Happy new year, Milwaukee!
You may not be celebrating New Year’s Eve like you used to, but there are plenty of ways to ring in the new year with little kids.
If you’re hunting for fun, family-friendly ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve without keeping the kids up past bedtime, you’re in luck! Milwaukee has a lineup of fantastic “Noon Year’s Eve” events tailored just for families.
From dance parties to balloon drops, there’s something for every pint-sized party animal.
Let’s dive into some of the coolest New Year’s Eve celebrations designed especially for kids and families:
Confirmed for 2024-2025:
New Year’s Eve at Noon
Where: 929 E. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI
When: Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 from 9:00 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Event closes at 2 p.m.)
Celebrate with:
- Face Painting!
- Dance Party: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. with DJ Shawna.
- DIY Noisemakers: Create your own in the Be A Maker space.
- Countdown & Ball Drop: 12 p.m. in the Museum’s Atrium.
- Exclusive member access from 9:00-11:00
Tickets: Available at www.bbcmkids.org
Zoo Year’s Eve at Wild Lights
Milwaukee County Zoo
December 31st, 2024
Introducing Zoo Year’s Eve, a unique New Year’s Eve celebration at the Milwaukee County Zoo. This special occasion transforms the zoo into a luminous wonderland with a 1-mile path adorned with animal-themed light displays and hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights.
Ideal for a romantic evening or a family outing, Wild Lights offers a festive and visually stunning experience, promising to add a memorable touch to New Year’s Eve festivities.
Kid Boogie Down’s Noon Year’s Eve Dance Party
Bavarian Bierhaus in Glendale, WI
Tuesday, December 31st, 2024 from 11:00-2:00 at the Bavarian Bierhaus in Glendale.
Ring in the “new year” with at noon with Kid Boogie Down. There will be a live music and video show by DJ Lukewarm complete with lights, lasers, bubbles, and more! Plus, cotton candy will be spun onsite, there will be a special guest from Fairytale Birthday Company, and more!
Harlem Globetrotters
Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee
Get Tickets >>
The Harlem Globetrotters will take the court with moments of extreme basketball innovation and unparalleled fan fun as they dribble, spin and dunk their way past their relentless rivals, the Washington Generals!
You’ll be amazed by new levels of mind-blowing trick shots, expert ball-handling skills and big laughs with new unrivaled opportunities for pre-game, post-game and in-game fan engagement.
Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria Early Countdown Dinner
Brookfield Location
Kick off your New Year’s Eve celebrations early at Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria in Brookfield! Families can enjoy a festive atmosphere, fun activities, and a special kids’ “bubbly” countdown at 6:30 PM. The buffet opens at 5 PM, so come hungry! Advance reservations are required, so be sure to secure your spot. It’s a perfect way for families to ring in the new year together.
TBD for 2024-25
Family New Year’s Eve Party
WhirlyBall in Brookfield, WI
TBD for 2024-25
WhirlyBall‘s New Year’s Eve plans for their Brookfield location (185 S Moorland Rd, Brookfield, WI 53005 ). This year the entire family can ring in 2024 with the return of their popular New Year’s Eve Bash.
New Year’s Eve Kids Dance Party
Le Village Brewer Hill in Milwaukee, WI
TBD for 2024-25
Join Le Village Brewers Hill for their New Year’s Eve Kid Rave!
Enjoy a DJ spinning tunes, shimmering glow lights, snacks, games, karaoke, sparkling cider, and a “midnight” countdown to add some extra fun to your New Years Eve.
Back To The Future: Film With Orchestra
TBD for 2024-25
Bradley Symphony Center, 212 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee
Recharge your flux capacitor … and get ready to celebrate this unforgettable movie classic as you’ve never seen and heard it before!
Back to the Future is the 1.21-gigawatt blockbuster that topped the 1985 box office chart, spawned two wildly successful sequels, and stamped an enduring imprint on pop culture.
Join Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), and a time-traveling DeLorean for the adventure of a lifetime as they travel to the past, present, and future – setting off a time-shattering chain reaction that disrupts the space-time continuum! Now, fans old and new will experience the thrill of Back to the Future like never before – on a big hi-def screen with a full symphony orchestra performing Alan Silvestri’s dazzling musical score live in sync with the movie.
Audiences will also be in for an exclusive treat: approximately twenty minutes of brand-new music added by award-winning composer Silvestri to the film’s score especially for these unique live orchestra presentations.
Rock & Roll Playhouse: Music of Grateful Dead
TBD for 2024-25
Turner Hall
The Rock and Roll Playhouse, a family concert series hosted at historic music venues across the country, allows kids to “move, play and sing while listening to works from the classic-rock canon” (NY Times).
Performing songs created by the most iconic musicians in rock history, The Rock and Roll Playhouse band offers its core audience of families with children age ten and under games, movement, stories and an opportunity to rock out in an effort to educate children and explore their creativity.
Little Switzerland New Year’s Party
TBD for 2024-25
Find more events on our Calendar >>
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Calie Herbst, Editor-in-Chief of Milwaukee With Kids, has spent over a decade combining her experiences as a parent of three to create a hub for Milwaukee’s family adventures.
Her decade-long teaching career in Milwaukee Public Schools and academic background, including a Master’s in Teaching from Marquette University and dual B.A.s in Sociology and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, fuel her passion for inclusive and engaging family content.
Calie is also a recognized voice in local media, contributing to WISN Channel 12 News, WTMJ Wisconsin Morning News, Fox 6’s Real Milwaukee, and B93.3.
Discover more about Calie’s journey and editorial approach on her About Page and Editorial Policy Page.
