New Year’s Eve celebrations don’t have to just be about cocktails and kisses — celebrate the changing of the calendar with your family at a variety of events that are open to kids. Ring in 2020 with the whole family at one of these family-friendly Austin New Year’s Eve parties!
Free Events in Austin
Last Storytime of the Decade
December 31 | at 10:30 a.m. | Book People, 603 North Lamar Boulevard
Today’s storytime will feature our favorite books of 2019! The Kids team has chosen– come see which ones made the cut. We’ll also be making our New Year’s resolutions, enjoying yummy snacks, and celebrating another great year at BookKids!
Noon Year’s Eve Party
December 31 | at 11 a.m. | Lake Travis Community Library, 1938 Lohmans Crossing
Can’t stay awake for the midnight hour? Then celebrate the new year at noon! Make party hats and noise makers starting at 11 a.m. Children’s musician Joe McDermott will perform at 11:30 a.m. Snack on goodies and toast to the 12 o’ clock hour! Happy Noon Year! FREE!
Noon Year’s Eve
December 31 | from 11 a.m. | Hampton Branch Library at Oak Hill, 5125 Convict Hill Road
Join for a bedtime-friendly celebration of the New Year! Enjoy crafts, a photo booth, a sparkling grape juice toast, and a balloon drop at noon!
Noon Year’s Eve
December 31 | from 11 a.m. | St. John’s Branch Library, 7500 Blessing Avenue
Join us for a bedtime-friendly celebration of the New Year complete with all things that go pop! Enjoy a special storytime, crafts, and games that are fun for the whole family. Recommended for all ages.
Noon Year’s Eve at Laura’s
December 31 | from 11 a.m. | Westbank Library, 1309 Westbank Drive
Ring in the Noon Year with Westbank Libraries and Joe McDermott! Join for a New Year’s Eve concert at Laura’s Library. There will be music, dancing, and lots of fun–everything we need to lead in the New Year right with one of our favorite musicians. They’ll even do a countdown to 12 (noon)! Recommended for ages 3 & up.
2020 Eve Day
December 31 | from 12 to 6 p.m. | St. Elmo Brewing Company, 440 East Saint Elmo Road
Gather and raise a toast to welcome the new year/ decade during the New Years Eve DAY party! DJ Rickstate will be spinning vinyl from 1 to 5 p.m.
There will be kids activities throughout the day and an early countdown and Champ toast at 5 p.m.! Ring in 2020 when Paris does! Bring your friends, families and entourage for cold beer and good times!
New Year’s Eve Night Hike
December 31 | 7 to 8 p.m. | McKinney Falls State Park, 5808 McKinney Falls Parkway
Celebrate New Year’s Eve with the wild animals of McKinney Falls! This is an easy (one mile) family friendly hike. Bring your own flashlight, water, close toed shoes, dress for the weather! This is a family friendly event – no alcohol is permitted. You will need to reserve your spot for the event here and reserve a day use pass ahead of time. Event is free with paid park admission. Adults: $6; Kids 12 and under: Free
Austin’s New Year
December 31 | at 7:30 p.m. | Auditorium Shores, 900 W Riverside Drive
Bring in the New Year with a FREE, fun, and family-friendly celebration. Austin’s New Year will transform Auditorium Shores into an alcohol-free wonderland of music, art, special performances and of course, Austin’s legendary food favorites. Capping off the festive evening, the traditional fireworks finale will start at 10 p.m.
Events With Paid Admission
New Year’s Eve Family Barrel Bash
December 31 | at 1 p.m.| Barrel O’ Fun, 1911 Aldrich Street, Suite 120B
Join us for an afternoon of karaoke, dancing, crafting, and general merry-making as we celebrate New Year’s Eve at Barrel O’ Fun! This event is family-friendly and appropriate for all ages. Your ticket includes a party hat and other party props, all the crafts and activities, as well as an apple juice for the group toast. We’ll start the festivities at 1 p.m. and party till 4 p.m. with an (early) New Year’s Eve apple juice toast at 3:30 p.m. Barrel O’ Fun will have full food and drink service throughout the event, so you can enjoy lunch and snacks if you’d like. Everyone is encouraged to wear their party best as we’ll have a photo booth. We’re excited for 2020! The event does require a ticket, but you may come and go as you’d like.
Thinkery’s Noon Year’s Eve Balloon Drop & Bubble Wrap Stomp
December 31 | at 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.| Thinkery, 1830 Simond Avenue
Ring in 2020 a wee bit early with Thinkery! On New Year’s Eve, head to Thinkery for our third annual Noon(ish) Year’s Eve Balloon Drop & Bubble Wrap Stomp! They’ll be hosting two different celebration times for you and your family to ring in the New Year; 9 a.m. to noon (drop & stomp at 11 a.m.) and 1 to 4 p.m. (drop & stomp at 3 p.m.). Each limited capacity Noon Year’s Eve celebration will include three simultaneous balloon drops and bubble wrap stomps; two downstairs for young revelers of all ages and one upstairs exclusively for toddler revelers. All party-goers can enjoy music, winter crafts, engineer your own noisemakers, enter the Texas “snowball” arena, and experience special performances during each three hour celebration. Did we mention everyone can celebrate the day with a mimosa or kid-mosa in their own hand-crafted champagne flute.
