Live Wire: A sampling of off-the-beaten-track New Year’s Eve celebrations

As we head to close out another year, even a brief look at various local venues shows that Western Massachusetts has no shortage of ways to ring in 2026.

While the two main hubs of activity are Springfield’s and Northampton’s First Night celebrations (covered elsewhere by colleagues), today’s column will take a look at various other ways to rock (or sing, swing or salsa) in the New Year across the region on Dec. 31.

Let’s start with one of the bigger shows, which will take place at the Shea Theater in Turners Falls: Roots of Creation’s new project, “Grateful Dub” – a reggae-infused tribute to Jerry Garcia and The Grateful Dead.

The album blends the band’s longtime love for reggae-dub style music and the Grateful Dead, New Year’s Eve show full of reggae and dub- and the music of The Grateful Dead. The record debuted at No. 1 on the Reggae Billboard charts and features guest performances by Stephen Marley, G. Love, and Melvin Seals, among many others.

The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are $35 for seats and $25 for standing room. Tickets can be purchased online at showclix.com/event/shea-grateful-dub-nye25. The Shea Theater Arts Center is at 71 Avenue A.

For a more traditional but still off-the-beaten track type of New Year’s Eve, fans of Irish culture might want to check out West Springfield’s Irish House Restaurant and Trinity Pub at the Irish Cultural Center.

The celebration starts a bit early, at 5 p.m., as part of the festivities will accommodate the five-hour time difference so partygoers here can watch a live broadcast of the ball drop in Dublin, Ireland at 7 p.m. local time. Before that, a buffet-style meal will be served, with Jimmy McArdle, an original member of the Irish folk band The Bards, and Jerry Murphy, Holyoke’s renowned accordion player, providing Irish music and entertainment from 6 to 8 p.m.

Tickets are $65 for ICC patrons and $70 for the general public. The cost includes the buffet, entertainment and a complimentary champagne toast. Advance tickets are required; tickets are non-refundable. Order tickets by calling 413-342-4358 or visiting the Trinity Pub, located at 429 Morgan Road, in person.

There are also plenty of smaller celebrations that might suit you better:

• New City Brewery in Easthampton will feature a New Year’s Eve Latin Dance Party presented by Dancenjoy. All levels of dancers are welcome, and you need not have a partner to participate. The evening will feature a myriad of Latin dance styles: Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba, Merengue, Reggaeton, Hip-Hop, and Afrobeat. There will also be some party swag and noisemakers along with a photo booth. The fun will run from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door. Advance tickets are available at https://www.dancenjoy.org/offers/Fxv6rFuo. New City Brewery is at 180 Pleasant St.
• For a more rockin’ New Year’s Eve, head over to View Street Tavern in Chicopee. That’s where The Brat Pack ‘80s Show will be playing all your favorite new wave and pop hits from that decade, starting at 9 p.m. Tickets are $16.74 (including all fees) and can be purchased at viewstreettavern.com.
• If you’d rather boogie to a disco beat, Liston’s Bar & Restaurant in Worthington will augment its New Year’s Eve dinner specials with a full bar, a disco ball and a playlist of the 2025 hits and disco dance music. Complimentary champagne will be served for those who make it to midnight to watch the ball drop. Liston’s is at 324 Old North Road.

No matter where you choose to celebrate, have a happy and safe New Year’s Eve.