New Year's Eve 2023 In, Near Oak Forest: Banging Gavel, Bourbon Street

OAK FOREST, IL — If you're wanting to stick close to Oak Forest this New Year's Eve, there are plenty of options to pick from. Check out some parties and family events planned in Chicago’s south suburbs to help you ring in 2024.

Newly christened Banging Gavel Brews in TInley Park has an "extravagant" celebration planned. Themed "A Great Gatsby New Year's Eve" and to be held at The Vogt House, the night "will take you back to the roaring 1920s with its elegant atmosphere, live entertainment, and delicious food and beverages." Live music by the Shout Section Big Band, playing classic tunes of the era. Dress to impress. Hors d'oeuvres throughout night include shrimp cocktail shooter, seared scallop, caprese skewers, mini charcuterie cones, chicken yakitori skewer, Greek chicken skewer, deviled eggs, mini BBQ meatballs, pimento cheese cup, hangar steak crostini, and beef brisket. Premium open bar includes selection of cocktails, beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. Buy tickets online.

Not what you had in mind? Check out a few other options.

Blarney Stone Pub

15400 S. Cicero Ave., Oak Forest

DJ Matt playing. Open bar. Champaign toast, party favors, free pizza at midnight. $50 per person.

Silver Lake Country Club

14700 S 82nd Ave, Orland Park

Silver Lake Country Club has quite a night planned, with live entertainment and a Filet Mignon dinner. Tickets are almost sold out, so register now for the event featuring live entertainment, dinner, and top-shelf open bar. Live entertainment by The Connexion Band, and two DJs playing. Dinner includes hot and cold appetizers, Filet and broiled shrimp, double-baked potato, and a specialty dessert. Top shelf bar from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. $150/person. Make your reservations by calling 708-349-6940 ext. 5, or emailing events@silverlakecc.com. Online reservations also available.

New Year's Eve Party at North & Maple

18401 North Creek Dr., Tinley Park

Ring in the new year at North & Maple in Tinley Park. Music from DJ Gene. Party favors and a midnight toast. $10 per person. $10 per person. Reservations can be made online.

BEB New Years Eve Gala at Georgio's Banquet & Quality Inn Suites

8800 W 159th St, Orland Park

$125/person. Dinner, 4-hour open bar (premium liquor, wine and beer). Champagne toast at midnight, music, party favors, raffles, and more. Photographer on-site. Buy tickets online.

New Year's Eve at 115 Bourbon Street

3359 West 115th St., Merrionette Park

Band on front stage, DJs in the nightclub and performance hall. Doors open at 8. Ticketed event. Buffet dinner from 9 to 11:30 p.m. Tickets start at $70. Purchase online.

JW Hollstein's

17358 Oak Park Ave., Tinley Park

8 p.m. to close. Ring in the new year at JW Hollstein's. $20 per person includes a DJ, party favors, and champagne toast.

Great Lakes Beer and Bourbon

12900 S. LaGrange Road, Palos Park, 8 p.m.

Celebrate New Year’s Eve with the triumphant return of Five Guys Named Moe at Great Lakes Beer and Bourbon. Featured is a midnight snack bar, champagne toast, party favors, balloon drop and photo booth. Book your VIP seating early. Every table of four booked receives a free bottle of champagne. The New Year’s Eve special is $25 and includes a delicious filet or ribeye dinner. Call 708-608-8771, or reserve online. Stay local and stay safe. Palos Park police have been known to offer rides home to revelers with no questions asked and no lectures.

Tinley Bowl & The Backyard

7601 183rd St, Tinley Park

10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 2 games and shoes $20 per person. 6 p.m. to midnight, 2 games and shoes $25 per person. Call ahead: (708) 532-2955.

Centennial Lanes Bowling Party Packages

16050 Centennial Cir., Tinley Park

Every year Centennial enhances its NYE events. This year is no different. Four party flight packages are available. All packages include cosmic bowling for 5 people per lane max, shoe rental, one large pizza, blue pin raffle, 360 photo booth, NYE toast, and party favors.Rates and time slots are:

• 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: $125/lane
• 2:30 to 5 p.m.: $125/lane
• 6 to 9 p.m.: $150/lane
• 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.: $150/lane

Buy tickets online.

Thunder Bowl

18700 Old Lagrange Rd, Mokena

$150 per lane, max 6 bowlers per lane. Pizza and pop. Party favors. Call if interested, booking up fast. (708) 478-3610.

In the United States, one of the most popular New Year’s Eve traditions is the dropping of the giant ball in New York City’s Times Square. Other U.S. cities have adopted iterations of the ball drop — the Chick Drop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and the giant Potato Drop in Boise, Idaho, for example.

The end of one year and beginning of another is often celebrated with the singing of “Auld Lang Syne,” a Scottish folk song whose title roughly translates to “days gone by,” according to Encyclopedia Britannica and History.com.

The history of New Year’s resolutions dates back 8,000 years to ancient Babylonians, who would make promises to return borrowed objects and pay outstanding debts at the beginning of the new year, in mid-March when they planted their crops.

According to legend, if they kept their word, pagan gods would grant them favor in the coming year. If they broke the promise, they would fall out of God’s favor, according to a history of New Year’s resolutions compiled by North Hampton Community College New Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Many secular New Year’s resolutions focus on imagining new, improved versions of ourselves. The failure rate of New Year’s resolutions is about 80 percent, according to U.S. News & World Report. There are myriad reasons, but a big one is they’re made out of remorse — for gaining weight, for example — and aren’t accompanied by a shift in attitude and a plan to meet the stress and discomfort of changing a habit or condition.