Bring on the Millennium

We figured that if there are 50 ways to leave a lover, there had to be at least 99 ways to kiss 1999 goodbye.

Yeah, sure . . . the millennium doesn’t really end until Dec. 31, 2000. But that’s a mere technicality to the millions who plan to bring in this New Year with a once-in-a-thousand bang.

For the party of the century, reservations are required. Fewer than 100 days remain in 1999, and already some events are sold out; ticket prices for others will rise as year’s end approaches.

Your opportunities are limited only by how early you plan--and by how much you want to spend. Here, then, are some choices for all ages, interests and bank accounts.

$100 or Less

1. Universal Studios Hollywood’s Millennium Dance Party will feature live bands and deejays in four themed party areas, with cash bar and food. Fireworks will follow a millennium countdown. The party continues until 2 a.m., with dancing and access to the theme park’s rides and attractions. Admission is $99, $5 off if purchased before Dec. 15. VIP Green Room passes, available for $250, include priority seating for live band performances, a five-course dinner and open bar. 9 p.m.-2 a.m. All ages welcome. (800) 959-9688.

2. New Year’s Eve at Disneyland may seem like a bargain compared to other New Year’s celebrations. The park will charge its usual admission fee, $39 for ages 12 and up, $29 for 3-11 and $37 for seniors. Play in the park all day, then catch an extended fireworks show at midnight, and play some more until 3 a.m. (714) 781-4565.

3. Knott’s Berry Farm’s Praise 2000, the annual New Year’s Eve Christian music festival, will present Jaci Velasquez, Rebecca St. James, the Kry, Jennifer Knapp, Raze, Nifty Tom Fifty, Bob Bennett and Sampo. Fireworks will top off the evening. Presale tickets $35; day-of $40. 7 p.m.-2 a.m. (714) 220-5200.

4. New Year’s Eve on Pine Avenue in Long Beach includes live music, street performers and a ball drop at midnight. The Promenade from 1st to 3rd streets will be lined with food and vendor booths and several stages of entertainment. On the main stage, rock, swing and salsa bands will perform. Fireworks and laser shows will assist in the countdown to the millennium. $50. (562) 437-7700.

5. Borrowing from the Big Apple, a ball 12 feet in diameter will drop at “Times Square West” at midnight. The Hyatt Regency La Jolla’s annual event includes a pyrotechnic and laser light countdown, four stages of entertainment, featuring Dave Koz, Willie & Lobo, Slim Man, the Mardi Gras band Fat Tuesday, DJ Maximum Impact and others. Hors d’ oeuvres. $99; hotel packages available. (858) 552-6099, or https://www.timessquarewest.com.

6. Watch the lighting of the Hollywood sign, complete with a laser light show. The ceremony, hosted by the city of Los Angeles, will be at Griffith Observatory between 11:30 p.m. and midnight,. (213) 485-ARTS or https://www.lacelebrate2000.org.

7. Terrence Love and Francisco Agua Bella Latin Jazz Band headline the Night in Havana New Year’s festivities at Steamers Cafe in Fullerton. 6:30 p.m.-2 a.m. $100 per person. Reservations required. (714) 871-8800.

8. There are five dance floors and five bars in two rooms at the Boogie Company in Anaheim. $50. 7 p.m.-2 a.m. (714) 956-1410.

9. The Top Hat Playhouse in Palm Springs presents “The Millennium--Year 2000,” a Roaring ‘20s-style show. The $45 admission includes champagne and hors d’oeuvres. (760) 416-4339.

10. The Golden Dragon Restaurant in Chinatown hosts a New Year’s Eve party that includes a six-course dinner, dancing, magic and floor shows, a cash bar and champagne at midnight. 7:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. $99 (plus tax and tip); $60 for ages 12 and younger. (213) 721-0774.

11. A reception in the lobby of Hotel Le Meridien from 4-8 p.m. includes champagne, hors d’oeuvres and a big-screen view of New Year’s celebrations around the world as the clock strikes midnight in other parts of the world. $50. (310) 246-2100.

12. Laugh off the 20th century with the Mad Movie Veteran All-Stars at L.A. Connection in Sherman Oaks. The All-Stars will perform two shows, one at 8 p.m. for $15 and a second with a different cast at 10 p.m. for $20. See both for $30. (818) 784-1868.

