, many of which have never been seen, sourced directly from George Lucas’s Skywalker Ranch.
Washed Ashore, Art to Save the Sea, through Jan. 16, 2017
This amazing exhibit features 15 giant sculptures of sea life made almost entirely from trash collected from beaches. Developed by the non-profit group, The Washed Ashore Project, the exhibit is meant to create awareness about marine debris and plastic pollution though art. This is the second traveling exhibit of its kind to come to Denver Zoo, and the first time Washed Ashore will be hosted by an inland, noncoastal location. The detailed, colorful sculptures, each created using hundreds of individual pieces, all represent species that are directly impacted by sea trash, such as a sea turtle or a penguin.
Mummies: New Secrets from the Tombs, through February 5, 2017
This exhibition at Denver Museum of Nature & Science provides a rare look at 20 mummies – many of which have never been on public display – originating from ancient Egypt and Peru, from many historic ages and backgrounds. Mummies: New Secrets from the Tombs reveals burial secrets and new details about the mummies’ lives and the societies they lived in. The experience is enhanced by richly decorated coffins, sarcophaguses, mummification tools, and mummies of birds, cats and crocodiles. Ancient civilizations and the modern world intersect as the latest technologies make it possible to unravel the distant past.
Hotel Packages and Rates
There are numerous hotel offers that extend throughout the holiday season, including New Year’s Eve; but here are a few highlights.
Denver’s Grandest New Year’s Eve Package, Grand Hyatt Denver
The Grandest New Year’s Eve Party includes open bar with premium pour, admission to three areas of entertainment, dinner buffet, champagne toast at midnight, party hats and favors, balloon drops galore and more. Move from one newly refreshed ballroom to another and dance the night away. The entertainment lineup features The Nacho Men in the Colorado Ballroom and 12-piece high-energy band with DJ, Club X, in the Aspen Ballroom and Karaoke in Pub 17. Overnight hotel packages start at $439 per room including two party tickets.
Courtyard by Marriott Denver Downtown Mile High Holidays
The Courtyard by Marriott Denver Downtown is featuring rates starting at $100 per night throughout the holiday season. Enjoy the hotel’s convenient location within walking distance to shopping and dining options along the 16th Street Mall, free Wi-Fi, fitness center and business center.
5280 Mile High Promotion, Hotel Teatro
Through the winter season, Hotel Teatro is offering its historic rooms starting at the Mile High-themed price of $152.80 per night. Guests will enjoy this iconic boutique hotel, impeccable service and proximity to all of the downtown holiday and New Year’s Eve events.