New Years Eve 2009: It's kind of a big deal. A New Years Eve this special <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5435190/this-new-years-eve-brings-the-rarest-blue-moon-of-all">comes around just once in a blue moon - literally</a>.<br /><br />In Tulsa, it'll be more than a reason to get smashed and wear glasses shaped like the numbers 2010. We're known as one of the most philanthropic communities in the country, and we really show our stuff on this holiday - several of the events I have listed below benefit a nonprofit. Consider the opportunity to give back yet another reason not to stay home with the crock-pot of nacho cheese and Totino's this year. <br /><br />Besides gawking at the blue moon, here's what to do in Tulsa on New Years Eve 2009.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><object height="340" width="560"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FJI6n-j2f2A&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FJI6n-j2f2A&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br /><br /><b>THE Party on Brookside</b><br />When: 9:30pm<br />Where: Brookside (Peoria Avenue), between 37th and 39th Streets<br /><a href="https://www.newyearsevetulsa.com/pages.aspx?pageid=2">There's a reason everyone's calling this THE Party</a>: It's the first street party on Brookside to celebrate the new year. Show up between 37th and 39th Streets at 9:30pm to catch tunes by Eric and the Adams and Oklahoma Down Band. Then, settle in to watch the ball drop from the Channel 2 tower (it was built especially for this occasion, by the way - the ball, not the tower) and kiss your sweetie in the midst of a confetti downpour. Oh, and did I mention there will be food from Ron's Hamburgers? Yum. Admission to THE Party is free, with tickets to the heated VIP party tent with its own food, beverages and entertainment priced at $75. All proceeds benefit the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://cdn.evite.com/gtimages/J/C/Q/JCQTKDTKQMFFRUPBPMGE.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><b>New Years Eve @ Mayo Hotel</b><br />When: 9pm<br />Where: <a href="http://themayohotel.com/">The Mayo Hotel</a>, 115 W. Fifth Street<br />Dress up and dance the night away in the historic Crystal Ballroom at The Mayo Hotel. Bounce to the tunes of DJ Moody, nibble on hors d'oeuvres and join in during the champagne toast at midnight. Tickets are $50 and benefit the American Cancer Society. Call (918) 477.5400 to get set up. <br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/1QohLx5Ma5A&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/1QohLx5Ma5A&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x234900&color2=0x4e9e00" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><b>BB King at Mabee Center</b><br />When: 8pm<br />Where: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/mabeecenter.com">Mabee Center</a>, 7777 S. Lewis Ave. <br />If you're looking to make memories this New Years Eve, head toward south Tulsa to see the reigning and undisputed King of the Blues perform live in concert with special guest John Fannell. Tickets start at $49.50, with select VIP seats that include floor seating and a fancy-schmancy parking pass available at $113. <br /><br /><b>New Years Eve with Grady Nichols</b><br />When: doors at 7pm, event at 8pm<br />Where: <a href="http://okjazz.org/">Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame</a>, 111 E. First Street<br />Spend the last few hours of 2009 at the historic Jazz Depot and catch a performances by national recording star saxophonist Grady Nichols, American Idol's Krista Branch and Earl Clark &amp; Spectrum Band. Tickets are $70, parking is complimentary in the Grand Central Parking Lot. <br /><br /><b>New Years Eve with Gallagher</b><br />When: 9pm<br />Where: <a href="http://milliondollarelm.com/">Osage Million Dollar Elm Casino</a>, 951 W. 36th Street North<br />Admission is free - I guess that's a reasonable price to be splattered with every melon between here at wherever Gallagher last came. If you're looking for a wacky way to spend New Years Eve, this just might be your event.