6 virtual ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve in 2020

The holidays may be drastically different this year, but we can celebrate the new year virtually. Here are six fun options.

Beats Antique New Year’s Eve in the Virtual Mushroom: 3:30, 8:30, 9:30, 10:30, 11:30. The Oakland-based experimental world fusion electronic group, Beats Antique, will host this extravaganza, featuring music and dance performances and a countdown to midnight with one countdown for each time zone. $15-$50. www.stageit.com/beatsantique

Chabot Space & Science Center’s Virtual Balloon Drop New Year Celebration: 11 a.m. to noon Dec. 31. When it’s noon in Oakland, it will be 2021 somewhere in the world, so celebrate at this virtual event featuring hundreds of colorful, biodegradable balloons dropped from above. Attendees will receive a special virtual activity guide ahead of time with supply lists for activities that will occur during the celebration. $10.  http://bit.ly/3rkRiyf

First Night Monterey: 6 p.m. to midnight Dec. 31. Featuring performances from Heartstrings, Dirty Cello, Black Irish, Fields of Eden with Kiki Wow, MC Lars, SpectorDance, Art, Kids’ Night Out art activities and youth performances, from classical to jazz, blues, rock and more. https://www.firstnightmonterey.org/

First Shuffle presents The Speakeasy Virtual NYE Bash: Delivered to your doorstep, these NYE kits include canapés  and charcuterie, a personal balloon drop, noise makers and streamers. The evening starts with libations and hors d’oeuvres and different break out rooms with fortune telling, parlor magic dance lessons and more. Shortly before the countdown, grab a booth in the cabaret for a vaudeville show as the Speakeasy band ushers in the New Year. http://bit.ly/2JdS1Ab

Light at the End: 8 p.m. New Year’s Eve party and charity event created by Oakland’s Sobre Mesa and Redwood City’s Dragon Production Theatre Company. Navigate your way through the virtual party space using your avatar and interact with everyone you see through messaging and video. Off-screen activations include a virtual cocktail class with Sobre Mesa’s mixologist featuring the NYE Wonderland Spritz cocktail kit and meal kits with a pre-recorded demo delivered to your door via Feastin. https://dragon.vbotickets.com/event/Light_at_the_End/49084

Times Square New Year’s Eve Wishing Wall: Write your wish for 2021 and it will appear on actual confetti released at midnight in New York City’s Times Square. www.TSq.org/Wish