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Events in January 2026
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January 1, 2026
New Year’s Eve All-Inclusive Event at The Last Word: The Last Word
Community Listing
The Last Word, Ann Arbor’s most acclaimed craft-cocktail bar, is hosting an elevated, all-inclusive New Year’s Eve celebration on December 31, 2025, offering guests an evening of exceptional food, cocktails, and live music as they ring in 2026.
The event—limited to 70 tickets—promises a night of indulgence and abundance featuring a lavish culinary selection, premium cocktails and bubbles, and a live performance by The Pherotones, one of the city’s favorite jazz ensembles.
Guests will enjoy a lavish selection of passed appetizers and specialty food stations throughout the night, including:
Seafood tower with Chilled Oysters and Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail
Deviled Eggs topped with Caviar
Lobster Bruschetta
Lamb, Chicken, and Vegetable Skewers
Wagyu Steak Nigiri
Late Night House-cut Fries
Plus, a rotating buffet will feature chef-crafted boards of meats, cheeses, fruit, and accoutrements. And then followed later in the night by an indulgent dessert spread—including a Dubai-style chocolate cheesecake.
Every ticket includes an open selection of beverages throughout the night, including:
Sparkling wine poured all evening, and of course the midnight toasting
Three drink tickets to choose from The Last Word’s full cocktail menu, including the special seasonal Winter Menu
Beer, wine, and whiskey selections
Beginning at 9:00 PM, The Pherotones will perform a four-hour set, providing the soundtrack for the night’s celebration. The evening peaks in a midnight countdown with a sparkling toast, and the reverie continues until 1:00 AM. Every guest can expect hats, noise-makers, and special NYE 2026 swag.
301 W Huron ,Ann Arbor. The Last Word's Tock Page: https://www.exploretock.com/the-last-word-ann-arbor $257 per person (Including food, beverages, taxes and gratuity). [email protected] thelastword.comAdd this event to your calendar: Google Calendar | iCal
New Year's Eve Prom Night Rewind: HOMES Brewery
Community Listing
Ring in the New Year with a whole lot of nostalgia: relive the best (or get a do-over of the worst) night of your life: PROM NIGHT!
It's prom night at HOMES High and we are ready to PARTY! Dust off that taffeta dress and polish your square-toed dancing shoes and join us for an evening full of throwback vibes. DJ Batz will be playing all the hits from the 1980s through the 2010s, so no matter what year you gratuated you'll wanna bust a move.
Find the Teacher's Lounge for special tappings!
Get your photo taken and dress to impress! Our esteemed Senior Prom Court may crown you Prom Royalty!
This is a strictly 21+ event.
General Admission ticket price includes a buffet of classic high school cafeteria staples (but that actually taste GOOD), a "jungle juice" welcome drink, and a bubbly rosé toast at midnight.
2321 Jackson Ave ,Ann Arbor. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1968324073289/ $65. [email protected] www.homesbrewery.comAdd this event to your calendar: Google Calendar | iCal
New Year's Eve Party (Adult): Best In Games
Community Listing
Join us for the most exciting event of the year! The New Year's Eve Party is a night you won't want to miss. Get ready to ring in the New Year with a bang at BIG | Best in Games!
Date: Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Time: 9:00 PM - 1:00 AM
Location: Ypsilanti BIG | Best in Games
Come and celebrate the arrival of the New Year with your friends and loved ones. Our venue is the perfect place to dance, laugh, and create unforgettable memories. With a lively atmosphere, this party is guaranteed to be a blast!
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Ticket Options:
All Tickets Include: Midnight Balloon Drop, Midnight Champagne or Sparkling n/a Toast, Chef-Crafted Buffet, Unlimited Soft Drinks, and Live DJ on 1st Floor
Arcade Ticket
$40 Arcade Card
1st Floor Unlimited Wristband - ages 5+
Unlimited 1st Floor Activities: Laser Tag, Adventure Park, Drop Tower, VR Grave Digger, Bumper Cars, Pixel Floor)
* Must purchase grip socks if participating in Adventure Park
Full Access Wristband - ages 18+
(1) Premium Drink or Mocktail Ticket
1st, 2nd, & 3rd Floor VIP Access
Private Bar
1 Karting Race
Unlimited 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Floor Activities: Axe Throwing, Football Bowling, Cornhole, Street Curling, Duckpin Bowling, Selfie Golf, Laser Tag, Adventure Park, Drop Tower, VR Grave Digger, Bumper Cars, Pixel Floor
* Must purchase grip socks if participating in Adventure Park
* Plate Smash and Arcade not included must be purchased separately
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Add-On Options:
Reserved VIP Booth - ages 21+ - tickets sold separately
(seats up to 8 people)
Reserved VIP Booth (best viewing of balloon drop)
1 Bottle of Champagne or Sparkling Non-Alcoholic
Private Karaoke VIP Room- tickets sold separately
(seats up to 30 people)
Karaoke included
Private VIP Room - tickets sold separately
(seats up to 30 people)
Private VIP Room - tickets sold separately
(seats up to 15 people)
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Limited tickets available, so mark your calendars and get your tickets now! Terms and Conditions Apply. Visit bestingames.com/ypsilanti for additional details!