13. Count down to midnight with “the Love Master,” Craig Shoemaker, at the Irvine Improv. The show at 7 p.m. is $50; dinner and show is $100. A 10 p.m. show includes champagne, hors d’oeuvres and party favors, for $125 per person. (949) 854-5455.

14. Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs will close to traffic at 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve for a street festival, which includes live entertainment and fireworks at midnight. Free. (760) 778-8415.

Romance

15. Get cozy in a gondola, sip champagne and watch the fireworks fly over Newport Bay on New Year’s Eve. A gourmet snack basket comes with the two-hour cruise, departing at 11 p.m. Rent a private gondola for $600, plus 20% gratuity, and shove off from Lido Marina Village in Newport Beach. Each gondola can hold up to six people. For authentic Venetian-style gondoliers, call Gondola Co. of Newport, (949) 675-1212. At the same location, Gondola Romance provides canopy-covered electric gondolas. (949) 675-4730.

16. A room for three nights, a bottle of champagne and dinner each night are part of the millennium package at the Ritz Carlton in Dana Point. On New Year’s Eve, guests are invited to a masquerade ball. The cost? $4,500 to $100,000. Guests also have the option of staying two additional nights, Dec. 29 or Jan. 2, at no additional charge. (949) 240-5008.

17. Mums in Long Beach is offering a buffet dinner and dessert bar, dancing, admission to the Pine Avenue party outside its doors and seating with a view of the main Promenade stage for $200 per person. For $750 per couple, the package will include a room at the Renaissance Hotel. (562) 437-7700.

18. Las Brisas, the well-known Laguna Beach restaurant specializing in seafood, is taking reservations for New Year’s Eve dinner. There will be no cover charge in the bar, where a deejay will spin dance music. Price for dinner to be announced. Seating every half hour. (949) 497-5434.

19. The Inn at Laguna Beach is offering a three-night-minimum package for $1,200 to $1,900 (a fourth night at no extra charge is available at the time of reservation). The package includes an oceanfront room, a view of the fireworks from the balcony and breakfast brought by room service. (800) 544-4479.

20. After dinner at either place in Laguna, take a romantic walk along the main beach, where you and your date will see fireworks at midnight, launched from Heisler Park.

21. and 22. Relive the 20th century in a time-travel musical at Loews Coronado Bay Resort. The revue includes music of the Roaring ‘20s and rock ‘n’ roll of the ‘50s and ‘60s. A four-course dinner begins at 8 p.m. $500 per couple covers valet parking, but not drinks. If the kids are in tow, you won’t have to forgo the romance. Loews is offering a New Year’s Eve kids party for ages 4 to 12, which includes dinner, an ice cream social, cider toast, videos, crafts and games, for $75 per child. 6 p.m.-1 a.m. (800) 815-6397.

23. Live bands playing big band, Top 40, jazz, country, salsa, disco and everything in between will fill the ship decks for Queen Mary 2000. A three-day package covers all food, music and festivities, from check-in at noon on Dec. 31 to checkout on Jan. 2 at 2 p.m. $300 for New Year’s party only; $2,500 for hotel package. (562) 435-3511.

24. A Murder Mystery Weekend over New Year’s Eve includes an overnight stay at the Danish Country Inn in Solvang. Begin with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, followed by a three-course dinner, entertainment until 1 a.m., three drink tickets and breakfast the next morning. Check-in 3 p.m. Dec. 31. $325 per person. (310) 836-7700.

Family

25. The Los Angeles Millennium Show, begins at 6 p.m. on Dec. 31 outside the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with a street festival, featuring three entertainment stages, food and merchandise booths along with high-tech interactive exhibits. The 10:30 p.m. show inside the Coliseum includes a cast of thousands, including a 700-member drill team, a thousand-member choir, the USC Trojan Marching Band and more leading up to a laser and fireworks show at midnight. $55, $135 and $150. Ticketmaster, (310) 669-4199.

