Alcohol-free ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Chicago

CHICAGO - New Year’s Eve may be a popular time for many to enjoy a drink or two, but there are plenty of festive options for those who would rather enjoy their time sober in Chicago.

An analysis by Gallup found that young adults today are less likely than previous generations to drink. 

Gallup found that 20 years ago, about 49% of U.S. adults between the ages of 18 and 34 had any kind of alcoholic beverage in the past seven days. In recent years, (2021-2023), that percentage for the same age group declined to 38%.

With those recent trends, more non-alcoholic bars and shops are offering celebratory options for New Year’s Eve.

Here’s a list of just some:

• No Wasted Time New Year’s Eve Party from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Everything Bar at 1601 West Grand Avenue. Open to ages 21 and older. General admission is $40 and VIP is $70. More details are available here.
• Eli Tea Bar in Andersonville is hosting New Year’s Eve Trivia for teams of six people at 5507 North Clark Street. Call 773-961-7111 after 3 p.m. to reserve a table.  Teams must check in by 7 p.m. See more details at Eli Tea Bar’s Instagram page.
• In Good Spirits is also open for New Year’s Eve from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Located in West Town, the shop advertises itself as "your ultimate destination for non-alcoholic beers, wines, spirits, and more."

Other trends like participation in "Dry January" are espousing the idea of drinking less, or not at all. One study found that six months after participating in Dry January, people tended to change their habits and drink less.

In as little as 48 hours of not drinking, people can start to feel a difference. After a month, they get better sleep, have more energy, and see improvements in their sense of taste and smell.