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New Year’s Day parkrun USA
Observer Editor
All invited to celebrate the new year by joining a timed but noncompetitive 5K run/walk. In the winter, course adjustments for the best footing may move the run to Lillie Park North or Hanselman Dr. Check facebook.com/lillieparkrun for the final location. 9 a.m., Lillie Park South, 4365 Platt Rd. Free, but first-timers are requested to arrive at 8:45 a.m. and preregister at parkrun.us/register. [email protected], parkrun.us/lillie.
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“New Year’s Bird Walk at Gallup Park”: Washtenaw Bird & Nature Alliance
Observer Editor
City ornithologist Juliet Berger & club member Matthew Spoor lead a bird walk to usher in the new year. 10 a.m.–noon, meet at the Gallup Park playground parking lot, 3175 Gallup Park Rd. Free. washtenawbna.org.
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New Year’s Day Auction: Schmidt’s Antiques
Observer Editor
Auction of a wide variety of fine art, decorative art, vintage and estate jewelry, mid-century modern, and antique furniture. Preview begins at 9 a.m. today, and also runs various times Dec. 26–30 (check website). 11 a.m., Schmidt’s, 5138 W.Michigan Ave., Ypsi. Preview and bidding also available online; go to schmidtsantiques.com. [email protected].
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“Day One”: Elemental Ecstatic Dance
Observer Editor
Dancers of all ages and abilities invited to begin the year with free-form dancing to recorded dance music, as well as peaceful music, ending with frame drum (related to the tambourine) and didgeridoo (the Australian wind instrument) healing sound bath. Wear loose clothes, barefoot or stocking feet. 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m. A2 Yoga, 2030 Commerce Blvd. $15–$25 sliding scale (age 11 and under, free) cash or Venmo (@andjru) at the door only. [email protected], tinyurl.com/ecstatic-dance-a2-day1.
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“The Wizard of Oz”: Michigan Theater
Observer Editor
Film screenings every day. Tickets $10.50 unless otherwise noted (children under 12, students, seniors age 65 and older, & U.S. veterans, $8.50; Marquee Arts members, $8) in advance online (recommended) & at the door. For updated schedule, see marquee-arts.org/calendar.
Jan 1: “The Wizard of Oz” (Victor Fleming, 1939). Classic musical adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s 1900 children’s fantasy novel. The film stars Judy Garland as a resourceful farm girl from Kansas dropped by a tornado into the surreal world of Oz, just trying to get back home. 1:30 p.m.
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“Stranger Things 5: The Finale”: Michigan Theater
Observer Editor
Film screenings every day. Tickets $10.50 unless otherwise noted (children under 12, students, seniors age 65 and older, & U.S. veterans, $8.50; Marquee Arts members, $8) in advance online (recommended) & at the door. For updated schedule, see marquee-arts.org/calendar.
Jan. 1: “Stranger Things 5: The Finale” (Matt & Ross Duffer, 2025). The final “episode” of the Netflix science fiction horror TV show about a group of kids in the 1980s battling strange forces. 4:30 p.m.
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Bad Decisions Track Club
Observer Editor
Every Thurs. Runners of all abilities invited to join this eclectic group of runners ranging from people training for their first 5K to ultramarathoners. Sessions are typically interval-based track workouts, followed by socializing at a nearby brewery. 6 p.m. Ferry Field, State at Hoover. May meet elsewhere if the weather is bad. Free. See walline.wixsite.com/bdtc to sign up for email updates on each week’s workout.
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Group Runs: Ann Arbor Running Company (AARC)
Observer Editor
Every Thurs., Sat., Mon., & Tues. (different AARC locations). Runners of all abilities invited to join a 5K mapped route (Thurs. & Mon.), either a beginner or advanced group run (Sat.), or an interval-based training run (Tues.). 6 p.m. (Thurs.), AARC Colonnade, 901 W. Eisenhower; 7 a.m. (Sat.) & 6 p.m. (Tues.), AARC Downtown, 209 S. Ashley; and 6 p.m. (Mon.), Corner Brewery, 720 Norris, Ypsi. Free. annarborrunningcompany.com.
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“Frozen”: The Encore Musical Theatre Company
Observer Editor
Dec. 4–Jan. 11 (different times). Daniel Cooney directs this local professional theater company in Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, and Jennifer Lee’s 2018 stage musical, itself based on the 2013 animated Disney movie, a loose adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Snow Queen.” It tells the story of Queen Elsa of Arendelle, whose self-seclusion in an ice palace prompts her younger sister Anna to attempt to find her, aided by a cast of characters including Olaf the snowman and Kristoff the ice vendor. The musical features numbers like “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” and “Let It Go.” 7 p.m., Encore, 7714 Ann Arbor St., Dexter. Tickets $44–$65 (17 and under $34) in advance at theencoretheatre.org & at the door. (734) 268–6200.
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“The Blues Brothers”: Michigan Theater
Observer Editor
Film screenings every day. Tickets $10.50 unless otherwise noted (children under 12, students, seniors age 65 and older, & U.S. veterans, $8.50; Marquee Arts members, $8) in advance online (recommended) & at the door. For updated schedule, see marquee-arts.org/calendar.
Jan. 1: “The Blues Brothers” (John Landis, 1980). Comedy about a pair of ex-con blues musicians trying to save the Catholic orphanage where they grew up. John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, John Lee Hooker, Ray Charles. 8 p.m.
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