Happy New Year 2015

Let St. Augustine inspire your New Year’s Eve celebration.

New Year’s Eve is a time for celebrating with friends and family while saying goodbye to 2014 and ushering in 2015.

New Year’s Eve or Old Year’s Night is observed on December 31, the final day of the Gregorian year, the day before New Year’s Day. New Year’s Eve is a separate observance from the observance of New Year’s Day.

New Year’s Eve is celebrated universally December 31 according to the year numbering of the CE (Common Era), or AD (Anno Domini) convention, even in non-Christian nations. Traditional and religious celebrations for e.g. the Muslim and Jewish new year, which occur on different dates, are still celebrated separately in the cultures that observe them, on the appropriate dates each year.

In modern practice, fireworks, music, alcoholic beverages and other forms of noise making is part of the New Year’s Eve celebration. New Year’s Eve is celebrated with parties and social gatherings spanning the transition of the year at midnight.

New Year celebrations are done globally and each country prides in observing the traditions of their culture. Some people feel New Year brings good luck and some pray for prosperity. Here is the New Year traditions around the World for you to explore the different customs practiced worldwide.

NationsOldestCity.com wish you a happy and prosperous year 2015

NEW YEAR’S EVE EVENTS IN ST. AUGUSTINE, FL

BEACH BLAST OFF 2014: Kick off 2014 in seaside style at this St. Augustine Beach event. Enjoy a blast of flavor with local food vendorsa Chili Cook0ff and fireworks at the St. Johns County Fishing Pier and Pavilion, 350 A1A Beach Blvd., in St. Augustine Beach. Hours are 2 to 10 p.m. The fireworks will begin at 8:30 p.m. Admission is free. Call 904-829-5681 or go to beachblastoff.com.

MASQUERADE AT THE STANDARD: A night of mystery and intrigue will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. Dec. 31 during the 2nd Annual Masquerade at The Standard, 200 Anastasia Blvd. The night begins under the stars at an outside bar for preshow cocktails. Next, guests will be ushered inside to receive a mask and instructions for the evening’s festivities. Guests are encouraged to dress in costume, and are asked to stay masked until the midnight hour for the grand unveiling and balloon drop. Photographers will be on hand; please dress to impress. VIP and on stage seating are available by reservation. Call 904-274-2090 or go to thestandardfl.com.

ANN O’MALLEY’S PARTY: Scuttered the Bruce will perform from 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. during a New Year’s Eve party at Ann O’Malley’s Irish Pub, 23 Orange St. Free party favors and a champagne toast at midnight. Admission is free. Call 904-825-4040 or go to annomalleys.com.

THE GAME’S AFOOT: “The Game’s Afoot” is on stage at 7:30 p.m. at Limelight Theatre, 11 Old Mission Ave. This comedy/mystery by Ken Ludwine tells the story of Broadway star William Gillette, admired for his leading role in the play Sherlock Holmes. He has invited his fellow cast-members to his Connecticut castle for a weekend of revelry. But when one of the guests is stabbed to death, the festivities quickly turn dangerous. For New Year’s Eve, appetizers, champagne and dessert will be served. Cost is $50 per person for the New Year’s Eve performance. The show runs through Jan. 5. Call 904-825-1164 or go to limelight-theatre.org.

NEW YEAR’S EVE PUB CRAWL: Ring in the New Year with a visit to some St. Augustine taverns from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Enjoy tales of the city’s history mixed with traditional “pub lore,” and find out how beer is made. All premium beers, ales, wines and sangria (and some snacks) are included at each watering spot on the tour. Presented by St. Augustine City Walks, the cost is $39 per person. Reservations ar required by calling 904-825-0087 or go toStAugustineCityWalks.com.

AMERICAN LEGION EVENT: American Legion Post 37, 1 Anderson Circle, will host a prime rib dinner with party favors, a champagne toast and DJ. The event takes place from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Dec. 31. Cost is $40 per person for the dinner and extras; or $20 for champagne toast and party favors. Tickets can be purchased at the post or by calling 904-824-0680. All proceeds will go to veterans programs.

TRES AT DOS: DOS Coffee & Wine, 300 San Marco Ave., will host an New Year’s Eve party with live music by the band Tres. Hours on Dec. 31 are 7 a.m. to noon and 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. No cover charge.

