SALEM EVENTS

Places around Salem to celebrate, spend time on New Year’s Eve

Plenty of places around Salem will be open and ready to celebrate New Year’s Eve on Tuesday with parties, food and live music. There are kid-friendly events with early balloon drops and snacks, shows for all ages and late night parties where people are encouraged to dress their finest. 

Here is a small roundup of Salem New Year’s Eve celebrations to ring in 2025, with options for all ages, budgets and levels of sobriety. Browse our events calendar for more options.

Gilbert House Children’s Museum

Celebrate earlier in the day with a “‘Noon’ Year’s Eve” event at the Gilbert House Children’s Museum from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. At noon, there will be a balloon drop and party to help families ring in the New Year together. Tickets are $10 for museum members, $24 for non-members. Tickets also include museum entry for the day. The museum is located at 116 Marion St. N.E.

Children’s New Years Eve Party

What’s Happening Salem presents a New Year’s Eve party for kids around Salem, filled with fun activities, music and food. The party will have kid-friendly music and a DJ, along with a photo booth to commemorate the holiday. Kids can spend the night playing games and ring in the New Year with a balloon drop at 9 p.m. 

The party starts at 7 p.m. and is located at 401 Center St. N.E. Kid and adult tickets are both $15. Kid tickets come with a free meal, and adult tickets come with a free glass of wine, beer or non-alcoholic beverage.

Middle and high schooler party

For students in middle and high school, Ring of Fire Frozen Treats and West Salem’s Titan House Youth Network are hosting a free New Year’s Eve party filled with fun activities. The party will go from 12 p.m. on New Year’s Eve until 1 a.m. on Jan. 1. There will be free street tacos for dinner, hot cocoa along with music and games throughout the day. 

The party will take place at 1124 Edgewater St. N.W. Information is available on Facebook

Radness Ensues

Spend a musical night at Radness Ensues for a lineup of performances. The community center is hosting a New Year’s Eve “Catastrophe” filled with four performances from artists, including Happy Death Men, Keddies Resort, Andromeda and Squids. Doors open at 5 p.m., performances will be from 6-9 p.m. Tickets are $12, no one turned away for lack of funds. The event will be at Radness Ensues, 3837 River Rd. N. in Keizer. The center is a sober space.

Grand Theatre

Enjoy A Grand New Year’s Eve Party with the high-energy grooves of DTW and local legends THIS Funk Band, who will bring non-stop funk, soul and celebration. The party will take place at Salem’s Grand Theatre, located at 187 High St. N.E. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the event starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 online and $25 day of. All ages.

All ages improv

Infinity Room’s improv team Electric Baguette will perform a family-friendly comedy show for New Year’s Eve. All ages are welcome as Electric Baguette uses the holiday as the evening’s theme. The show will start at 7 p.m. at Infinity Room, located at 210 Liberty St. S.E. #150. Tickets are $25 ahead of time, $35 at the door. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Wolfounds Bar

Havenrose Real Estate is hosting a New Year’s Eve celebration at Wolfhounds Bar, 466 Court St. N.E., starting at 8 p.m. There will be live music and a DJ, food and cocktails. Throughout the night, there will be giveaway events and chances to win prizes. Minors are allowed from 8-9 p.m. and can have a non-alcoholic drink. Tickets are $8 ahead of time, $10 at the door. Information is available on Facebook

Salem Elks Lodge #336

Join the Salem Elks Lodge #336 for a night of dinner and champagne to ring in the New Year. People can order dinner, either prime rib or chicken, in advance by calling (503) 364-6839. Local rock band Never2Late will perform classic hits from 7 p.m. to midnight. There will also be free breakfast available at 9 a.m. on Jan. 1 for attendees. People do not need to be a lodge member to attend.

Guests can choose to enjoy everything from dinner to breakfast, which costs $35, or join just for music, midnight and the free breakfast, which costs $15. The event is located at the Salem Elks Lodge #336, 2336 Turner Rd. S.E. Information is available on Facebook

Archive Coffee & Bar

Ring in the New Year dressed in fancy clothing and enjoy a lineup of special cocktails at Archive Coffee and Bar. Although there is no requirement to dress up for the holiday, Archive staff will be dressed in festive clothes and encourage attendees to join them. Starting at 4 p.m., people can try special cocktails and enjoy prime rib and crème brûlée cheesecake. The party will go until New Year’s Day, located at 102 Liberty St. N.E. #120. Information is available on Facebook

“When Harry Met Sally” 

Salem Cinema is showing the classic romantic comedy “When Harry Met Sally” on New Year’s Eve. In 1977, college graduates Harry Burns, played by Billy Crystal, and Sally Albright, played by Meg Ryan, share a contentious car ride from Chicago to New York, during which they argue about whether men and women can ever truly be strictly platonic friends. Ten years later, Harry and Sally meet again at a bookstore, and in the company of their respective best friends, attempt to stay friends without sex becoming an issue between them. 

Tickets are $9 and showtime is 8 p.m. The theater is located at 1127 Broadway St. N.E.

Contact reporter Madeleine Moore: [email protected].

A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE– If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure: SUBSCRIBE.

Madeleine Moore is working as a reporter at Salem Reporter through the University of Oregon’s Charles Snowden internship program. She came to Salem after graduating from the University of Oregon in June 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.