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What do you want to do for New Year’s Eve? Because essentially any darn thing you could want is possible—thanks to Portland’s host of creative parties. This list of events—from the Mercury’s Everout calendar team—is so unmissable that you’ll have FOMO just reading it.

The Mercury’s Everout calendar team dove into an inbox ocean of NYE 2023 Portland parties and found you OPTIONS: fancy-schmancy dress events, a sci-fi discotheque, a cowboy prom, and more! This list of events so unmissable that you’ll have FOMO just reading it.

by Janey Wong

What do you want to do for New Year’s Eve? Because essentially any darn thing you could want is possible—thanks to Portland’s willingness to burst out into numerous, creative parties. The Mercury‘s Everout calendar team dove into December 31 happenings and found you everything from fancy-schmancy dress events to a sci-fi discotheque to a cowboy prom. You can midnight breakfast buffet with the drag mavens of Darcelle’s XV or—if you play your cards right—segue from a delicious gimbap dinner to a late-night karaoke party (!). This list of events so unmissable that you’ll have FOMO just reading it.

 

Champagne Ball 2023

Wrangle up something gold and glittery, because one of Portland’s fancy-schmanciest New Year’s Eve parties will return for its 31st year. Since relocating to the Portland Art Museum last year, the Champagne Ball has expanded to offer up “16,000 square feet of good times,” complete with a video countdown, two ballrooms, party band performances, DJs, singles beads AKA mardi gras-style beads that help singles pick up on flirty vibes, a karaoke lounge, and a “hot and cold hors d’oeuvres buffet.” (The amount of partying you’ll be doing is sure to work up an appetite, right?) Lindsay Costello

Portland Art Museum, South Park Blocks

 

Darcelle XV & Company Presents New Year’s Eve 2023

Darcelle XV Showplace has had a hell of a year, to say the least; from losing the venue’s beloved and world record-holding matriarch in March to staging a world record-breaking 48-hour drag-a-thon in July. At this glittery spectacular, the talented Darcelle’s cast will put the curtain call on 2023 in their signature sickening fashion with the help of special guests, party favors, bottles of bubbly, and, the quite frankly genius feature of a midnight breakfast buffet. Janey Wong

Darcelle XV Showplace, Old Town-Chinatown

Glam Slam NYE Party

We love a lawn game. And if it makes you, like us, sad when it’s too cold to play outside, scoot your boot over to the People’s Courts for a 21-and-up New Year’s Eve bash! One ticket gets you access to all of the courts—until the sporty last call hour of 1 am—so show off your skills at pickleball, bocce, corn hole, ping pong, and a variety of arcade games. Don’t forget to pause your match for the champagne toast at midnight; the kitchen will be open for food and drink purchase, if you need fuel before then. Shannon Lubetich

The People’s Courts, Madison South

 

AREA ’24: A New Year’s Eve Space Disco presented by Ibiza Boys, Møthership, and Holocene

This New Year’s Eve, party like it’s 3024 with a “transcendent sci-fi discotheque” inspired by retro-futurism, alien discoveries, and artificial intelligence. Darkwave duo Orkis set the mood with their forward-thinking electropop, alongside DJ sets from Andy Warren, Tourmaline, Ibiza Boys, Visitr, and Katwalk. The mind-bending visuals of artists Hasmood and Ryne will make you believe that there’s life on Mars, and you are that life! Don’t forget to dress in your best chrome couture—a melding of 70s nostalgia and avant-garde futurism fashions is highly encouraged. Audrey Vann

Holocene, Buckman

 

Battle of The Decades

Rep your favorite decade with a poodle skirt, go-go boots, or neon garb as legendary Portland musicians take on the task of playing tunes from the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s in a “musical deathmatch.” The lineup has yet to be announced, but considering last year’s participants included Quasi, Unwound, Heatmiser, All Girl Summer Fun Band, and the Jicks, I promise you won’t be disappointed. And, as with most NYE shindigs, you can expect a champagne toast and balloon drop at midnight. Audrey Vann

Mississippi Studios, Boise

 

Jenny Don’t and The Spurs – New Year’s Eve Cowboy Prom

Ring in the New Year in style at this “cowboy prom” featuring live performances, a balloon drop, and a photo booth to memorialize the evening forever. Jenny Don’t and the Spurs will headline with an energetic live set filled with flashy western wear (handmade by Jenny herself). The band pulls inspiration from classic country greats like Patsy Cline and Hank Williams, following suit with the same level of rawness and sincerity. Like-minded country troupe James Jones and the Chupacabras will open. Now can I get a “yee-haw”?! Audrey Vann

Polaris Hall, Humboldt

 

Reptaliens

Behold! An end-of-year closer show from high-concept music project Reptaliens inside Revolution Hall’s smaller burger-bar-adjacent venue, Show Bar. Those new to Reptaliens can start with their most recent full-length, Multiverse, which represented a more down-to-earth, guitar-rock approach than their previously synth-powered sound. Fans will hope for the group to also bust out material from the more surreal, sci-fi, conspiracy-influenced corners of their catalog. Their 2020 EP Wrestling paired moody songs with invigorating beats on “Listening,” and “Do You Know?” And that’s just the vibe to pump up these dreary winter nights, and welcome in January’s cold-but-curiously-seasonable reputation. Offering sturdy support to the NYE bill is Portland’s psych and hard pop band Aan, who will slay irresistible bangers like recently released single “Black Hole.” While Rev Hall’s roof deck is typically closed between November and March, the team sometimes opens it up on nice weather nights, so cross your fingers for clear skies! Maybe we’ll get a chance to ring in the New Year with that banger view of the city skyline. Jenni Moore

Show Bar, Buckman

 

Han Oak’s Baller Gimbap Party
Peter Cho and Sun Young Park’s celebrated Korean restaurant is throwing a rowdy “baller gimbap” bash complete with sizzling New York prime strip, cured pork belly, market-fresh produce, seasonal banchan, and plenty of seafood, along with a selection of luxurious supplements such as caviar and A5 wagyu beef. The final seating also includes entry into a late-night karaoke party, where you can belt your favorite pop ballads to your heart’s content. Julianne Bell

Han Oak, Kerns

 

The Big Night
In the 1996 film Big Night, two immigrant brothers—the grouchy but brilliant chef Primo (Tony Shalhoub) and the pragmatic restaurant manager Secondo (Stanley Tucci)—throw an unforgettably decadent feast as a last-ditch attempt to keep their struggling Italian restaurant afloat. The Italian American red sauce joint Gabbiano’s will attempt to recreate this grand cinematic meal with a sprawling six-course family-style dinner on New Year’s Eve that includes the film’s most iconic dish, timpano (a baked pasta stuffed with meatballs, sausages, egg, rigatoni, and cheeses), plus cioppino, bubbles upon arrival, optional wine pairings, late-night snacks, and a champagne toast at midnight. Julianne Bell

Gabbiano’s, Concordia