CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte is getting ready to say goodbye to 2022.
Dozens of restaurants and bars are hosting celebrations, including a free, family-friendly event in Uptown.
At the Music Yard, organizers promise an extraordinary experience with a Great Gatsby-themed party that starts at 7 p.m. Saturday night. General admission tickets are $30 for adults 21 and up.
Preston Albernathy, the director at the Music Yard, told WCNC Charlotte "We were just kind of putting our heads together and what could be kind of cool, and we have the speakeasy that's already here. So, it's already in a prohibition vibe."
The event is all centered around music, of course.
"That's what separates us probably from every other event that will be happening in Charlotte, is the ability to provide multiple stages with different sounds," said Cody Leviner with the Music Yard.
Trolley Barn in South End decided to host a ticketed event this year after hosting a casual celebration last year, soon after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted for mass gatherings.
"We had so much fun and there was a lot of positive response to it," said Amanda Buckley, Trolley Barn's general manager.
And the response this year is positive too; Saturday's event sold out its 200 tickets.
"We are going to be transitioning this entire space to be a winter wonderland experience," Buckley said. "There's going to be several food offerings throughout the night, so come hungry because we have tons of delicious food. We're gonna be doing a lot of drink features that are special priced for the event."
Lucia Zats, Director of Operations for the Food and Beverage Social Club, helped plan the logistics for the collaboration between Trolley Barn and Legion Brewing.
"Trolley Barn has an amazing chef, Chef Jean. And we will have a great DJ and it's just gonna be a fun celebration," said Zats.
If you're looking for some family-friendly fun, rain or shine, the traditional CLT New Year's Eve at Tryon and Levine Avenue of the Arts will be counting down to 2023 for free.
Moira Quinn, Senior Vice President at Charlotte Center City Partners, said "We have a live band. What we do is a free, live dance party for the city of Charlotte, as a way of ushering in the New Year with fireworks, free music. It's alcohol-free, so it's family-friendly."
While alcohol will not be sold at the event, there will be plenty of food trucks set up. Quinn said there will be plenty of opportunities to cut a rug as well.
"We have a DJ that spins tunes from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. And from 10 p.m. to midnight, the live dance band comes up and they do their thing and that's awesome. Then at midnight, the fireworks go off," said Quinn.
She said parking should be plentiful but not free.
If you plan on drinking, you're also encouraged to use an alternative method of getting around like the light rail, a rideshare app, a taxi, or having a designated driver.
For a complete list of other events taking place on New Year's Eve, click here.
Contact Jane Monreal at jmonreal@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.