Noon Year’s Eve
December 31 | from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. | The Little Gym of Austin South, 2716 West William Cannon Drive
Join for a fun-filled party that comes 12 hours early! Don’t let your little one miss out on the New Year fun because their bedtime is before midnight! From 11 to 12:30, they’ll be hosting a Noon Year’s Party filled with in-gym games, LEGO® DUPLO® building activities, and a Noon Year’s Eve countdown with a balloon drop! They’ll also have a special photo booth where your child will have the opportunity to take a picture with their LEGO® DUPLO® creation. After the countdown they will have light refreshments in the lobby until 12:30.
Family New Years Eve Celebration at Mel’s (Georgetown)
December 31 | from 5:30 to 8 p.m. | Mel’s Lonestar Lanes, 1010 North Austin Avenue, Georgetown
Includes private lane for bowling, shoe rentals, fountain drinks, dinner buffet & champagne toast. Make reservations here. Cost: $135 per lane (valid for up to 6 bowlers per lane). Or, $30 a person without bowling – includes dinner buffet, soda, and toast.
Austin Saengerrunde NYE Gala
December 31 | at 8 p.m. | Saengerrunde Hall, 1607 San Jacinto Boulevard
Ring in the New Year with the Austin Saengerrunde and enjoy a night full of wholesome entertainment and refreshments. The Seven Dutchmen Orchestra will play an array of music that will have you dancing into 2020. Ticket includes: live music, drinks, and German Breakfast and champagne toast at midnight. Tickets range from $20 – 40. Children 12 and under are free. Feel free to bring your own snacks and liquor – sodas are available for set-ups!
Family New Year’s Eve Party @ High 5 (Lakeway)
December 31 | at 4, 6 or 8 p.m. | High 5, 1502 Ranch Road 620 South, Lakeway
Each Family Admission Ticket Includes: Family Lane Reservation at Time of Seating (for up to 6 people), 60 minutes of Bowling, Shoe Rental, and 20pt Player Cards, Large Hand-tossed one-topping pizza and pitcher of soda, “Countdown to 2020” champagne and cider toast, celebration blowers and hats. Featuring: SPRINKLES the famous face painter and balloon artist! For 4, 6, and 8 p.m. seatings downstairs only. Family reservation and tickets = $107 (with fees).
Family New Year’s at Dave and Busters
December 31 | from 5 to 8 p.m. | Dave and Busters, 9333 Research Boulevard, # A600
Dave & Busters is offering an exciting and FUN way for you and your family to ring in the New Year! They offer loads of excitement with our New Year’s Eve package which combines all the food and FUN that guests have grown to love at Dave & Buster’s. Ticket package info here.
NYE Experience at Hyatt Regency Lost Pines (Lost Pines)
December 31 | From 5 to 9 p.m. | Hyatt Regency Lost Pines, 575 Hyatt Lost Pines Road, Cedar Creek
Say goodbye to 2019 and hello to 2020! Dine with Lost Pines at their NYE buffet fit for a king in the ballroom with options galore and live music. Cost: $48 adults, $24 children (ages 6 to 12), complimentary ages 5 and under.
More Austin New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day Events
Black Eyed Pea Run
December 31 | from 8:30 to 11 a.m. | Rogue Running, 410 Pressler Street
Rogue Running is celebrating January 1 of 2020 in the best way they know how – with a run, great people, and plenty of post-run festivities. The Black Eyed Pea Run is an Austin tradition, and as always, it is open to everyone whether you are currently a Rogue member or not. This year they will be starting from Rogue at 410 Pressler Street with 3, 5, 7, and 10-mile route options. The run STARTS at 8:30 a.m and will have a map and water stops provided along the way. When you finish, grab a dish of black eyed peas and a mimosa, then stick around awhile. This is a great chance to hang and connect with much of Austin running community! Spread the word, then come kick off the new year the right way! Registration for the run only is FREE.
Mozart’s Annual Light Show
Through January 6 | from 6 to 11 p.m. | Mozart’s Coffee Roasters, 3825 Lake Austin Boulevard
Starting at 6 p.m. each evening, and replaying at the top of every hour until closing, enjoy dazzling lights set to music! The lights show will happen every night. Don’t miss out on all the FREE holiday fun!
Zilker Holiday Tree
Through January 1 | from 6 p.m. to midnight | Zilker Park, 2100 Barton Springs Road
Take a spin under the tree and buy some treats from one of the onsite vendors. Tree on display nightly. Cost: FREE!
New Year’s Day Polar Bear Splash
January 1 | from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Barton Springs Pool, 2131 William Barton Drive
Head to Barton Springs pool on New Year’s Day to celebrate the Polar Bear Splash! The Friends of Barton Springs booth will be at the south side entrance (the back entrance!) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They’ll have a cool new supply of shirts, so come early. Stop by for a chat and learn how you can get involved in keeping our pool beautiful for future generations.
Pfreeze Pflop (Pflugerville)
January 1 | at 10 a.m. | Scott Mentzer Pool, 901 Old Austin Hutto Road, Pflugerville
Are you brave enough to slide into the pfrigid water at Scott Mentzer Pool to kick off your new year? The event lasts until the last brave soul goes down the slide! No, the pool isn’t heated. Pfirst 50 people will receive a pFREE t-shirt. Plus, admission is pFREE with donation of a canned food item given to benefit local pfood banks.
Polar Bear Splash (Kyle)
January 1 | at 12:30 p.m. | Kyle Pool, Gregg-Clarke Park, 1100 W Center St, Kyle
Take part in the Kyle tradition and make a splash at the Kyle Pool. FREE!
Featured photo via Austin’s Park ‘N Pizza.