BALLOON DROP IN PONTE VEDRA: The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach will host a New Year’s Eve Balloon Drop from 11 to 12 p.m. at 50 Executive Way, Ponte Vedra Beach. Children can snap, crackle and pop in a bubble-wrap room, create a hilarious hat with eyes that wiggle or make party masks. Hundreds of balloons will drop at noon. Free to members; $5 per person or family of four for $15 for non-members. No pets or strollers please. Call 904-280-0614, ext. 203 or go to www.ccpvb.org.

CONCH HOUSE: DJ Ragamuffin will be at the Conch House, 57 Comares Ave., beginning at 8:30 p.m. Dec. 31 for a New Year’s Eve celebration.

RHETT’S LIVE MUSIC: Amy Hendrickson performs at 8 p.m. at Rhett’s Piano Bar & Brasserie, 66 Hypolita St.

FLAGLER COLLEGE NEW YEAR’S EVE GALA: Ring in the New Year and celebrate 125 years of the Hotel Ponce de Leon with an evening of historic elegance. Flagler College’s New Year’s Eve Gala takes place in the Ponce de Leon Dining Hall from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Black tie or Great Gatsby Attire. The evening will include cocktail hour, dinner and dessert buffets, open bar, dancing and a champagne toast at midnight. Tickets are $200 per person and benefit the Flagler College Scholarship Fund. Call 904-829-6481.

LIVE MUSIC

Ann O’Malley’s, 23 Orange St – Scuttered the Bruce  8:00pm No Cover, Free toast at Midnight

Arnold’s Lounge, 3912 N Ponce de Leon Blvd – Red River Band 9:00pm Tickets available at the bar ~ $15 includes Party Favors, Balloon Drop and Champagne Toast at Midnight

The British Pub, 213 Anastasia Blvd, Karaoke nightly 9pm

Café Alcazar, 25 Granada St – Rick Kuncicky (acoustic) 12pm – 3pm J.P. Henley’s, 10 Marine St – $3 Guinness Pints from 4-7pm

Jackson’s Garage Bar, 223A W. King St – Dart league night & $2 Tuesday Specials: $2 Bud Light Drafts, PBR tall boys, Miller High Life tall boys & $1 off craft drafts on tap.

Meehan’s Irish Pub, 20 Avenida Menendez – DJ (Party) 9pm

Mi Casa Café, 69 St George St – TBA 1-5pm

Milltop Tavern & Listening Room, 19.5 St George St – David Dowling (Folk) 1pm; John Dickie(Acoustic) 5pm; 2/3rds (Cover Band) 9pm

O.C. White’s, 118 Avenida Menendez, Mike Howard (acoustic folk classic rock) 6:30-10p Prince of Wales Pub, 54 Cuna St – Brent Blackshear (Acoustic) 3-7p

Spy Global Cuisine & Lounge, 21 Hypolita St – Clayton Bush (Acoustic) 3pm; Chad Alan (Acoustic) 10pm Stogie’s Cigar Bar & Listening Room, 36 Charlotte St – Side Pocket (Acoustic) 8pm

Tropical Tradewinds Lounge, 124 Charlotte St –Mark Hart 5pm, Matanzas 8:30p

2012 New Year's Eve parties and events

Beach Blast Off 2012: Enjoy a blast of flavor, icy sculptures and fireworks when several of St. Augustine’s favorite restaurants serve up chili for tasting and judging at the Fire and Ice Chili Cook-off from 4 to 10 p.m. The fireworks, synchronized to music, begin at 8:30 p.m. at the St. Johns County Fishing Pier and Pavilion, 350 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach. Call 829-5681 or go to www.beachblastoff.com.

New Year’s Eve Noon Balloon Drop: The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach will hold the annual New Year’s Eve Noon Balloon Drop from 11 a.m. to noon at the Center, 50 Executive Way, from A1A North, in Ponte Vedra Beach. Stop by for a bite of Brucci’s Pizza Pie or decorate a cookie a mile high. Snap, crackle and pop in the bubble-wrap room as you jump to the jingles of house band tunes. Create a hilarious hat with eyes that wiggle or make party masks that will make everyone giggle. Hundreds of balloons will be dropped at noon. Admission is free for members, $5 for non-members, or $15 for a family of four. The public is invited. Call 904-280-0614, ext. 204 or go to www.ccpvb.org.

