(Still looking for the right NYE event? Look no further: Tom’s got 11 suggestions plus a few New Year’s Day events and more to get you through the rest of the holidays.)
Thursday, Dec 31
Steamworks NYE
One of the hottest venues for New Year’s Eve is not what you might expect. Steamworks bathhouse has one of the busiest nights of the year this night and you don’t have to blow your budget for a ticket. With DJ Zarfan, dancing, a midnight toast and more hot men than three gay bars, how can you not be there? Plus, if you get lucky, your room is just yards away. Start your year off with a bang. You never know, I may be there. I’ll be the one with the party horn stuck in my hoop. 11pm on. Steamworks Baths, 123 W Pender St. Regular rates apply starting at $16. steamworksbaths.com
Black NYE
Before I get accused of being racist this is a leather NYE party, no emails please. The best leather bar in town brings you Back In Black with go-go men, DJ Quest and all the leather daddies you can submit to. Get out your best leather, fetish or formal rubber attire and look for someone to pounce on at midnight. 9pm–4am. Pumpjack Pub, 1167 Davie St. Cover $15, no advance tickets. pumpjackpub.com
Sin City Fetish NYE
This is the crème de la crème of fetish parties. This party will bring parts of you alive that you never knew you had, and many will touch those same parts. Don’t know what your fetish is? This is the place to find out just what turns your crank, with dance cages packed with people showing their wares, a full adult play dungeon, suspension and kink play area, bondage furniture, drag, burlesque and aerial performance. Give in to sin. Strict dress code. 9pm–3am. Hindenburg, 23 W Cordova St. Tickets $25 at ticketzone.com. Info and dress code here on Facebook.
Hustla NYE
Hustla is back with the never demure Peach Cobblah as hostess, plus DJs Jef Leppard and Dom Top, and featuring Jane Smoker and Shanda Leer. Be prepared for the sweatiest, grindiest, bawdiest night of the year. Start ringing in the New Year across Canada at 7:30pm with Peach. 7pm–4am. XYYVR, 1216 Bute St. Tickets $27 at eventbrite.ca. Info here on Facebook.
VAL NYE
I like VAL parties because there’s so much space I can lose whichever guy is bothering me the most and hopefully bump into another one. I have yet to bump into Matt Troy in one of those dark, hidden spots, though. Maybe he’s hiding from me . . . With multiple rooms, 650 square metres of party space, Berlin hosting, audio, visual and performance art, and six international renowned DJs, Troy promises to celebrate NYE with style. 9pm. Vancouver Art & Leisure, 1965 Main St. Tickets $25 at residentadvisor.net. More info on Facebook.
Cocky Disco NYE
This promises to be the sexiest party of the night, as 1181 changes its layout to create an intimate disco party. Forget the flash and over-the-top attitudes of some places and enjoy New Year’s Eve the way it should be: romantic, sexy and erotic. With two of the sexiest DJs in town, Dreaddy and Sollors, providing the vibe, how can you go wrong? Count down the year with the best staff in town. 10pm–4am. 1181, 1181 Davie St. Tickets $10 at eventbrite.com. More info here on Facebook.
NYE Sleepless In Vancouver
Velvet Steele is one of the hottest babes in Vancouver and your hostess for the evening. Velvet is going to show you how to take your pleasure seriously. There are plenty of play spaces, male/female glory holes, front and centre mattresses, and intimate cuddle and after-care sessions. Enjoy yourself and have fun in a safe environment. 9pm. Club 8×6, 1775 Haro St. Tickets $30 and info at plurproductions.ca.
NYE Glam Ball
It’s time to forget any controversy and enjoy the holiday season. Tonight the red carpet will roll out for Glam Ball and, since it happens to fall on a Thursday, there will also be naked men in the shower. Sequins, confetti, lights and hot naked men make a perfect New Year’s Eve, with a champagne toast and tunes from DJ Colby B. 9pm–4am. The Odyssey, 686 W Hastings St. Tickets $25 at ticketzone.com. More info on Facebook.
Celebrities Playhouse NYE
Playhouse’s resident DJs (Timeline, Yurie and Mattilda Ho) are set to ring in the New Year with great hits, sexy dancers, a countdown on the LED wall, a balloon drop and champagne at midnight. 9pm–4am. Celebrities, 1022 Davie St. Tickets $40 at celebritiesnightclub.com.
NA NYE
Narcotics Anonymous is once again hosting its own New Year’s Eve party. Three dance floors with everything from the oldies to hip hop, including a live music stage. This party is for everyone, young and old, to celebrate recovery with friends in a fun, safe environment. 8pm–1am. Roundhouse Community Centre, 181 Roundhouse Mews. Tickets $16-27 on Facebook.