26. Say goodbye to 1999 in style, at the Beverly Hills Millennium Block Party. New Year’s Eve day festivities will run from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Dec. 31. Check out fashions of the future, get sneak previews of concept cars, sample delicacies on restaurant row or partake in a brunch featuring the city’s famed restaurants and chefs. Futuristic rides, games, a petting zoo and shows featuring Cirque du Soleil performers also will be at the Golden Triangle business district, between Santa Monica and Wilshire boulevards. (310) 285-2438.

27-31. The Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department has plans in the works for five “Super Street Fairs,” featuring entertainment, children’s workshops, art displays and other family activities, light shows, fireworks and special effects. Free admission. (213) 485-1406. Each site has a different theme:

* “L.A.’s Heartland” at Van Nuys Airport

* “The Alameda” in front of Union Station

* “One Magic Night” at the intersection of Crenshaw and Martin Luther King boulevards

* “Global Village” at California Plaza, downtown

* “Welcome to the Future” at the foot of the Vincent Thomas Bridge, at L.A. Harbor.

32. About 25,000 people are expected for First Night San Diego ‘99, an alcohol-free event with food, entertainment, dancing and fireworks to welcome the new millennium. Hours are 6 p.m.-1 a.m. at Seaport Village at Embarcadero Marina Park, downtown San Diego. September to December, tickets are $20, $10 for children; in December, tickets will be $30 and $15. (619) 296-8731.

33.-34. There’s always plenty to do in Pasadena over the New Year’s holiday but as with every other place on Earth, the 1999 New Year’s Eve is special. The Rose Bowl Family Festival, including food, entertainment and displays, is open 7 a.m.-4 p.m. on New Year’s Eve day. Admission is free. (626) 795-9311. For those lining up early for the 86th annual Rose Parade (“Celebration 2000: Visions of the Future”) on Colorado Boulevard, Fantasia/2000 Fireworks Spectacular in Pasadena will explode simultaneously over the Rose Bowl, City Hall and Pasadena City College at midnight on New Year’s Eve, courtesy of the Walt Disney Co.

35. Also on New Year’s Eve, Disney will unveil “Fantasia/2000” at the Pasadena Center. The 2,000-guest black-tie affair begins with dinner and a special screening of “Fantasia/2000” with a live orchestra in the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Dancing and performances by Chicago and swing band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy follow, along with a midnight countdown complete with pyrotechnics and confetti to ring in the New Year. $2,000. Seats limited. (818) 238-1095.

36. The streets of Fullerton will come alive with festivities for First Night Fullerton. The community event features children’s activities and more than 100 musical and cultural attractions and fireworks at midnight. (714) 738-3167.

37. First Night Escondido 2000 is a community celebration of the arts. The event is for the entire family--translation: alcohol free--6 p.m.-midnight at several locations, including the Cal Center and throughout downtown Escondido. (760) 739-0101.

38. Exposition 2000 is a millennium celebration planned for San Diego’s expansive Balboa Park. On Dec. 31, food, entertainment and a New Year’s celebration are planned from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. ($25). On Jan. 1, Family Day brings food, entertainment and free museum admission to the park, noon-6 p.m. On Jan. 2, Millennium Internationale includes food, entertainment and hands-on arts and crafts, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets for New Year’s Eve are available at Ticketmaster. Other events, including a masquerade ball ($75), are also planned. (619) 235-5907.

39. Opus 21: Festival of Sacred Sounds is a celebration of sacred music, hosted by the Cultural Affairs Department and LA 2000 Youth Foundation. Starting at 4 p.m., all churches, synagogues, temples and mosques are invited to participate in ringing bells, blowing shofars and other religious horns, singing and chanting. The event ends at midnight. (213) 485-1406.

Bop ‘Til You Drop

40. Merv’s Millennium EVErything offers something for everyone at Merv Griffin’s Beverly Hilton Hotel. Tex Beneke & His Orchestra, Tito Puente Jr., Ray Anthony and his Big Band, Boogie Knights, Rudy Regalado’s Latin Jazz Band and Swingerhead will provide the disco, salsa and swing. The $1,000 tickets include food, drink and entertainment. 7 p.m.-3 a.m. (310) 285-1300.

41. Latin Gala 2000 at the Hollywood Palladium revisits sounds of Latin music from the 1960s to the ‘90s, featuring live bands. Dress from the era of your choice for the fashion parade of the decades. Prices are TBA. 9 p.m.-3 a.m. (323) 634-7811 or https://www.latingala2000.com.

