Countdown! Family-Friendly New Year's Events in St. Petersburg, FL
Who's ready for a new start in 2018? Break out the noisemakers because the parties are about to kick off- and the best of them welcome kids! We've rounded up bashes in St. Petersburg and the surrounding areas where your family can ring in the New Year. Psst... many of these are daytime events that will leave them tuckered out well before the clock strikes midnight. Click the links below for all of the details.
Ring in the New Year with recycled bottle noise makers that your little ones can make all on their own in Growing Up's learning center.
December 29, 10:30am-12:30pm, & December 30, 11:30am-12:30pm
Cost: $3 per crafter
Growing Up
689 MLK St. N, Suite B
Online: www.growingupstpete.com
Ring in the New Year at Practically Pikasso with a sparkling juice toast, New Year's story time, and a pottery project.
December 31, 11:30am-1:00pm
Cost: $18 per painter
Practically Pikasso
1912 4th St. N
online: practicallypikasso.com
Celebrate New Year's at Noon at Great Explorations! Ring in the New Year starting with a dance party, make a festive New Year's hat, post your New Year's resolution, and stick around to watch the big balloon drop taking place at noon!
December 31, 10:00am-2:00pm
Cost: Free for members or $10 per person ages 1 to 54 (discounts available)
Great Explorations Children's Museum
1925 4th St. N
online: greatex.org
Presented by 411 Pain, First Night is an exciting evening of music and art shown in over 20 venues throughout downtown St. Petersburg from 4pm until midnight. Fun for all ages! Fireworks for the family at 8pm and a Firework Finale at midnight! Kid-friendly activities include Giant Sea Creature Procession with Sea Creature Puppets created with the Morean Center for Clay Summer Campers with music by the Pinellas Sheriff’s PAL Drumline at 7:15pm and march to the waterfront for the Bubble Stomp followed by the Kids Kaboom Fireworks at 8pm.
December 31, 4:00pm-12:00am
Cost of buttons in advance: $10/adult, $5/children ages 6-12
Cost of buttons on 12/31: $15/adult, $10/children ages 6-12
Downtown St. Petersburg
online: firstnightstpete.com
Come celebrate the New Year with Astro Skate's annual family-friendly New Year's Eve party! There will be a balloon drop and celebration once the clock strikes midnight. As always, parents skate FREE at this event.
December 31, 8:00pm-1:00am
Cost: $10/child, parents free (skate rental extra)
Astro Skate Family Fun Center of Pinellas Park
10001 66th St. N
And if you don't mind a short drive...
Join Busch Gardens for an awesome New Year’s Eve celebration on Dec. 31! Enjoy thrill rides in the dark, like Busch Garden’s newest family spin-coaster Cobra’s Curse, North America’s tallest freestanding drop tower, Falcon’s Fury, or Florida’s first triple-launch coaster, Cheetah Hunt. Jam out to music throughout the park and ring in the new year with a park-wide countdown and spectacular fireworks show in Gwazi Park. And with the park open until 1 a.m., you can make the first hour in 2018 a thrilling one!
December 31, 9:00am-1:00am
Cost: Included with admission
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
10165 N. McKinley Dr, Tampa
online: buschgardens.com/tampa
Ring in the New Year family style at Lowry Park Zoo's annual Noon Year’s Eve daytime celebration. Join in the festivities with a rockin' DJ, games, and activities, animal mingles, and more! Watch a giant countdown clock and welcome the New Year with noisemakers, hats and a pink lemonade toast. Admission to Noon Year's Eve is included with zoo membership and single-day admission.
December 31, 10:00am-2:00pm
Cost: Single-day admission or included with membership
Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo
1101 W. Sligh Ave, Tampa
online: lowryparkzoo.org
Celebrate the new year with the little ones at Kidz World of Play. Join GEM Princess Parties at the children's gym for a celebration like no other. This year Spiderman will be making an appearance, and a few surprise guests will be joining for a balloon drop at noon (ahem, Poppy Troll).
December 31, 10:00am-3:00pm
Cost: $16/child
Kidz World of Play
40767 US 19 N, Tarpon Springs
online: kidzworldofplay.com
Ninja Bounce and Creative Mommies with Little Explorers are proud to team up to bring you this one of a kind experience for families to celebrate New Year’s Eve together! Come play in the exciting facility offering inflatable obstacle courses, arcade games, and a toddler soft play area. Ages 6 months to 12 years can ring in the New Year’s Eve afternoon in style with a dance party, face painting, festive noise makers, pizza and a countdown to a balloon drop experience with juice box toast at NOON.
December 31, 11:00am-2:00pm
Cost: $15/first child, $10/additional child
NINJA Bounce
30798 US 19 N, Palm Harbor
online: ninjabouncefun.com
Ring in 2018 at the top of every hour at Glazer Children's Museum in downtown Tampa! Celebrate with fun activities all afternoon.
December 31, 1:00-6:00pm
Cost: Included with admission
Glazer Children's Museum
110 W. Gasparilla Plaza, Tampa
online: glazermuseum.org
Eclectic Ybor City is the site of this festive celebration featuring the Outback Bowl New Year's Eve Parade and a pep rally. The parade will feature floats and about twenty marching bands including the two college bands! The Pep Rally features a battle of the bands and cheerleaders from both universities. This free family event is sponsored by our friends at Bud Light, 970 WFLA, Mix 100.7 FM Radio, 98Rock and the City of Tampa. Be there early. The Parade starts at 5:30 p.m. and runs along 7th Avenue.
December 31, 5:30-7:30pm
Cost: Free
7th Ave, Ybor City Historic District, Tampa
online: outbackbowl.com
Join Clearwater Beach Chamber of Commerce for its annual fireworks celebration, Light it Up Clearwater! Grab a bite to eat, relax your toes in the sand, watch a world famous sunset, and then ring in the New Year with fireworks at midnight.
January 1, midnight
Cost: Free
Clearwater Beach
online: lightitupclearwater.com