Friends & Co NYE
Join this network of GLBT-friendly business people, professionals, students and allies for their first NYE party. It’s going to be a classy black and white formal, with fine dining, live music and hostess Joan-E, all in support of Out in Schools. 8:45pm–1am. The Teahouse in Stanley Park, 7501 Stanley Park Dr. Tickets $125 at friendsandcompany.ca.
Friday, Jan 1
Polar Bear Swim
I was told doing this swim would start my year off with a whole new perspective. What it really did was start my year off with testicles the size of pickled onions! But try it and see for yourself. Strip down to your bathing suit, take a few steps over the ice covering the ground, and hurl your body into ice-cold water. Just be thankful it’s not snowing this year. I’ll be the dry one holding a nice fluffy towel for the first wet muscle bear I see. Registration 12:30pm, swim 2:30pm. English Bay, 1700 Beach Ave. Free. vancouver.ca
Backdoor New Year’s Day
Just what I need: a recovery party 12 hours after I finish my New Year’s Eve night of debauchery. Nobody will be touching my backdoor after that kind of night! This is a queer warehouse party where anything goes and everyone is welcome to participate or watch in a body-positive, gender-positive safe space. 9pm. Vancouver Art & Leisure, 1965 Main St. Tickets $20–30 at residentadvisor.net or on Facebook.
Vers Fridays: After Glow Party
I can’t get enough of DJ Sollors, and I like his music too! Sollors is back tonight for Vers Fridays and this week’s theme is Glow in the Dark — shoes, clothes, underwear or skin. Dance the night away under a state of the art black light system. There will also be free glow sticks and glow ware, so nobody will be left out. Plus, nobody ever looks hung over under black light. 9pm–3am. The Odyssey, 686 W Hastings St. Cover TBA. More info on Facebook.
Day 1
Chances are I am going to be hung over as hell so the best cure will likely be a long day of rest, a few Caesars (hair of the dog!) and then an injection of Big Roger’s form of medication — dancing your worries away. DJs Robbie Rob and Mat Ste-Marie promise to start off your New Year right with a mind-blowing night of wild abandon. Thank god tomorrow is Saturday! 10pm–5am. Encore Dance Club, 1058 Granville St. Tickets $18–24 at wantickets.com, Little Sister’s, 1238 Davie St, and Topdrawers, 809 Davie St. bigrogerevents.com
Saturday, Jan 2
Van-Pah
If you got messy on New Year’s Eve, this should be a safe, easy way to ease back into some fun. The puppies are back at their monthly mosh, romping around, socializing, playing with toys and getting way too curious about your nether regions. I think last time one tried to mark his territory on my leg but I was too quick for him. Definitely a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon. 2–4pm. Pumpjack Pub, 1167 Davie St. No cover. vanpah.com
The Drag Show
It’s almost like a travelling drag show that Miz Adrien seems to have created. Either that or it keeps getting run out of each city! Tonight join the Lady Adrien with special guests Raye Sunshine, Robin Loveless and Anida Tythole as they pack up their war paint and passports and head to beautiful downtown Mission to celebrate the first show of the New Year. 7pm. The Stage, 32998 1st Ave, Mission. Advance tickets $10 at thestageinmission.ca or $15 at door.
Monday, Jan 4
Naked Yoga
If you’re like me, there was too much turkey, gravy, potatoes, sweets, beer, eggnog and fun this holiday season. Now the guilt is settling in and swimsuit time will be here before you know it. Time for some naked man on man time, on the yoga mat. It’s a great way to get fit and sweat out all the toxins. No need to be shy, everybody sweats — only in this class everybody’s sweat drips from their sack instead of their nose. 7–8:30pm. Club 8×6, 1775 Haro St. Classes $15. Bring water, mat and towel. 8×6.ca
Tuesday, Jan 5
Shame Spiral
As if you didn’t feel enough shame on New Year’s Eve — losing your wallet, forgetting where you live and waking up with three strangers and a goat. Tonight is a whole new level of shame as only Peach Cobblah can bring you. She’ll be joined by a very special guest performer, Anita Wigl’it, who will have just as many shameful stories to tell and hopefully none will contain any info about me. 10pm. 1181, 1181 Davie St. No cover. More info on Facebook.
(Think there’s an upcoming event I should attend? Click here to list your event on dailyxtra.com or send me a note at oitc.vancouver@dailyxtra.com.)
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