42. R&B; and classic jazz tunes will fill Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel on New Year’s Eve. Festivities commence at 8:30 p.m. in the hotel’s Lavande restaurant with a five-course menu. A traditional balloon drop will occur at midnight. $300; beverages not included. Room packages start at $1,310. (310) 458-6700, Ext. 3105.

43. Get into the swing of New Year’s in Avalon on Catalina Island, where the American Swing Orchestra presents a musical salute to Benny Goodman. Cocktail hour from 7-8 p.m., followed by dinner, dancing, champagne at midnight and fireworks at 12:15 a.m. $345 per person, including taxes and gratuities. (310) 510-7645, or mail your request and payment to Catalina Island Visitors Bureau, P.O. Box 217, Avalon, CA 90704.

Dine and Dance

44. Dance the night away at “Countdown to Zero: New Year’s 2000” at Buzz at the Beach restaurant and nightclub in Newport Beach. $50. 21 and older. (949) 673-4700.

45. Cuba Gooding & the Main Ingredient headline at the Century Club’s New Year’s Eve party in Century City. First seating at 7 p.m. includes a gourmet buffet for $150 per person. The 9 p.m. seating includes a gourmet dinner with champagne for $200. General show seating for $100 and VIP show seating from $250 to $395. (310) 553-6000.

46. The Cinegrill in the Hollywood Roosevelt features Roslyn Kind in a dinner show package. There will be two seatings for dinner and two performances. $175 cost also includes champagne. (323) 466-7000.

47. The Derby’s New Year’s Eve party features Jellyroll. Five different packages are available, ranging from $75 for admission and a glass of champagne at midnight to $250 per person. Dinner served by Louise’s Trattoria, 21 and older. (323) 663-8979.

48. Millennium New Year’s Eve at the Hyatt Newporter in Newport Beach includes dinner and entertainment. General admission is $125; $250 tickets include preferred seating and dinner; $350 tickets include dinner, drinks and a reception. Hotel packages are available. (949) 650-5483.

49. Thornton Winery hosts the 1999 New Year’s Millennium Champagne Gala with dining, dancing and champagne sipping at the winery in Temecula. $250. (909) 699-0099, Ext. 129.

50. Hotel Le Meridien, formerly Hotel Nikko on La Cienega, hosts Monte Carlo in Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve. Dinner, casino-style games, a live band and a big-screen view of other celebrations around the world begin at 8 p.m. The cost is $250 per person. Rooms available for $185, two-night minimum. (310) 246-2100.

51. Harry Dean Stanton headlines the New Year’s party at the Mint on Pico Boulevard. (323) 954-8241.

52. Dance to the Funky Hippeez Disco Show and deejay Slim Shaney at the West End in Santa Monica, 8 p.m.-2 a.m. Open bar, hors d’oeuvres. $150. (310) 394-4647.

53. The Nelson Riddle Orchestra and Harry Connick Sr. are featured performers at Sportsmen’s Lodge Restaurant & Special Event Center. $199.99-$249.99. (818) 755-5000.

Restaurants

54. Dine to mandolin music at Capo in Santa Monica. Champagne is included, $125. (310) 394-5550.

55. A view of the harbor and a jazz quartet set the mood for a quiet New Year’s dinner at Cafe del Rey in Marina del Rey. Four-course menu, champagne and a gift bag are included for $150. (310) 823-6395.

56. The Hank Jones Trio performs at Hollywood’s Catalina Bar & Grill. The price is TBA for the five-course dinner and champagne. (323) 466-2210.

57. Choose from the regular Euro-Asian menu from 4:30-6 p.m. at Crustacean in Beverly Hills, or join the New Year’s Eve party at 8:30 p.m. Seatings to 10 p.m. include a five-course meal, live entertainment, dancing and party favors. The $190 charge does not include alcohol. (310) 205-8990.

58. Hawaiian guitar music will accompany the special New Year’s four-course meal at JiRaffe in Santa Monica. First seating, 6-7 p.m., $85; second seating, 9-10 p.m., $135. (310) 917-6671.

