Hangovers Don’t Have to Be Part of the New Year Ritual : Sobriety: Alcohol-free celebrations for teen-agers and adults are planned at several South Bay locations.

Last year, 17-year-old Ben Ustick had plenty of New Year’s Eve parties to choose from, all well-supplied with alcoholic beverages, despite California’s legal drinking age of 21. In fact, if he’d wanted to, the Mira Costa High School senior doubts he could have gone to all of them in one night.

“I wouldn’t have had nearly enough time,” recalled Ustick, a nondrinker. “We’d need a 14- or 15-day vacation.”

He has better plans this year, joining thousands of other teen-agers and adults who will be ringing in the new year without drugs or alcohol at a variety of South Bay events.

Up to 700 local teen-agers can enjoy their own clean and sober bash, called More Big Fun and described by organizers as a carnival with live bands. The event at Hope Chapel in Hermosa Beach is sponsored for the second year by South Bay Youth network, an interdenominational organization of area youth pastors.

Two “alternative” youth bands will pound out rock music for dancing from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Food and drinks, as well as carnival-type games, all priced at 25 cents, will be available at booths scattered inside the church hall. Contests with prizes ranging from goldfish to compact discs will be interspersed with a variety of other activities.

“Our organization decided a few years ago that we needed a safe, drug-free place for teens to go,” said Doug Schutza, youth pastor at Hope Chapel and organizer of the bash. “We call (this event) a ‘safe, insane New Year’s Eve.’ ”

The party is open to all high school students with a school identification. Admission is three cans or boxes of food per student, which will later be donated to homeless or needy South Bay families. For further information, contact Schutza at (310) 374-4673.

Perhaps the biggest clean-and-sober event will be happening at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, sponsored by the Los Angeles Central chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous. With doors opening at 7:30 p.m., as many as 2,500 people will find (according to organizers) “drop-dead food,” game booths and raffles, music videos and all the usual New Year’s Eve party paraphernalia --sans champagne, of course. Among the entertainment will be a performance by the AA choir, and a deejay to supply music for dancing until 3 a.m.

Tickets for this event are $30 at the door, or $20 in advance at AA South Bay headquarters, 3940 Marine Ave., Suite C, in Torrance. Further information may be obtained by calling (310) 644-1139.

For those looking to celebrate with some big-name entertainment, the South Bay Roundup AA group’s event is the ticket. This extravaganza at the Torrance Marriott Hotel features the original Platters group of ‘50s and ‘60s fame, as well as an elaborate dinner buffet. Doors open at 7 p.m., with dancing until dawn. Tickets are $55 per person and are limited to 300. For further information, call (310) 523-9409, (310) 675-6201 or (310) 534-3864.

Two South Bay Alano Clubs will be having New Year’s Eve dance parties. Alano Clubs, which are not affiliated with any AA organizations, are similar to bars but serve no alcohol at any time.

The Torrance-Lomita Club, which has played host for New Year’s Eve parties for up to 150 nondrinkers over the past 10 years, will feature deejays spinning music for dancing from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., contests, light snacks, and the club’s usual array of soft drinks, punch and other nonalcoholic beverages. Tickets are $6 per person. For information, call (310) 320-3861.

Hawthorne’s Alano Club will also host a buffet-dinner and dance, with a deejay providing music from 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Tickets are available in advance at $12.50 per person and $15 at the door, but are limited to the club’s 125-person capacity. For further information, call (310) 973-9898.

For those who plan to entertain at home, the Beach Cities Coalition for an Alcohol-and Drug-Free Youth offers these tips to help “keep the holiday spirits under control”:

* Have plenty of nonalcoholic beverages available, such as soft drinks, fruit juices or mineral water.

* Serve food along with alcohol.

* Choose holiday party activities that don’t center on drinking.

* Never force a drink on someone who has refused one; and don’t be afraid to refuse one to someone who appears to have had too many.

* Be ready to offer and sometimes demand that a guest not drive after too much drinking.

“We’re encouraging the adults in our community to practice responsible hospitality this New Year’s eve,” said Karen Ledebur, executive director of the 100-plus member coalition, “but we definitely advocate a no-use policy for youth.”

Teen-agers: More Big Fun, Hope Chapel, 2420 Pacific Coast Highway, Hermosa Beach. 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Live music, dancing, games, food. Admission: three cans or boxes of food. (310) 374-4673.

Adults: AA dinner-dance, Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1855 Main St., Santa Monica. 7:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. $30 at door,. $20 in advance. (310) 644-1139.

AA dinner-dance featuring the Platters, Torrance Marriott Hotel, 3635 Fashion Way (near Torrance and Hawthorne boulevards), Torrance. $55 per person. (310) 523-9409, (310) 675-6201, (310) 534-3864.

Dinner-dance, Hawthorne Alano Club, 12130 S. Birch Ave., (just east of Hawthorne Mall) Hawthorne. 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. $12.50 advance, $15 at door. 973-9898.

Dance party, Torrance-Lomita Alano Club, 1645 Arlington Ave. (at Carson), Torrance. 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. $6. 320-3861.