No matter what you do tonight, if it involves leaving the confines of your home, local law enforcement recommends having a way home that doesn’t include driving after drinking — whether that’s taking a cab, public transportation, calling for a ride, having a designated driver, or walking.
Local attorney William Mattar Safe and Sober Free Ride Home Program are offering free rides originating in the city of Buffalo through Designated Drivers of Buffalo with a maximum drop-off distance of 20 miles within Western New York from midnight to 4 am. For more info, go to WilliamMattar.com.
“We have worked hard this year to add more drivers and dispatchers to accommodate the success of this program,” says Designated Drivers’ owner Michael Mule. “We do not encourage or promote the over consumption of alcohol, we simply face the reality that it is prevalent in our society. We offer a no-excuse solution to a very old problem.”
Designated Drivers sends two experienced and uniformed drivers to take both you and your car home. This eliminates the issue of how you’ll retrieve your vehicle the following day.
Several streets will be closed temporarily for the ball drop tonight.
- Washington between East Huron and Genesee will be closed at 7 a.m.
- West Huron Southside, between Pearl and Main, will be closed at 7 a.m.
- East Huron Southside, between Main and Washington, will close at 10 a.m.
- West Huron Northside, between Pearl and Main, will close at 10 a.m.
- Washington, between East Chippewa and East Mohawk, will close at 2 p.m.
- East Huron Northside, between Main and Genesee will close at 4 p.m.
- Genesee, between East Huron and Ellicott, will close at 4 p.m.
All streets will re-open Sunday at 8:00 a.m.
Closed streets complicates matters somewhat. That combined with parking hassles suggests that public transportation might be good to consider. Fortunately, Metro Rail will extend service to accommodate passengers attending the ball drop and additional Metro bus service will be added to six routes. Get more details here.
Now that you know how to get home, what to do?
- First Night Buffalo: Buffalo’s family-friendly affair at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center complete with ball(oon) drop at 10 p.m.
- Downtown ball drop: It starts at 10 p.m. in Roosevelt Square (Free to attend)
- Brew Year’s Eve at Buffalo RiverWorks: Buffalo’s newest entertainment complex and soon-to-be brewery, RiverWorks, makes their brewing debut tonight, ringing in the new year with exclusive samplings of two beers – a cream ale and New England IPA.
- Statler City’s Ice Ball: Celebrate in style at one of Buffalo’s swankiest events in the Statler Golden Ballroom downtown.
- Rich Vos at Helium Comedy Club: Laugh in the new year starting at 8 p.m.
- Rusted Root at Iron Works: Doors open at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30/$35
- Skating at Canalside: Skate til 10 p.m. and you won’t be far from the midnight ball drop
- Keg Drop at Rusty Nickel Brewing Company: Like a ball drop … but with a keg. This might be the most “new Buffalo” thing to do on the list.
- Tonawanda Castle New Year’s Celebration: Ring in the New Year with The Tonawanda Castle and Dj Tony Romano
- Club Marcella’s New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball: Balloon drop at midnight Marcella’s style
- Emo Night at the Waiting Room: Ring in 2017 like it’s still 1999 with Emo and Pop Punk songs from the 90’s
- New Year’s Eve Party at Crazy Jakes: Band in the banquet room – DJ next door and fireworks on Webster Street at midnight
- Literally any bar