59. You might have to wade through sidewalk campers in Old Pasadena to get there, but Moose McGillycuddy’s is offering a New Year’s Eve party dinner package. (626) 304-9955.

60. The Parkway Grill in Pasadena is offering two seatings for dinner, at 7:30 p.m. with a limited menu and individual prices, and at 8:30 p.m. with a multi-course dinner for $175 per person. (626) 795-1001.

61. The celebration at the Doubletree in Old Pasadena begins with a reception at 7:30 p.m., followed by dinner, music and dancing and a champagne toast at midnight. Keep the commemorative crystal glass. $199. (626) 792-2727.

62. The Ritz Carlton Huntington Hotel and Spa will serve dinner at 8 p.m., followed by music, dancing and a champagne toast for $400. Check out the band in the lobby lounge for $75 per person. (626) 568-3900.

63. Atlas Bar & Grill on Wilshire Boulevard celebrates the New Year and its own 10th anniversary with “A Night in Havana.” Choose from a Latin-Caribbean menu; dance to Five Degrees of Soul. $250 for dinner; $150 for admission only. (213) 380-8400.

64. Take your pick from the La Ve Lee menu in Studio City. The New Year’s Eve dinner is $100 per person. (818) 980-8158.

65. Lola’s in West Hollywood promises music, martinis and madness at its New Year’s celebration. Seatings for the five-course dinner begin at 7:30 and 10:30 p.m. $75. (213) 736-5652.

66. Dining and dancing at Pinot Provence in the Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa is offered in two seatings, at 5:30-7:30 p.m. or 9-11 p.m. $75-$175. (714) 444-5900.

67. Ocean Avenue Seafood in Santa Monica re-creates New Year’s Eve in the British West Indies, with a seafood menu until 8 p.m., followed by a prix-fixe menu for $125 per person, which includes champagne at midnight and party favors. (310) 394-5669.

68. Greek belly-dancing and Hasapiko dancing will accent the New Year’s Eve meal at Papadakis Taverna in San Pedro. Strolling violinists add to the revelry. $200. (310) 548-1186.

69. The Saddle Peak Lodge in Calabasas gives diners a choice of two seatings. The early seating, beginning at 5 p.m., offers a four-course dinner for $125. The second seating, from 9-10 p.m., features five courses and includes champagne, for $200. (818) 222-3888.

70. In a re-creation of a swank 1899 New Year’s dinner that took place at the Carlton Hotel in London, two seatings are planned for the Top O’ the Cove’s New Year’s spread in La Jolla. $300 to $500. (858) 454-7779.

71. Michael Cirnarusti, of Le Cirque and Spago, will unveil a truffle-inspired menu at Water Grill in Los Angeles. Two seatings are planned, at 5 p.m. for $100 per person; and 8 p.m. for $200 per person, including champagne. (213) 891-0900.

Concerts

72. The Eagles will headline Staples Center’s 1999 New Year’s Eve celebration. Jackson Browne and Linda Ronstadt will kick off the festivities at 8 p.m. Tickets are $50, $75, $125, $150, $200, $350, $500, $750 and $1,000 through Ticketmaster and online at https://www.ticketmaster.com. A portion of the proceeds from the concert will be donated to L.A.’s BEST: After School Enrichment Program.

73. If wastin’ away in Margaritaville is your idea of the ideal way to end 1999, you won’t be alone. Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefers are headlining the Buffett at the Beach concert at Universal Amphitheatre. Margaritaville will be “constructed” outdoors, where concert-goers can partake in tropical beverages and Caribbean foods. The Fredy Omar Latin Dance Band will warm up the crowd with salsa tunes. Buffett will lead the midnight countdown. Dance to the music of the Stingers till dawn. Open bar and food are included in the ticket prices, $500 to $1,500. 7 p.m. (877) 727-7689 or https://www.margaritaville.com.

74. Al Green will take the stage for a New Year’s show at the House of Blues. $200 tickets include a light buffet and open bar. $250 tickets include a three-course dinner. (310) 848-5100.

75. Let singer Terri Nunn take your breath away as Berlin headlines two shows on New Year’s Eve at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano. The 7 p.m. show is $29.50; the 11 p.m. show, $65. Dinner packages available. (949) 496-8930.

