Toronto: New Year's Off-the-Beaten Path events : The Canadian Business Daily

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Toronto: New Year's Off-the-Beaten Path events

Toronto New Year's Eve 2012 parties are fast approaching, meaning the fashion-conscious are already searching for dresses no one will see in the dark, and limos and bottle service will soon be in unbelievable demand. Ringing in the new year in Toronto is inevitably an event at which to see and be seen (that is, if you can see straight), and all sorts of venues offer their own takes on champagne at midnight and a collective count down. Assuming the world doesn't end in 2012 and the parties are cut short, here are a few events to check out for New Year's Eve in Toronto.

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTIES: EVENT SPACES/ALTERNATIVE VENUES

NYE at Thompson Hotel (550 Wellington St)
For $200 you can look down on the rest of Toronto, literally, as you ring in the new year. The Thompson's $200 NYE all-access pass gives you access to the famed rooftop, or you can try to nab the $85 early-bird ticket, which, unfortunately, does not. The party features a live DJ, favours, hors d'oeuvres, and a glass of champagne, and tickets (regular price $150) can be purchased online.

Babe Night 2012: New Year's Edition at Milk Glass Co. (1247 Dundas St W)
Two floors of New Year's Eve fun (and fundraising). MIlk's NYE party will feature live music downstairs and DJs on the main floor, with money raised going to renovations at Milk Glass Co., a new gallery and antique shop. Cover is just $10, and drinks are promised to be "cheap."

Toronto Salsa Ball at 918 Bathurst Centre for Culture, Arts, Media & Education
New Year's Eve dancing doesn't have to involve unwelcome groping from strangers (see clubs, below). 918 Bathurst is hosting a masquerade salsa ball with a dance showcase, swag bags, prizes, hors d'eourves, a cash bar, and lots of room to dance, of course. The music will include Latin, Salsa, and Reggaeton, with five DJs running the night. Tickets are $50 and available at various retailers and online.

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTIES: BARS + RESTAURANTS

Happy Endings NYE 2012 at Dim Sum King (421 Dundas St W)
Bubbly and dim sum must be one of the best ways ever to ring in the new year. Dim sum platters are $5 at Dim Sum King for its New Year's party, which includes a five-DJ lineup, free champagne, Chinese lion dancers, and lobster (!?) with bottle service. Advance tickets are $50, available in-store and online.

Bangs & Blush NYE at Clintons (693 Bloor St W)
What's one way to avoid facing the impending apocalypse? Ring in 2012 like it was 1964.
Bangs & Blush will do the 1960s soul and pop thing all night in what promises to be a very sweaty back room at Clintons. Tickets are $15, and you can buy your own damn Champagne — or Jägermeister as the case may be.

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTIES: CLUBS

NYE'12 Winter Wonderland in Toronto at The 559 (559 College St W)
We haven't seen much of that "winter wonderland" part yet, and neither, for that matter, have we seen much of The 559. That's because the new club is opening its doors for 2012, offering free hors d'eouvres and champagne, live DJs, and "magical" winter decor for its NYE event. Tickets are $25 and available online.

The Light Fantastic NYE at Centre of Gravity (1300 Gerrard St E)
The circus school is turned into a club for New Year's Eve, though the night will certainly feature its share of performance. Silks, clowns, tribal fusion belly dances and more, set to live spinning, free champagne, and prize draws. Masks and costumes are encouraged, and $40 advanced tickets are available at various downtown stores and online.

Have additional suggestions for New Year's Eve 2012 events? Let us know in the comments. We'll also add more links to this post as further events are announced.

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