New Year's Eve: 5 Places to Celebrate in Maplewood Brentwood

Homebodies to serious socializers will find plenty to do New Year’s Eve in Maplewood or Brentwood. Here are few sites and venues for you to consider. And if you have any other ideas, please let us know in the comments!

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— Release your inner rock star and toss your singing inhibitions aside at DD's Irish Pub in Brentwood. There is no cover, food is free and there's a free champagne toast at midnight. The catch: it’s only available to the first 200 people who make a reservation. According to head bartender Tanner Scott, food will probably include smoked meat of some sort, cheese and fruit trays. Your cost? Whatever you drink.

— If you’re a little bit country, head on down or up to Maplewood’s Schafly Bottleworks this New Year’s Eve. Colonel Ford, named as the Best Traditional Country Band by the Riverfront Times, will perform from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. No cover charge and no reservation needed. Order off the menu. The bar is usually swinging and flying when this band performs, said David Clark, a host at the front desk. Your cost? It depends on what you eat and drink.

— A gourmet four-course meal, an open bar and five hours of entertainment, including a burlesque show, sums up this New Year’s Eve celebration. Cora Vette, who according to the company’s website has the voice of an angel and the mouth of a sailor, will host the extravaganza that will also feature Bazuka Joe from Chicago’s Stage Door Johnnies. Dancing follows the show. Champagne pours at midnight with a balloon launch. The cost? $80 per person. 

— Want to celebrate the passage of time with a bottle of bubbly that won’t break the bank? Grab a bottle of brut cava from Saint Louis Cellars. It’s the Spanish version of champagne, store manager Diane Blaskiewicz said. Blaskiewicz recommends a bottle of Segura Viudas Aria, a dry sparkling wine. “It’s dry with a little bit of creaminess and pairs well with everything from appetizers to buttery popcorn.” The cost? $12.99 a bottle.

— Lace up, burn calories and be in harmony with the holiday season without having to face inclement weather. Go ice-skating at the Brentwood Recreation Complex during its public skate sessions on New Year’s Eve from 12:30 to 3:00 p.m., and from 3:30 to 6 p.m. The cost? Residents pay $3; children age 3 and under are free with a paid admission. Skate rental is $1.50 and a locker rental is 25 cents.