With New Year’s Eve falling on a Saturday, the holiday is destined to be extra festive this year. As we get ready to bid adieu to 2022, the Leelanau Ticker has your roundup of New Year’s dining, activities, and celebrations.

At restaurateur Eric Nittolo’s new speakeasy in Lake Leelanau, the usually members-only venue will open to the public for a special New Year’s Eve Celebration with live music by Detroit’s Laura Rain and the Caesars. Their reimagining of Motor City soul and vintage R&B will have party goers moving and grooving. Tickets are $25 per person, and each couple gets a bottle of bubbly. Dinner reservations for earlier in the evening are also available, with a special New Year’s Eve menu.

Celebrate the New Year in style and good taste at Black Star Farms. Its multi-course New Year’s Eve Dinner showcases a talented culinary team, thoughtful wine pairings, and the elegant setting of Black Star Farms’ inn. The evening begins with a reception featuring a special craft cocktail, followed by dinner at large, friendly feasting tables. Tickets are $155, and seating is limited. Formal attire is suggested, black tie optional.

Farm Club is part working farm, part brewery, part culinary destination, and a delightful experience. Farm Club is hosting a five course, sit down, farm-to-table New Year’s Eve dinner party, with seatings at 5:30pm and 8:30pm. Seatings are limited to 45 people, and tickets are $75 per person. 

For a waterfront wrap-up of 2022, head to Leland landmark The Riverside Inn for a five course, prix-fixe menu with plenty of bubbly to go around. Reservations are required, and can be made online. Also in Leland, check out the Winter Cheer Fest on January 1 at the Leland Lodge. This annual event is free and fun for the whole family, and features live music by The Broom Closet Boys, sledding, and food and drink specials.

At Leelanau Sands Casino, dance the night away with DJ Mark Wilson, spinning live from 9:00pm to 1:00am. Plus, enjoy drink specials, party favors, photo screen, and a prime rib dinner buffet. A little farther up the peninsula, Garage Bar-B-Q in Northport will open at 5:00pm and host a prix-fixe all-you-can-eat NYE dinner buffet - no reservations required.

If a cozy igloo with friends is more your style, here are a few great geodesic options. In addition to its beer garden and fire pits, the Hop Lot offers private heated igloos. Reserve an igloo for a 75-minute block and dig into the Hop Lot’s satisfying menu of tacos, burgers, and brew. Hop Lot igloos typically book two weeks out, so don’t delay. Two K Farms Cidery, St. Ambrose Cellars, M22 Wine Patio, and 45 North Vineyard & Winery also offer igloos (be sure to call ahead for hours and reservations).

Moviegoers can catch a special New Year’s Eve screening of the modern classic rom-com Love Actually at The Bay Theatre. It’s the grand finale of The Bay’s “Holiday Magic” film series. Even better? The Bay will be newly reopened following its big remodel, with refinished floors, new aisle lighting, and comfy new seats. 

Younger revelers have three opportunities to count down to 2023 at the Great Lakes Children’s Museum. GLCM’s New Year’s Countdown for Kids happens at 9:30am, 12:00pm, and 2:30pm. Kids and families can watch the ball drop, make some noise, and make it home before bedtime. This event sells out, so grab your reservations now.

Make the Strolling Lights Festival in Glen Arbor a part of your holiday weekend. Launched last year, the second annual event is held in the Crystal River Outfitters Recreational District, and benefits the Glen Lake Schools Student Assistance Fund. Stroll the grounds at any time through January 2, and enjoy 22 uniquely decorated trees.