New Year’s Eve 2022 In Peekskill, Cortlandt

PEEKSKILL-CORTLANDT, NY — The Hudson Valley, including in and around Peekskill and Cortlandt, is always a happening place on New Year's Eve and much less of a headache than heading to New York City to celebrate.

The New Year's Eve Ball Drop and fireworks in White Plains is back after a couple of years.

If you're looking for family-friendly fun, Untermyer Gardens Grand Holiday Illumination in Yonkers, the 2nd Annual Great Holiday Train Show in Chappaqua, Lasdon Holidays on the Hill Annual Train Show in Somers, and Westchester County's Winter Wonderland Drive-Thru Holiday Light Extravaganza will still be taking place on New Year's Eve.

SEE ALSO: White Plains Plans New Year's Eve Ball Drop, Fireworks

Here is a look at events happening in and around Peekskill and Cortlandt:

Westchester County

• The New Year's Celebration, Dave & Buster's, Pelham. Celebrate early with the whole family. Starts at 4 p.m. and includes mouthwatering food, thrilling arcade games, video ball drop and fun for the whole family. Enjoy a special video countdown and Ginger Ale Toast at 6 p.m. to ring in 2023. Event concludes at 7 p.m. Admission Ticket is required for entry to the event.
• Untermyer Gardens Grand Holiday Illumination, Yonkers. Will continue through Jan. 1.
• Rye Noon Year’s Eve Party, Rye Free Reading Room, Rye. 11:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. Ring in the New Year at the Rye Free Reading Room! Come to the library to make some 2023-themed crafts, have some snacks and stick around for our countdown to 12 p.m. This party is a great option for kids who want to celebrate but are not yet ready to stay up until midnight. Registration required. Open to all kids under 12 and families.
• 2nd Annual Great Holiday Train Show at Horace Greeley House Museum, Chappaqua. Will continue through Jan 8. Tickets are available here.
• Lasdon Holidays on the Hill Annual Train Show, Somers. Will continue through Dec. 31. Tickets are available here.
• New Year's Eve Goosefeather x Hudson Horns, Tarrytown. 10 p.m. Chef Dale will be hosting this party across the Lawn from Goosefeather at The Carriage House on the Tarrytown House Estate property.
• New Year’s Eve Family Spectacular! White Plains 10:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Main Street at Court Street. There will be live music, the ball drop and fireworks.
• Westchester County’s Winter Wonderland Drive-Thru Holiday Light Extravaganza, Valhalla. Will continue through Jan. 1. Tickets are available here.

Mid-Hudson Valley

• Goshen: Legoland New York’s Holiday Bricktacular continues through Jan. 1. You and your family can get in the holiday spirit with a holiday garland, lights and photo moments throughout the event. For more information, go here.
• Newburgh: The Newburgh Brewing Company is having a New Year’s Eve Day event from noon to 5 p.m. The family-friendly party is for "walk-ins" only. Designed for people with kids who won’t make it until midnight, there will be $5 beer all afternoon, a champagne toast at 4 p.m. and a DJ. No charge; no cover. For more information, go here.
• Staatsburgh: The Staatsburgh State Historic Site presents A Gilded Age Christmas, which shows off the mansion’s beautiful interiors decorated for the holiday season. Open Dec. 27 through Dec. 31. For more information, go here.
• Find tickets for Back To The Eighties Show with Jessie's Girl showing at the Daryl's House, Pawling. 5 p.m. Tickets starting at $59.62 Read more on TicketWeb.

Getting around safely as you ring in the new year is, of course, the most important thing. Public transit systems will, in most cases, be operating on a modified holiday schedule.

Metro-North Railroad:

• On Saturday, Dec. 31, Metro-North will operate on a Saturday schedule, with additional outbound service from Grand Central operating from midnight until 5 a.m. West of the Hudson lines will have additional service after midnight on the Pascack Valley and Port Jervis lines.
• On Sunday, Jan. 1, Metro-North will operate on a Sunday schedule.
• On Monday, Jan. 2, Metro-North will operate on a Saturday schedule with additional service on East and West of Hudson lines.

SEE ALSO: First Day Hikes Will Kick Off 2023 Around The Hudson Valley

In the United States, one of the most popular New Year’s Eve traditions is, of course, the dropping of the giant ball in New York City’s Times Square. Various cities have adopted their own iterations of the event — the Peach Drop in Atlanta, the Chick Drop in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and the giant Potato Drop in Boise, Idaho.

The end of one year and beginning of another is often celebrated with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne," a Scottish folk song whose title roughly translates to "days gone by," according to Encyclopedia Britannica and History.com.

The history of New Year’s resolutions dates back 8,000 years to ancient Babylonians, who would make promises to return borrowed objects and pay outstanding debts at the beginning of the new year, in mid-March when they planted their crops.

According to legend, if they kept their word, pagan gods would grant them favor in the coming year. If they broke the promise, they would fall out of God’s favor, according to a history of New Year’s resolutions compiled by North Hampton Community College New Center in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Many secular New Year’s resolutions focus on imagining new, improved versions of ourselves. The failure rate of New Year’s resolutions is about 80 percent, according to U.S. News & World Report. There are myriad reasons, but a big one is they’re made out of remorse for gaining weight, for example, and aren’t accompanied by a shift in attitude and a plan to meet the stress and discomfort of changing a habit or condition.