76. The Cerritos Center’s “Party of the Century” features Peabo Bryson and the Max Carl Big Band. 7:30 p.m. Cabaret seating $190; other seats $105-$135. (562) 916-8500.

77. Kick up your heels with Diamond Rio at Crazy Horse Steak House in Santa Ana. Dinner packages available; seatings at 5, 7 and 9 p.m. Dancing, champagne toast. $130 to $200. (714) 549-1512.

78. New Year’s Jazz at Indian Wells is a millennium-themed four-day celebration that also honors the centennial of jazz. The lineup includes Grammy-winning singer Nancy Wilson, the Marcus Roberts Trio, Queen Ida & Her Bontemps Zydeco Band, comedian-vocalist Jack Sheldon, blues pioneer Floyd Dixon and scat singer Micki Rhyne, among others. Dance parties, a jazz brunch, jam sessions and a New Year’s sit-down dinner are among the highlights. The welcome reception begins Dec. 29. On Dec. 31 the countdown begins with a gospel event from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., followed by the New Year’s Eve party beginning at 8 p.m. Package deals for two include four days at the Renaissance Esmeralda or Hyatt Grand Champions, a four-day music pass, sit-down dinner, millennium party and jazz brunch and jam for $1,980 (room tax extra). A single-day pass for the New Year’s party is $525 per person (includes dinner), $740 with a room. (562) 799-6055 or https://www.justjazz.org.

Singles

79. Sinurgey Productions’ Ultimate Millennium Party at Del Mar Racetrack could be the ultimate destination for singles. Bands will play disco, funk, reggae, flamenco or retro dance music in different areas. Gourmet food stations and fireworks are included. A satellite link will show New Year’s Eve celebrations in different parts of the world. Black tie optional, coats are required. 7 p.m.-4 a.m. (619) 495-2440.

Clothing Optional

80. Wear nothing but party favors to the New Year’s Millennium Montage in Sacramento. Food, drinks, entertainment and workshops are planned at the two-day event for people “in the nudist lifestyle.” A two-night minimum stay is required, along with payment by Oct. 31. Party prices range from $100 to $175 per couple (plus $20 membership fee for nonmembers); rooms start at $225. 21 and older. (209) 948-6202.

Offbeat Celebrations

81. Murder Mystery New Year’s Eve events are planned at Lunaria in West Los Angeles and the Country Side Inn in Newport Beach. Both include a three-course dinner and dancing, three drink tickets and a champagne toast. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Black tie optional. $215 per person. (818) 785-7700.

82. The Normandie Casino presents the Fab Four of “Beatlemania” at 8:30 p.m. Dancing, champagne, one drink and hors d’oeuvres are included for $125 per person. (310) 352-3428.

83. Ski your way into the next millennium at Big Bear Lake, where torchlight parades will light up the ski runs, and music and dancing follows. About 250 skiers and snowboarders will descend down the hill at midnight. Three dance parties are planned. (909) 866-5766.

Cruisin’

84. The Hornblower yachts set sail into 2000 with a package that includes dinner, champagne, dancing, entertainment and fireworks on the Millennium New Year’s Eve Gala Cruise. Board 8-9 p.m., return at 1 a.m. Departures from Marina del Rey or Newport Beach. $250 includes five-course sit-down dinner and open bar. (619) 686-8715.

85. The Millennium Party Cruise offers a four-hour cruise through Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors, departing the Catalina Cruises terminal at 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 31. A buffet, live Top 40-style entertainment, a view of the harbor fireworks and a champagne toast are included. 21 and older. $150 before Oct. 1; $200 after. 800-CATALINA.

Out of Towners

86. Millennium Eve Party at Cocoanut Grove will celebrate with food, dancing and entertainment at the historic dance and banquet center, which overlooks the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Classic rock and swing bands, big-band music and Top 40 deejays. Buffet at 7:30 p.m. Dessert buffet at 10 p.m. Arcade and casino games. Advance dinner-dance tickets $149; dance and dessert tickets, $99 in advance, $109 at the door. (831) 423-2053.

87. San Luis Obispo First Night 2000 is a family-friendly, alcohol-free celebration with musicians, dancers, magicians, craftspeople and more at 35 venues throughout downtown. An admission button is $7. All venues except the main stage close at 11 p.m. Live bands will perform on the main stage until midnight, when a fireworks display welcomes the New Year. (805) 781-6668.

