LAKE COUNTY >> New Years Eve is bound to be a busy one for residents of the community. Popular venues are ordering large amounts of sparkling wine and appetizers in anticipation of hundreds of guests.
“We”re definitely stocking up on Champagne,” said Nick Bruce-Boehler, Manager for the Blue Wing Saloon in Upper Lake.
Local law enforcement of course will be on hand to keep an eye out for any issues that may arise that night. They”ll be paying particular attention to the venues hosting parties, but Lt. Jason Ferguson of the Lakeport Police Department doesn”t anticipate an extremely irregular number of complaints for the night. “People are just out trying to have a good time,” he said. But to ensure that nothing goes amiss, units will be present throughout the town. “We will be out in force. We will be visual,” Ferguson said.
As for the bars and restaurants, management is confident some semblance of order will be the norm all night. “Our regular audience just comes to have a good time, not to have a problem,” said Mike Adams, Chair of the Lake County Arts Council, which operated Soper Reese Theatre.
“The last New Years Eve I don”t recall any problems,” added Lorna Higdon, owner of The Clearlake Club in Lakeport, confirming that New Years Eve in the community is a happy and celebratory time for all.
Some places are even hosting parties flexible enough to allow people to celebrate earlier in the evening. The Clearlake Club in Lakeport will be having complimentary toasts at 7, 8 and 9 in the evening for those who prefer to be asleep when the clock strikes 12. “I”ll find a country that”s celebrating the new year at 7,” explained Higdon. “And we”ll toast at 9, which will probably be New York.” Patrons early to the bar will be able to celebrate as midnight hits in other places around the world and then they can move on to other venues or head home for the evening.
While Higdon is planning on dressing up The Clearlake Club a bit for the night, with all the competition from neighboring bars, she”s not doing anything too special.”Everyone is throwing a party, and then there”s a lot of house parties,” she said. “We”re hoping through the course of the night we”ll see 40 to 60 people.”
The Blue Wing Saloon is also putting on an event with a 9 p.m. toast, which they”ve called “New York New Year”s Eve” — and going all out for their event. They”ll be providing a three-course menu for their guests along with musical entertainment by Paul Kemp, George Husaruk and Machiko Shimada from 6 p.m. through dinner. The saloon hopes to get 100 people through its doors over the course of the night.
“Seating”s already getting limited,” revealed Bruce-Boehler. “We”re typically pretty busy.”
It”s not surprising considering the excellent entertainment The Blue Wing is known to host. Those who are interested in the festivities are highly encouraged to make a reservation now. “We always enjoy providing a fun staging area for the people of Lake County,” said Bruce-Boehler. “We enjoy watching the ball drop on New Years Eve in Times Square and also being able to close up shop and continue our own festivities elsewhere.”
For those looking to keep the celebratory spirit alive until the West Coast”s midnight, a popular destination for the evening is TJ”s Downtown Bar and Grill in Lakeport. They expect about 200 people to come through, even though the evening will be taken down a notch from previous years due to construction in the building. “Usually we go all out but we”re trying to get the women”s bathroom redone,” said Mayme Dyflin, chef of TJ”s.
Despite this inconvenience, the bar is located in an excellent spot for a good deal of foot traffic. “We get pretty packed in here, especially being across the street from the [Soper Reese] theatre,” said Dyflin. She anticipates that they”ll be “completely packed all day from about 5 to midnight.”
The Soper Reese theatre, not one to hold back on any evening, will be selling drinks, providing food and complementary sparkling wine as midnight rolls around and live music by the LC Diamonds. They expect a packed house of 200 people. “It”s been a great event,” said Adams. “We”ve gone back and forth between The Funky Dozen and the LC Diamonds. They”re local groups that have a following so everybody likes to come and support their friends.”
The LC Diamonds are just as excited for the evening as anyone else. “It”s probably one of the biggest highlights of the year to perform at the Soper Reese,” said Shaun Hornby of LC Diamonds. “We normally get a great crowd out there as well for a lot of dancing.”
Hornby always loves performing with his band, but the atmosphere on New Years Eve makes the night all that more memorable. “Everyone”s getting into the party spirit and welcoming in the new year,” he said. “Everyone lets their hair down more than any other night of the year on New Years Eve, I believe.”
“And we sound even better after people have had a few drinks,” he laughed.
The Soper Reese is also a place to spend the evening with the kids. “They”re very family oriented at the Soper Reese, which we love,” said Hornby. Everyone is welcome at the venue, “from 5-year-olds to 105-year-olds,” he added.
Jennifer Gruenke can be reached at 900-2019.
