It’s not too late to plan your New Year’s Eve in Kansas City. Here are a few ideas

Given that the bitter cold has given way to unseasonably warm weather, perhaps it’s time to rethink your plans for New Year’s Eve. Maybe it’s worth venturing out after all.

There are options for ringing in 2023 at venues all around the area, but New Year’s Eve at Kansas City Live! stands out as the closest thing to celebrating in Times Square.

In addition to a countdown and ball drop at midnight, NYE Live! will feature confetti cannons, party favors and access to more than a dozen bars and nightclubs. Festivities will begin at 8 p.m. Dec. 31. Tickets ($60-$160) and more information at nye-live.com/kansas-city.

Five more NYE events

▪ Irish New Year’s Eve Celebration, 4 p.m., Drexel Hall ($50-$85). irishcenterkc.org.

▪ Westport New Year’s Eve Celebration, 4 p.m., Westport District (prices vary at venues). westportkcmo.com.

▪ Black Party XVI, 8 p.m., The Truman ($65.97-$149.97). blackpartykc.com.

▪ New Year’s Eve at The Temple XIII, 8 p.m., Scottish Rite Temple ($60.97-$385.49). nyekc.com.

▪ NYE 2023, 8 p.m., Uptown ($55-$90). uptowntheater.com.

Three for the kids

▪ Wonder Eve, 9 a.m.-noon, Wonderscope Children’s Museum ($9-$12; free for members). wonderscope.org.

▪ Zoo Year’s Eve, 10 a.m.-noon, Kansas City Zoo ($8.50-$20). kansascityzoo.org.

▪ Noon Year’s Eve, noon-6:30 p.m., Science City at Union Station ($14.50; free for members). sciencecity.unionstation.org.

New Year’s Day fun

▪ The Hangover Half Marathon and 10K in Overland Park will be a casual event along streets and the Indian Creek Parkway Trail, 9 a.m. Jan. 1 ($33-$39). runsignup.com.

▪ The Kinnor Philharmonic will perform its New Year’s Concert at Lewis and Shirley White Theatre, 3 p.m. Jan. 1 ($18-$35). thewhitetheatre.com.

▪ Martin City Melodrama & Vaudeville Co. in Grandview will present the final performance of “The MuttCracker Suite” featuring area rescue dogs, 3:30 p.m. Jan. 1 ($14.99). martincitymelodrama.org.

This story was originally published December 28, 2022 at 5:30 AM.

Dan Kelly

The Kansas City Star

Dan Kelly has been covering entertainment and arts news at The Star since 2009. He previously worked at the Columbia Daily Tribune, The Miami Herald and The Louisville Courier-Journal. He also was on the University of Missouri School of Journalism faculty for six years, and he has written two books, most recently “The Girl with the Agate Eyes: The Untold Story of Mattie Howard, Kansas City’s Queen of the Underworld.”