Go, See, Do | New Year’s Eve parties, Final Friday, Dance Party for Littles and more

photo by: Journal-World File Photos

Left to right: Lawrence Public Library, Kansas River trails, New Year's Eve at Jazzhaus

The year is coming to an end, and it is time to party once again.

In this file photo, Mike Farwell kisses his fiancee, Glinda Easum, both of Lawrence, as the couple and other revelers celebrate the first of two New Year’s at the Jazzhaus on New Year’s Eve 2013. During the early set by The Crumpletons, 9 p.m. heralded the arrival of 2013 in Nuuk, Greenland.

If you’re looking to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Lawrence, there are plenty of places to go. Here are a few events that caught my eye:

• It may soon be 2019, but the Granada is letting people celebrate by taking it back to the 1990s and early 2000s with Los Angeles-based group Emo Nite.

The three-person group doesn’t describe itself as a band or a DJ group — instead, on their website, the members simply say: “We throw parties for the music we love.” Expect to hear plenty of emo and punk classics from the last three decades while counting down to the new year.

Doors open at 8 p.m. Monday at the Granada, 1020 Massachusetts St. Tickets are $15.

• More interested in classic rock? Local band Kim and the Quake will perform ’60s, ’70s and ’80s hits throughout the night at Slow Ride Roadhouse, 1350 N. Third St.

The event begins at 9:30 p.m. Monday. Admission is free.

• On the funky side of things, Kansas City-based 3 Son Green will perform at Lucia Beer Garden + Grill, 1016 Massachusetts St. The band’s music is a fusion of rock, jazz and funk, according to its Facebook page.

The event begins at 10 p.m. Monday. Tickets are $15.

• If you want to celebrate a little earlier than when the clock strikes midnight, Jazzhaus has got you covered.

Local rockers Crumpletons will return for another early New Year’s Eve bash, playing ’60s and ’70s hits from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Monday at Jazzhaus, 926 Massachusetts St. Tickets are $10.

Truly, there are a lot of parties and events going on in Lawrence on Monday night. If you don’t see anything particularly interesting listed here, you could probably take a stroll downtown and find what you are looking for elsewhere.

Here’s what else you can go, see and do in the next week:

Final Fridays

This month, only a few locations seem to be participating in Final Fridays, likely because it falls so close to New Year’s Eve.

But those who want to go out and view some art may do so at The Cider Gallery, 810 Pennsylvania St., and the Percolator, 813 1/2 Rhode Island St. Both events begin at 5 p.m. and admission is free.

More information is listed on the Explore Lawrence website, unmistakablylawrence.com.

New Year’s Eve Run

Get a head start on your New Year’s resolutions by going for a run on the 31st.

Garry Gribble Running Sports Lawrence, located at 839 Massachusetts St., will host a 3- to 5-mile run on the Kansas River trails. Afterward, the runners are invited to come back to the store for some chili.

The runners are meeting for the event at the river trails, 1594 N. Third St., at 9:30 a.m. Monday. The event is free.

First Day Hike

Don’t forget about the First Day Hike, which I reported earlier this week.

The Kansas State Parks are offering 1- to 2-mile hikes at 19 parks across the state. Here in Lawrence, Clinton State Park is offering a 2-mile hike on its North Shore Trail.

The hike begins at 1 p.m Tuesday at Clinton State Park, 798 North 1415 Road. The event is free, but parking at Clinton State Park costs $5.

Dance Party for Littles

The holidays can often be a tough time for parents of young children, according to a friend of mine with a 3-year-old daughter. But if you’re running out of ways to keep the youngsters entertained, the Lawrence Public Library is here to help.

The library, 707 Vermont St., is hosting a funky dance party for babies and toddlers at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in its auditorium. Library staff will have age-appropriate music and fun activities to go along with the dancing. Admission is free.

If you have an event you think I or the Lawrence community should know about, please send the information to me at dlysen@ljworld.com. To follow my event coverage and experiences, follow me on Twitter @DylanLysen.

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