<br /><br /><b>New Years at the Rose Bowl</b><br />When: doors at 7pm<br />Where: <a href="http://www.tulsarosebowl.com/">Rose Bowl Event Center</a>, 7419 E. 11th Street (on old Route 66)<br />If you're a honky-tonk man, the New Years Eve party at Rose Bowl is the party of you. Do some two-steppin' to the musical stylings of the Round Up Boys and enjoy a cold beer, concessions and complimentary midnight champagne for toasting the new year. Tickets are $15. If you're bringing a mess of folks with you, be sure to reserve a banquet table for you and your guests - hey, they're free, so why not? Proceeds go to the American Cancer Society and Musicians for a Smoke Free Oklahoma. <br /><br /><img src="http://pricetower.org/media/images/Olive2010%2DWebheader.jpg" /><br /><br /><b>Olive Drop New Years Eve Party</b><br />When: 9pm<br />Where: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/pricetower.org">Price Tower Art Center</a>, 510 S. Dewey in Bartlesville<br />The event that is quickly becoming a Bartlesville tradition will bring music by Ayngel and the Entourage and a countdown in the heart of downtown as a huge olive is lowered into a giant martini glass from the upper floors of Price Tower. Check out the parties going on in Price Tower while you're at it - one on the first floor ($5) and one on the 15th, in the Copper Bar ($295, which includes a night at the Inn at Price Tower). <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="338" src="http://tatur.org/RINY09LogoBig.gif" width="400" /><br /></div><br /><b>Race Into the New Year</b><br />When: 11:45pm<br />Where: RiverParks West Amphitheater<br />For those of you who have dreamed of racing into the new year, here's your chance. Join hundreds of Tulsans in checking out the live entertainment, the champagne and sparkling cider, blackeyed peas and cornbread and a huge fireworks show at midnight at this event. Don't forget about the Polar Bear Plunge on New Years Day. It's just $5 to dress up (or down - in some cases, in hardly nothing at all) and run the one-mile race and take a dunk in the frigid Arkansas River. Hey, you'll freeze your butt off, but you'll never forget this particular New Years Day. It starts at noon. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/tatur.org">Visit TATUR.org to sign up for these races</a>.<br /><br /><b>The Zuits New Years Eve Party</b><br />When: 10pm<br />Where: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/joemommas.com">Joe Momma's downtown</a>, 112 S. Elgin Ave. <br />Swing in the new year with some great music and some tasty pizza at Joe Momma's downtown. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tashadoestulsa/4210704045/" title="Cosmo Cafe by Tasha Does Tulsa, on Flickr"><img alt="Cosmo Cafe" height="375" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2741/4210704045_1d9342b682.jpg" width="500" /></a><br /></div><br /><b>New Year's Eve Speakeasy</b><br />When: 8:30pm<br />Where: <a href="http://cosmo-cafe.com/">Cosmo Cafe&nbsp;&amp; Bar</a>, now at 3334 S. Peoria Ave.<br />Be prepared to be transported back to the era of classy attire, sexy jazz and stiff drinks. There's no cover at this little shindig, but in the spirit of the days of the speakeasy, you will need to know the password: "It's freezing out here! Let us in!" Also, a true speakeasy patron should have an alias. While you're partying like it's 1929, check out free champagne toast at midnight, accompanied by what Cosmo called "fancy stuff on crackers." Heck, yes. Plus, if you show up in a 1920s get-up, you'll get a bonus party favor. Woot!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.theoklahomaswingsyndicate.org/images/sny_banner.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><b>Swingin' in the New Year</b><br />When: doors at 8:30pm, swing dancing lesson at 9pm, band starts at 9:30pm<br />Where: Believer's Church, 4705 S. Memorial Drive<br />Looking to dodge the drunks and smoke this New Years Eve and get your groove on at the same time? Thanks to the <a href="http://theoklahomaswingsyndicate.org/">Oklahoma Swing Syndicate</a>, you're in luck. For $20 per person, dance the night (and the year) away with an eight-piece, live swing band. The night will start with a beginning east-coast swing lesson, after which dancers are free to swing into 2010. Finger foods and beverages (no alcohol, though, folks) will be available, and the adjacent Cafe Fusion coffee shop will be open, too.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs141.snc3/16842_1269256966140_1071327511_840220_688128_n.jpg" /><br /></div><br /><b>NYE with Sam and the Stylees, HipHopotomus</b><br />When: doors at 7pm, show at 7:30pm<br />Where: Flytrap Music Hall, Second and Greenwood<br />Catch the smokin' local act Sam and the Stylees plus HipHopotomus, Classy San Diego and The Last Slice - it's a hefty dose of Oklahoma-grown music, all for $10 at the door.<br /><br /><b>NYE at Enso</b><br />When: 8pm<br />Where: <a href="http://ensobar.com/">Enso Bar, 104 S. Detroit Ave.</a><br />As the folks at Enso say, "no cheap props, hats, balls or sillyass noise makers - just cool music in a cool vibe." Plus, no where else in town has the Guinness Milk Shake. As if you need more convincing, this party is free - as in, it's $0 to get through the door of <a href="http://ensobar.com/">this swanky little bar, new to downtown's Blue Dome District</a>.<br /><br />So. What are YOU doing New Years Eve?