Planning out your New Year’s celebration? Here are some ideas for the holiday weekend.
The holiday season is coming to a close, but not before the Staunton-Augusta County-Waynesboro area rings in the New Year this upcoming weekend. With New Year’s Eve on Saturday and New Year’s Day on Sunday, there’s a little more freedom than usual to celebrate the end of the year, so The News Leader looked around to bring you some ideas of things to do this weekend.
Whether you want to celebrate the New Year’s Eve by dancing the night away, or get 2023 off on the right foot on Sunday, take a look to make sure that your new year gets off to the right start.
Do a little dance, have a little fun: New Year’s parties
For some people, New Year’s Eve is a last hurrah for the year that was, and those people will have a few options if they’re trying to spend a night out for the final evening of 2022. It’s important to note that many of the events we have listed here require tickets that can be purchased in advance .
Stable Craft Brewing, Waynesboro
Stable Craft Brewing will be hosting a New Year’s event with musical entertainment from DJ Rick Rowe. Partygoers must be 18 or older, and tickets are $20 via presale. You can buy tickets at the door for $25, but supply will be limited.
A ticket will include access to a nacho bar, a champagne toast, and party favors. Doors open at 8:30 p.m., with musical entertainment beginning at 9 p.m. You can purchase tickets online.
Bottles, Waynesboro
Bottles will have its own dance party in Waynesboro to ring in the New Year, and on top of the dancing, Bottles will also feature fire pits and karaoke throughout the evening. The venue will be open starting at 5 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, and the party will keep rolling until 2 a.m. Tickets are available for pre-purchase for $15 and couples tickets are available for $25 online. Tickets will also be available at the door for $20.
Musical entertainment will be provided by DJ Groovematic, and a ticket will provide entry to the party as well as a champagne toast at midnight, along with some other perks.
Seven Arrows Brewing Company and Nobo’s Kitchen, Waynesboro
A New Year’s affair takes on a special meaning at this venue, as Seven Arrows Brewing Company not only rings in the new year but also kicks off their 8th anniversary celebration. Doors open at 8 p.m., and DJ Lance will be providing musical entertainment. There will also be a photo booth, and food will be available to be ordered from Nobo’s Kitchen.
Redbeard Brewing Company, Staunton
For residents of Staunton, Redbeard Brewing Company will be hosting their own New Year’s party on Saturday night with live music provided by The Hot Mamas and Drägön Wägön. Tickets are available online and they will run you $15, which also includes a champagne toast at midnight.
Getting off on the right foot: First Day Hikes
First Day Hikes is an initiative coordinated by America’s State Parks to encourage individuals and families to get their year started off with a hike. As part of that, parking will be free at most state parks on Sunday.
The idea, according to the Virgina State Parks website, is “to inspire those New Year resolutions centered on getting or keeping fit” in a family-friendly way. While there aren’t state parks in the immediate vicinity, The News Leader did identify some state parks closest to the area to take your family out and get the year off to a healthy and fun start. As a note, make sure to take plenty of water and dress for the weather! Visitors will also receive a commemorative sticker while supplies last.
Seven Bends State Park, Woodstock
Seven Bends State Park has a wide number of options available for their guided hikes on New Year’s Day, which are helped by the Help Others Get Healthy (HOH) Walkers and Friends of Seven Bends State Park clubs. All hikes will start at the Lupton Barn and will end up back at the Lupton picnic shelter, and will start at 9 a.m. and will last till about 11 a.m.
The guided hikes are as follows:
1.5-2.5 mile walk on a level path
2.5-3.5 mil walk with some elevation changes
7.5 mile round-trip hike from Lupton to the reservoirs and back with rest stops and a lunch break at the reservoir. (Make sure to pack your own lunch!)
The HOH Walkers Club will offer healthy snacks and recovery drinks after the shorter walks. If interested, make your reservation online.
Douthat State Park, Millsboro
The Douthat State Park First Day Hike is a family-friendly affair as well, as they’ll kick off their event at 11 a.m. for a 0.5-mile hike with a focus on learning how to identify trees in the winter months. The event will be on easy terrain, and it’s expected to last an hour.
More:Possible neural link between early life trauma and binge-eating disorder: Virginia Tech scientist
Want to get away? New Year’s weekend events that may require a drive
While spending New Year’s weekend in the area provides plenty of options, there’s also some fun events taking place a little further away. If you’re up for the drive, there’s plenty of fun to be had in areas a little further out.
New Year’s Even Glow Run 5K, Harrisonburg
Looking to end your 2022 with one last race before the new year? Harrisonburg has you covered with their New Year’s Eve Glow Run 5K. While t-shirt registration is now over, you can still register to run the race by Friday, December 30 at 12 p.m. online for a price of $30 or $25 for runners under 17. There is also a countdown race for children, and registration for that is $20. Those prices will increase $10 dollars for walk-up registration on Saturday.
Packet pickup will be at Heritage Oaks Golf Course from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, and walk-up registration will also be available at that time. Runners will be provided with some glowing accessories to add to the atmosphere, but flashlights and headlamps have to be brought from home. The race is set to get underway at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Rockbridge Vineyard and Brewery, Raphine
Looking to celebrate the New Year a bit earlier and get to bed at a decent time? Well, if you’re up for a trip to Raphine on Saturday, Rockbridge Vineyard and Brewery will be having a celebration with wine and music from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Saturday’s festivities included live music from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and will have locally-made cheeses and snacks for purchase. There will be plenty of adult beverage options, with the vineyard’s own sparkling wine being available for onsite consumption, as well as offering flights of wine or beer, pints, and wine by the glass or bottle.
Musical entertainment will be provided by Porch Dogs, and they’ll be playing a mix of cover tunes from the sixties to current-day hits.
More:5 restaurants in Staunton, Augusta and Waynesboro that closed in 2022
Have other New Year’s plans? Or maybe you have an event that we didn’t mention here? Reach out to reporter Akhil Ganesh at aganesh@newsleader.com and he’ll add your event to this guide.
This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: New Year's ideas for Staunton, Augusta County, Waynesboro and beyond