New Year’s Eve bash: A New Year’s Eve celebration featuring live music by the Mojo Roux band will begin at 8:30 p.m. at The Groove Cafe, 134 SeaGrove Town Center, St. Augustine Beach. Cost is a $10 cover charge. Call 547-2740 or go towww.thegroovecafe.com.  

Kayak adventure: End 2011 with a two-hour kayak tour into the salt marshes of St. Augustine. Experienced guides, state-of-the-art equipment and local habitats make this trip one-of-a-kind. The tour is good for experienced or beginner paddlers. Cost is $35 for adults and $30 for children ages 6 to 12. Call St. Augustine Eco Tours at 377-7245 or go to www.staugustineecotours.com. 

New Year’s Eve Comedy show: Comedian Ron Feingold will be on stage for a New Year’s Eve show at 8:30 p.m. in Jackie Knight’s Comedy Club at Johnny’s, 3009 North Ponce de Leon Blvd. Cost is $65 and includes an open bar from 7 to 8 p.m., a dinner including appetizer, entree and dessert, party favors, a champagne toast at midnight, and a dance party after the comedy show. Opening act will be Brian Thomas. For reservations, call 461-8843 or go to www.thegypsycomedyclub.com.

Flagler College tours: The Hotel Ponce de Leon is a a national historical landmark famous for its Tiffany Windows, ornate murals and Spanish-Renaissance architecture. Tours depart at 10 and 11 a.m., and noon, 1, 2 and 3 p.m. daily through Jan. 2. The last tour departs at 1 p.m. on Dec. 31, Jan. 1, and Jan. 8-10. Tours will resume at only 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Jan. 11 and daily thereafter. Tours depart from the main lobby (Rotunda), at 74 King St. Tickets may be purchased at this location 15 minutes prior to each tour, or at Flagler’s Legacy, 59 Saint George St. Cost is $7 for adults, $5 for St. Augustine residents with a valid ID, and $1 for children under the age of 12, which includes a complimentary Flagler College coloring and activity book. Individual reservations are not required. For group rates, call Samantha Palmer or Whitney Warren at 823-3378. Call Flagler’s Legacy Tours at 819-6400.

Theatre and barbecue: Start the New Year right with lots of laughs and barbecue when Limelight Theatre presents a special presentation of Duck Hunter Shoots Angel - the hilarious story of two Southern hunters who believe they have shot down an angel! In keeping with the show’s theme, the buffet dinner will feature barbecue with Krispy Kreme donuts for dessert. Tickets for the show and buffet are $50 and may be purchased by calling the box office at 904.825.1164 or online at www.Limelight-Theatre.org. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m.   

Diamonds, Denim and Decades: Welcome 2012 at an exciting New Year’s Party at the AAA Four Diamond-rated Renaissance World Golf Village Resort. From 7:30 p.m. to 1 a.m., the resort’s St. Augustine Ballroom will be the liveliest place to be when the Murray Goff Connection Band performs high-energy music and popular songs from nearly every genre The Diamonds, Denim and Decades package is $319 per couple and includes one night accommodations at the Renaissance World Golf Village Resort, admission to the party; a welcome libation; fantastic culinary fare at 12 different food stations, created by the resort’s Executive Chef Brett Smith; a champagne toast at midnight; and a late night snack buffet. Two-night packages start at $448. Tickets for just the Party are $75 per person, plus t & g. The Renaissance is located at I-95 Exit 323. For more information and reservations, call 904-940-8696, or visit www.WorldGolfRenaissance.com.    

Casino for a Cause: Ring in the New Year at Ponte Vedra Beach’s newest event facility, the Ponte Vedra Concert Hall. A fun-filled evening will be had by all, starting with a cocktail reception from 8 to 9 p.m. Then, throughout the night there will be live entertainment by Orlando’s Top Jazz & Swing Band, heavy hors d’oeuvres, unlimited beer, wine and martinis, and a Champaign toast at midnight. Tickets are $125 and VIP tickets (which include unlimited full bar) are $175. The Ponte Vedra Concert Hall is located at 1050 S A1A in Ponte Vedra Beach. Proceeds from this exciting New Year event will benefit BEAM, Beaches Emergency Assistance Ministry. For more information, visit http://www.CasinosForACause.com.   

