New Year’s Eve is a great time to reflect and celebrate with friends and family – whether that involves a buffet dinner, fireworks or champagne is up to you.
If you are still unsure of where you will be giving someone special that midnight kiss or belting out ‘Auld Lang Syne’, Cochrane and the surrounding area has a lot of options for your celebration.
If you feel like venturing towards the mountains for your New Year’s Eve, you can take Hwy 1 straight to the ‘basecamp of the Rockies.’
The resort invites people to ‘bring in the New Year with excitement’ with its seafood and prime rib buffet for $33.95. There will also be party favours, prize giveaways and champagne at midnight.
For those coming in from Canmore or Banff, there will be a free shuttle. If you want to stay at the resort that night, two-night hotel packages are available, although sales and events manager Chris Grimes said there are only a few rooms left.
On New Year’s Day the casino will be having a poker tournament. It begins at 7 p.m., with pre-registration in the pit and a maximum of 33 players. Buy-in is $60 and re-buys are $20.
For more information visit stoneynakodaresort.com.
Address: 888 Nakoda Way, Morley, Alta.
If you want to spend your New Year’s evening in historic downtown Cochrane, then the Texas Gate Bar and Grill may be the spot for you.
Doors open at 7 p.m. with an AAA prime rib and lobster dinner buffet starting at 8 p.m. for $40 per person.
For entertainment, the band Trackzilla will start playing tunes at 9:30 p.m.
There will also be midnight buffet party favours.
Entry tickets for 10 p.m. or later are $10 and include the midnight buffet.
For more information visit texasgate.com.
Address: 304 1 Street West, Cochrane, AB T4C 1A5
Hoping to start out your New Year with a bang? The Townsite of Redwood Meadows will be having its annual fireworks demonstration – something that Peggy Rupert with the townsite said they have been doing for over 20 years.
The fireworks will take place at 8 p.m. at the main sports field. For more information call 403-949-3563.
Your local British pub is offering a New Year’s Eve ‘pre-party’ of sorts, with its annual ringing in of England’s New Year.
“Join us in celebrating the tradition,” said owner Cathy Currie.
Currie said that 5 p.m. MST is midnight in England, so they will raise their glasses at that time. The tradition is something she said they have been doing for 21 years and it is always jammed packed, so she said to be sure to get there early.
The pub will be closing at 8 p.m. and Currie said people usually stop by, have a drink or two and head out to get ready for the rest of the evening.
For more information call 403-932-4523.
Address: 57 West Aarsby Road, Cochrane, Alta.
The BullHorn Saloon is asking people to bring out their best black and gold outfits for its New Year’s Eve black and gold bash with the Nite Wind Band.
Manager Braydon Morisseau said that drink specials that night would include $4 domestic bottles of beer and highballs, as well as $3 shooters including their signature BullHorn shot.
They will have their regular menu as well as a New Year’s feature menu starting at 7 p.m. with a choice of New York steak and prawns for $26.95, roasted herb quarter chicken for $16.95 or lobster ravioli for $16.95. All three mains include a soup or salad and dessert.
There will also be a balloon drop with hidden prizes found inside of the balloons.
For more information call 587-362-4283.
Address: 113 Railway Street West, Cochrane, Alta.
Cochrane’s local sports bar and grill will be having its regular full menu and regular specials for the evening, which includes happy hour from 4 to 8 p.m., Wednesday rib madness and import bottles on special.
They will also have music, party favours and champagne at midnight, as well as a balloon drop. There is no cover charge for the evening.
For more information call 403-932-5959.
Address: Bay 10, 205 - 3rd Avenue W, Cochrane, Alta.
Killarney’s owner Michael Pyne said that they would have quite the New Year’s Eve party happening this year.
For $95 per couple you receive a three-course meal with your choice of prime rib, chicken or fish. There will also be hats, noisemakers and champagne at midnight.
There will be live musical entertainment with Rob Skeet, who plays a variety of styles including rock, country, pop and sing along. There will also be a DJ playing in between Skeet’s sets.
The dinner begins at 7 p.m. and the entertainment starts at 8:30 p.m. Pyne said that they are already over halfway sold out of tickets, so be sure to get yours soon. There is a $25 deposit required per person and tickets can be purchased in person or over the phone.
Call 587-362-2552 for more information.
Address: 240 Riverview Dr, Cochrane, Alta.
The PowderHorn in Bragg Creek will be having a New Year’s Eve party with a full menu, buffet and entertainment.
Owner Rose Dallyn said that DJ George will be playing all the classics from the 70s, 80s and 90s all night and will also be taking requests. There will also be a balloon net and party favours.
There will be a prime rib and seafood buffet, midnight snacks and bubbles for $49.95 and tickets must be purchased in advance. If people are not taking part in the buffet, then there is no cover to enjoy the entertainment.
For more information, or to make a reservation, call 403-949-3946.
Address: 7 Balsam Avenue, Bragg Creek, Alta.
The Bearspaw restaurant is inviting people to ‘dine and dance the night away’ for its New Year’s Eve celebration.
The base menu price is $105 per person for food only, $150 per person for food and wine paring and $25 per person for entertainment tables in the lounge between 7:30 p.m. to close.
The menu includes a starter, appetizer, main and a dessert buffet. Party favours are also included with a few extra goodies.
The entertainment for the evening is Chris Ayries and her five-piece jazz band.
For more information call 403-241-7611.
Address: 254028 Bearspaw Rd NW, Calgary, Alta.
This bistro and martini bar located in historic downtown Cochrane is inviting people to ‘indulge themselves with delicious food and suggested wine pairings, great friends and good times.’
They will be featuring a ‘Table D’hôte’ menu with the first seating consisting of three courses for $55 or a second seating consisting of five courses for $75. There will also be 10 per cent off wine and bubbly by the bottle.
For more information, or to make a reservation, call 403-851-8112.
Address: 205 1 Street West, Cochrane, Alta.
Owner Ronnie Knowles said he is inviting people to come and celebrate 2015 at the Hideout, where they will be celebrating New Year’s on New York and Toronto time – 10 p.m. MST.
Knowles said he has found that lots of people want to go out and celebrate for New Year’s, but don’t want to stay up until midnight. This celebration offers a way for people to celebrate, while not having to stay out too late.
There will be two sittings for a prime rib dinner with one at 8 p.m. and one at 9 p.m. The dinner also includes a salad and dessert and champagne at midnight for $18.95.
Knowles recommended that people do phone ahead for a reservation.
Call 403-932-6311 for more information.
Address: 204 Fifth Avenue, Cochrane, Alta.
