New Year’s Eve 2024 In Woodbridge: Parties, Noon Ball Drop

WOODBRIDGE, VA — In the Woodbridge area, there will be various events to ring in the new year. One of the events will be the first New Year's Party at the Spot at Belmont Bay.

The Spot at Belmont Bay opened earlier this year, as sister spot The Spot on Mill Street closes on Dec. 24. On Dec. 31 starting at 8 p.m., The Spot at Belmont Bay will have an evening of dancing, drinks and food. Tickets are $25 and must be reserved in advance by contacting 703-491-7768 or emailing denise@thespotgroupva.com.

Here is a look at some additional events happening in and near Woodbridge:

• The Harbour Grille's New Year's Eve Party
• New Year's Eve Bash at The Palace
• Bottle Stop Wine Bar & Restaurant New Year's Eve Prix Fixe
• New Year's Eve at Madigan's Waterfront
• Brew Year's Eve at The Republic with live music by Kazoku
• VFW Post 1503 New Year's Eve Party (members only)
• New Year's Eve at Woodbridge Elks Lodge #2355
• Bowlero Dale City New Year's Eve
• New Year's Eve Pre-Party Palooza at Central Library
• A Jazzy New Year at The Clubs at Quantico
• First Night Alexandria
• Big Night DC New Year's Eve Extravaganza at Gaylord National Harbor

If you know of other events, send an email to woodbridge-va@patch.com, and we'll add it to this list.

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.

One of Virginia's traditions is the Chincoteague Island Horseshoe Drop, which celebrates the wild ponies that call Chincoteague home.

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.