Where To Celebrate New Year’s Eve 2024 In Manalapan

MANALAPAN, NJ — The holiday season has arrived, and it’s almost time to say goodbye to 2024.

As we get ready to ring in the new year, make our resolutions and celebrate with friends and family, there are plenty of events happening in and around Manalapan for you to enjoy.

Whether you're looking for a special New Year's Eve dinner, an all-night party, or just some good food and drinks, there's something for everyone to do.

Here's a look at some events happening in (and around) Manalapan:

• New Year’s Eve at Olde Silver Tavern (Manalapan): Ring in the new year at Olde Silver Tavern with DJ Joey D, a champagne toast, four-course menu and more.
• iPlay America New Year’s Eve Celebration (Freehold): Looking to ring in the New Year in style? Join iPlay America for the ultimate New Year’s Eve celebration from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. and enjoy a night of rides, games, party favors, DJ, giveaways, and more!
• NYE Bash at Red Bank Elks Lodge (Red Bank): Get ready for an exciting evening of music by DJ Skills, dancing, passed hors d’oeuvres, a 4-hour open bar, a champagne toast and a ball drop! The event will run from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
• NYE at Bell Works (Holmdel): Ring in 2025 with Bell Works from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. under the string lights at Bar Bella with DJ Levi Wade!
• New Year’s Eve Celebration at Pier Village (Long Branch): Pier Village will be fully decorated for the holidays with a 24 ft. illuminated tree, winter lights, and plenty of cheer for your New Year’s getaway. Special New Year’s Eve events include live music, pre-fix dinners and a fireworks finale.

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.