Seaside Celebration: Greet 2012 from the seaside Holiday Isle Oceanfront Resort in St. Augustine Beach. The Beach Garden Restaurant has a special New Year’s Eve menu from 5-8 p.m. and then the party begins! From 8 p.m. until 1 a.m. there’s entertainment by Kenyon Dye, light hors d’oeuvres from 9-11 p.m. and a Champagne toast at midnight - all for only $29.95 per couple. For reservations, call 904.471.2555. www.holidayisleoceanfront.com 

Fine Dining: Bid farewell to 2011 with an unforgettable New Year’s Eve dinner at one of the fine restaurants on Florida’s Historic Coast. Explore the exquisite tastes of Italy or take advantage of the Surf & Turf (Lobster and Filet Mignon) dinner at Amici’s, 1915 A1A South in St. Augustine. The Surf & Turf special is only $29.. Call 904.461.0102 or go to www.amicistaugustine.com for more information. At the beach, Café Atlantico (647 A1A Beach Boulevard, St. Augustine)offers a special five-course New Year’s Eve dinner with an entrée choice of Catch of the Day over Mediterranean ratatouille and cream of plum tomatoes or Beef Wellington with a mushroom,-cognac reduction - all for $75 per person. For reservations, call 904.471.7332 or go to www.cafeatlantico.net . Get a taste of France when Chef Jean-Stephane Poinard shares the award-winning menu he presented in November at the James Beard House in New York City. This special New Year’s Eve treat begins with a mise en mouche and climaxes with a pear poached in Beaujolais Nouveau -- all for only $69 per person, plus tip and taxes. Bistro de Leon is located on St. Augustine’s Plaza de la Constitucion at 12 Cathedral Place/ Phone: 904.810.2100 or www.bistrodeleon.com For more continental cuisine, enjoy fine dining with a Russian flair a Sara’s Crepe Café. From 10 p.m. until 3 a.m., enjoy a three-course pre-fix menu featuring appetizers like blini with caviar, fried potato with mushrooms, and shrimp cocktail followed by entrees including prime rib, Cornish hens in garlic sauce and pasta with fresh basil oil sauce. For the perfect conclusion, there’s dessert and champagne. The dinner package is $75. Plus, there is live entertainment throughout the evening! Sara’s Crepe Café is located at 100 St. George Street, Suite F in St. Augustine. Call 904.810.5800 or go to www.sarascrepecafe.com . And for the golf fan, there’s nothing more memorable than New Year’s Eve dinner at the beautiful TPC Sawgrass. From 5-9 p.m. enjoy a delicious a la carte dinner and live music in an unmatched setting. For details and reservations, call 904.453.5105   

Wine, Food and Carriages Too: Explore the Oldest City’s culinary, wine and beer heritage on a series of New Year’s Eve walking and carriage tours. Taste the best St. Augustine has to offer on the three-hour Vittles and Vino Carriage Tour. Sample wines and food at one-of-a-kind specialty shops and eateries with transportation provided by a horse-drawn carriage. Tours are priced at $99 per person and depart at 2 p.m. Nights of Lights Wine and Carriage Tours take you on a tour of the spectacular Night of Lights aboard a horse-drawn carriage while indulging in delicious Spanish boutique wines. These one-hour tours are available for $45 per person and depart at 6 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. (Private tours can also be arranged.) Departing at 5 p.m., the Barley and Hops Beer Tours features a walking tour filled with fascinating facts about brewing as well as sampling of outstanding local brews. Tickets are $46 per person. Start the New Year’s Eve celebration at 4 p.m. with the Wine About Town tour - a 2.5 hour strolling tour featuring exclusive wine samplings gourmet cheese and fresh baked breads. Tickets are $56 each. For details, reservations and more information about these tours, call 904.325.3911 or visit www.thetastingtours.com  

Seagoing Celebration: Head out from Mayport aboard the Jacks or Better Casino Cruise and welcome the New Year at sea. Sumptuous buffet, wine & cheese, shrimp and sushi, champagne toast at midnight and much more! Book in advance at $60 single/$100 couple or at the door $75 single/$100 couple. For more information, go to http://jacksorbettercasino.com or call 877.605.6673