88. The timeless Dick Clark will host Times Square 2000 in New York City. Hundreds of thousands of people are expected in person, another 250 million via TV, to watch the ball drop and kick off the year 2000. The city plans to do it all again for New Millennium’s Eve on Dec. 31, 2000. Times Square 2000 will begin at 7 a.m. EST Dec. 31, when the New Year arrives in Fiji Islands. Then, on each hour, New Year’s scenes from around the world will be broadcast. For more information, contact: Times Square/Special Events, Times Square Business Improvement District, 1560 Broadway, Suite 800, New York, NY 10036. (212) 768-1560.

89. Also in New York, Celebration 2000 promises to turn the Javits Convention Center into a “millennium theme park.” The main stage will feature Sting, Andrea Bocelli, Aretha Franklin, Tom Jones, Chuck Berry and others. In the ballroom, assorted dance bands will perform, along with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Joan Rivers will headline the comedy room and Kool & the Gang will join Studio 2000, where disco and rock bands will play in the laser-lighted disco. Gourmet food will be available. The party begins at 6 p.m. Dec. 31 and continues until 6 a.m. on Jan. 1.

90. Jump on the Millennium Train, departing from Williams, Ariz., for the Grand Canyon. The excursion begins with a night at 5the Fray Marcos Hotel and a New Year’s party at Max & Thelma’s restaurant. On New Year’s Day, a champagne brunch precedes the Grand Canyon tour on the Millennium Train. Return for one more night at the Fray. $999 per couple. (800) 843-8724.

91. If you want to know exactly when the year 2000 starts, you’re probably headed across the Atlantic to Greenwich, England. The dome on the Greenwich Meridian Line will be the largest millennium celebration in the United Kingdom. The new structure’s opening night ceremony on Dec. 31 will feature grand exhibits, attractions and performances. Visit the Web site at https://greenwich2000.com.

Vegas, Baby, Vegas

92. Las Vegas may be known for cheap rooms, but don’t count on bargain accommodations for the New Year’s weekend. Desert Inn, for instance, is charging $2,000 per night with a three-night-minimum stay. The rate includes a bottle of champagne and two tickets for Don Rickles’ New Year’s Eve show, where the king of putdowns should have a good laugh on guests who are shelling out that kind of cash for a room they normally get for 50 bucks. (800) 634-6909.

93. The turn-of-the-century mark-up in downtown Las Vegas is significantly less, where the usually free Fremont Street Experience concerts are $100. Bands will include Starship, REO Speedwagon, the Guess Who and Credence Clearwater Revisited. 6-11 p.m. (702) 678-5777.

94. Bette Midler will perform shows on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Performances begin at 9 each night. The $95 seats are already sold out for both nights. Seats for $300 and $500 are still available to hear the Divine one. (702) 632-7580 or Ticketmaster.

95. Rod Stewart will headline an “intimate” concert for 7,500 New Year’s revelers at the Rio Hotel and Casino. A package deal includes three nights in a studio suite for two, two tickets to the concert and a bottle of Dom Perignon for $4,000. (877) 746-2693.

96. Add a little spice to your New Year’s celebration at “The Millennium Salsa Style” at the Riviera Hotel and Casino. Dance to the tunes of the Salsa Machine in La Cage Theater. The $119.99 fee includes unlimited drinks, hors d’oeuvres, party favors, taxes and gratuities. If classic rock is more your speed, Frankie Avalon, the Tokens and the Shangri-Las headline a dinner show for $300 in the Royal Pavilion; a dance party is planned in the Grand Ballroom for $100. (800) 634-3420.

Mellow Millennium

97. If popcorn, a video and a couch sound like your idea of a great way to welcome the year 2000, check out “The Apartment” and “Strange Days,” two films with New Year’s themes.

98. Or Peter Jennings will anchor a broadcast that will commemorate the end of the century. The ABC program will air over 22 hours, beginning the morning of Dec. 31 and ending at dawn on Jan. 1, and feature Dick Clark and other ABC personalities.

99. Last but not least, boot up your home computer and watch what happens as the clock strikes 12.