No plans for NYE yet? No worries. There's plenty going on in the area
Time's run out. Tonight is the big night.
If you didn't make plans months ago or want to spend $1,000 or so, here's some last-minute ideas on ways to usher in 2008.
Bars, pubs, clubs
Dig the DJs: DJs Luis and Ondrae entertain at Crystal's Party Bar, 800 S. Route 31, Crystal Lake, with party favors, a video countdown, balloon drop and a champagne toast at midnight -- all for $10. Call (815) 356-6000.
Where: 800 S. Route 31
Web site: www.crystalspartybar.com.
Start time: 7 p.m.
Cost: $10
Get your green on: Try McNally's Irish Pub in St. Charles, which will ring in the new year on Ireland time (6 p.m. here) and again at midnight. Starting at 5 p.m., the pub is offering hours of Celtic music. Admission is free, but for $60, you can be entertained by rock 'n' roll band Red Woody, enjoy a steak-'n'-lobster appetizer buffet and five free drinks, and take home a commemorative pint glass.
Where: 201 E. Main St. in St. Charles
Web site: mcnallysirishpub.com
Start time: 5 p.m.
Cost: Free to $60
Wake up: Hit Gino's East in Lake Zurich to rock out to tunes from Insomnia and toast the new year with champagne, favors and drink specials. Cover band Insomnia will be playing all the best tunes you've grown to love and are dying to sing in public to.
Where: Chuck's Lounge, Gino's East, 561 W. Main St., Lake Zurich
Web site: www.ginoseastlakezurich.com
Start time: all evening
Cost: No cover, but regular menu prices apply
Saving your green: Try Ballydoyle's pub party in Downers Grove, which has only a $5 cover. Lounge popsters the Brill Babies headline the party that also features plenty of drink specials and party favors.
Where: Ballydoyle Pub, 5157 Main St. in Downers Grove
Web site: ballydoylepub.com
Start time: 9 p.m.
How much: $5 at the door
Rock out the night: Try Durty Nellie's in Palatine and see the ever-popular, spandex-clad Hairbanger's Ball. Durty Nellie's offers you the chance to sing along to '80s hair metal tunes live while enjoying equally kitschy party favors, draft beer, well liquor and a champagne toast at midnight. Tickets are $65 per person and available through Ticketmaster.
Where: Durty Nellie's, 180 N. Smith St., Palatine
Web site: durtynellies.com
Start time: 10 p.m.
Cost: $65 per person
Bring the kids
Plaza pizazz: Try Des Plaines' annual New Year's Eve on the Plaza, which starts at 6 p.m. with a children's show by Radio Disney Party Patrol at the Des Plaines Theater. Other events include a quartet, performances by the park district's Idol winners, jugglers, bowling, raffles, carriage rides, crafts and two screenings of "High School Musical 2."
Where: Des Plaines Library Plaza, 1501 Ellinwood St.
Web site: www.desplaines.org/newyearseve
Start time: 6 p.m.
Cost: Free
The big show: Catch Chicago's big New Year's Eve fireworks display at Navy Pier, which has family show at 7 p.m. and a second show at midnight. In between, celebrate with soul -- a free concert of soul, Motown and R&B hits by Chicago band PowerPlay -- in the Family Pavilion from 8 to 11:30 p.m.
Where: Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Ave.
Web site: www.navypier.com
Start time: 7 p.m. for family show; second show at midnight
Cost: Free
Not a ding-dong time: Ring in the New Year in Naperville with its 72-bell Millennium Carillon in Riverwalk Park. The Riverwalk Eatery will serve free hot cider and coffee, and at 11:25 p.m., the carilloneurs will play popular and classical pieces as the ball drops to midnight.
Where: Riverwalk Park, 320 W. Jackson Ave.
Web site: naperville-carillon.org
Start time: 11:25 p.m.
Cost: Free
Get healthy
Run in the new year: Lace up your sneakers on New Year's Day and head to Lincoln Park for a 5K run/walk at 11 a.m. (so you can sleep in). Race-day registration starts at 9:30 a.m. in the North Avenue field house at Stockton Drive and LaSalle Street. About a thousand runners are expected so there won't be too many people to trip over on the course.
Where: Lincoln Park at Stockton Drive and LaSalle Street
Web site: chicagoevents.com/event.cfm?eid=88
Start time: Register at 9:30 a.m.; event begins at 11:00 a.m.
Cost: $30
Staying in?
Nothing like TV to keep you entertained. You can catch "Shrek II" on ABC, "Men in Black II" on Fox, "Saturday Night Live in the '90s: Pop Culture Nation" on NBC or the standard Monday night comedies on CBS. Or, if you want to watch some New Year's Eve festivities:
ABC: "Dick Clark's Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve" runs from 9 to 10 p.m. with the regular "Rockin' Eve" running from 10:30 to just after midnight. Plain White Ts and Fergie are scheduled to perform.
ABC7 will cut away from New York to broadcast from Navy Pier's Grand Ballroom. Fountains of Wayne is schedule to perform and the fireworks will start at midnight.
CBS: Catch the New Year's Eve Bash at the House of Blues. Broadcast runs from 11:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
NBC: "New Year's Eve with Carson Daly" will be broadcast from Times Square from 10:30 to 11:30 p.m. Lenny Kravitz and Alicia Keys are scheduled to perform.
Fox: DJ Cat Deeley and talk-show host Spike Feresten interview partiers in Times Square from 11 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. while reviewing some top pop culture moments in 2007. Lifehouse and Fall Out Boy are scheduled to perform.