New Year's Spots That Pop

Celebrate the old year and welcome the new with fireworks, food, fun, and family!

Have a festive cocktail, walk a red carpet, and participate in a duck drop- southwest Illinois invites you to dress your best and toss some confetti as you say hello to 2023!

A Year to Celebrate Together

Spend the last day of the year in Grafton with a New Year’s Eve Balloon Drop at The Loading Dock Ice Rink. Watch the New Year’s Eve Fireworks in Grafton reflect off the waters of the Mississippi River after your skate and be sure to have a hot cocoa on hand from The Loading Dock for the show!

Want to bring the kids to a warmer event? Make a splash at the New Year’s Eve Party at the Korte Rec Center in Highland with a New Year’s swim, a bubble blower, balloon animals, and a beach ball/ rubber ducky drop!

The Loading Dock Ice Rink New Year's Eve Balloon Drop

One Last Taste of 2022

Hungry for 2023?

Have one last taste of 2022 in style with a 7-course New Year’s Eve Tasting Dinner at Cleveland Heath in Edwardsville.

Dress your best and walk a red carpet at the New Year’s Red-Carpet Event at Bella Vista Winery in Maryville with chef stations serving brisket and salmon; have dinner at an elegant New Year’s Eve Party at Pere Marquette Lodge in Grafton; or have a specialty holiday cocktail at the FLOCK the Halls Holiday Pop-Up Bar in Alton at FLOCK Food Truck Park on both Dec. 30 and 31.

Not down for a late night? Join the New Year’s Eve Bash at Who Dat’s in Collinsville for breakfast and lunch specials Jan. 1 or celebrate New Year’s Day at Foundry Boathouse in Edwardsville with lunch and country music by Dave Horton. You can also start the festivities early at Winter Wonderland New Year's at Sloan's Pub House in Collinsville with a morning brunch and all-day specials that end with a champagne toast when the clock strikes midnight!

Cleveland-Heath in Edwardsville

Dance Until the Ball Drops

What would New Year’s Eve be without music?

Southwest Illinois venues are bursting this year with some of the region’s favorite local bands ready to rock you into 2023! Have some farm-to-table fare and jam at Bakers & Hale New Year’s Eve with Flip the Frog in Godfrey. Get groovy at the Spillie Nelson New Year’s Bash at The Conservatory in Alton, or take a drive up to Chesterfield for Miles Station New Year’s Eve at Wild Pickins!

The Grand Arson will be playing new tunes for the New Year’s Eve Party at The Back Bar in Edwardsville, Money$hot will be performing at the GLOW New Year’s Party at Wiggler’s in Edwardsville, and popular band Foreplay will be shaking up New Year’s Eve at The Pump House in Wood River!

Spillie Nelson at The Conservatory in Alton

About the Author

Kayla Howland

Kayla Howland is a local writer and artist who lives in Alton, IL with her Cairn Terrier, Ripley. She enjoys fiction and non-fiction writing, graphic design, painting, drawing and photography. Kayla is a graduate of Southwestern High School and Lewis & Clark Community College. She has worked doing freelance graphic design, photography and commissioned paintings since 2012.