New Year’s Eve 2024 Minneapolis: Nickelodeon U, MN Orchestra, And More

TWIN CITIES, MN — You can Ring in the New Year with a day of family-friendly fun at Nickelodeon Universe at the Mall of America in Bloomington.

Starting at 11 a.m., enjoy exciting activities like crazy hair stations, meet-and-greets with beloved Nickelodeon characters, and the chance to create your DIY glitter slime.

At 3 p.m., the energy ramps up with a lively dance party for all ages. The celebration will culminate in a festive countdown to 2025 at 6 p.m., making it the perfect event for families and children of all ages.

• Tuesday, December 31
• 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Nickelodeon Universe

Here is a look at some additional events happening in the Twin Cities:

• New Year’s Eve at O’Shaughnessy Distilling Co (Minneapolis)
• Crystal Ball New Year’s Eve (IDS, Minneapolis)
• Kiss Me: A 90s New Year’s Eve, (7th Street Entry, Minneapolis)
• A Swingin’ New Year’s Eve with TC Swing (Ukrainian Event Center, Minneapolis)
• A New Year’s Celebration with the Minnesota Orchestra (Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis)

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 their own versions of this celebration, such as the Peeps Chick Drop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and the giant Potato Drop in Boise, Idaho.

The transition from one year to the next is often marked by 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 tradition of New Year’s resolutions dates back 8,000 years to ancient Babylonians, who made promises to return borrowed items and repay debts at the beginning of the new year, which was in mid-March when they planted their crops.

• Related: What New Year’s Resolution Did You Keep? How Did You Do It? [Patch Survey]

According to legend, if people kept their word, the pagan gods would grant them favor in the coming year. However, if they broke their promises, they would lose favor with the gods.

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 many 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 or a plan for coping with the stress and discomfort that comes with changing a habit or condition.